How to Set Up Your Website SEO
As I continue to work with business owners to maximize their online impact, a lot of the same questions come up over and over. I plan to address all of these in the coming months - and if you have one, let me know! - but the first and most popular question for small business owners is: “How do I set up my website to show up on Google?”
Truthfully, there are a lot of things you can and should do to improve your Search Engine Optimization (you can read my blogs about the topic here), but there are a few core things to check before you hire someone to run your SEO, or start getting worried that you aren’t showing up in the rankings. Before you do anything else, don’t forget these key things:
1) Do your research.
Before you choose keywords, name your site, or do anything else, you need to define your target audience. Content you may write for a 25-year-old female will be drastically different than what appeals to a 63-year-old grandparent. You’re not excluding anyone by drilling down to your ideal customer - you’re simply talking to the person who will gravitate to your business the most, and thus spend the most money with you. Work on this first, then move on to the more technical aspects.
2) Choose your website title wisely.
Your website title is one of the top ranking factors. It affects your site SEO to be sure, but it also will draw or repel potential customers. This is why it’s so important to know who you’re talking to first (see step #1!). You should choose your website title based on factors like your industry, location, etc. It’s great to include your business name, but unless you’re a very well-known brand, that will rarely be the first part of your website title.
3) Use relevant keywords to write website content and name images.
The bulk of your web rankings will be determined by the written content on your website, along with an overall positive user experience. As you speak to your ideal customer, research and choose the keywords most relevant to that group of people. What are they searching for? How would you like them to find your website? Use sites like AnswerthePublic or a simple Google search to figure out which words you should be targeting as you write content on your About, Services, or any other pages prominently displayed on your website.
Of course, there are dozens more factors to consider when you create or update your website, but these are some of the biggest action items to add to your list. As always, if you have any questions about specific keywords, website titles, or anything else SEO-related, drop me a line and let me help you!
