Marketing & Optimizing Your Website for Search Engines

Why Have a Website if no one can Find it?

Search Engine Optimization has been a passion of mine for a while. There are over 200 factors that Google considers when placing your website in the search results for a Google search. That can seem overwhelming – but what it comes down to is that Google wants to provide the most relevant results for that searcher while providing them websites that give them a good user-experience. Getting to the top of the first page of search results can either be that mirage of a body of water in a desert that is just out of reach, or it can be actually be attainable if you have a few factors working for you. Contact me to get a free SEO analysis for you to help determine if it is worth the time/money to put into this. You can also learn more below how I can get your website on the first page of search results – which then becomes free advertising for your website.

Your website should be coded in a way that has it’s information easily indexed by search crawlers. Google wants quality websites in their search results – that means it needs to be well-organized, easy to navigate, and it has to function well. Google also wants you to have plenty of unique content in your website that is relevant to what the visitor searched for – if someone Google searches “Thai restaurants in St. Paul”, Google’s algorithm will bring up websites that have the words “Thai food” or “Thai restaurant” emphasized in their website, along with the address and other factors. I will take all the steps needed to optimize your website based on various searches people in your area are making to find businesses like yours.
External SEO is a side of SEO that many developers do not consider when building your website. It can be a lot of work and it’s usually not easy. Basically, Google considers your website more relevant if relevant, high-traffic websites are linked back to your website. I have many ways of getting this done, but my methods can be unique to each business. I’ll go ahead and give away what is one of the most important backlinks you can get from another website – Google Places for Business.

Get Found in Online Directories

Creating backlinks (links in other websites that point to your website) is referred to as external search engine optimization, which is a side of SEO that many developers do not consider when building your website.

How do directory listings benefit my business?

  • Directory listings drive traffic to your website from the listings.
  • Google’s search engine crawlers see that your website is linked to from other relevant websites, which in turn improves your ranking in the search engine results pages.
  • Some customers may contact you directly from the listing without visiting the website (such as by a provided phone number).

Creating backlinks (links in other websites that point to your website) is referred to as external search engine optimization, which is a side of SEO that many developers do not consider when building your website, but must be completed to have a chance of getting ahead of the competition for the top few search results.

As long as your have a website and a completed Google Plus local page, then we’re good to go. Now sure if you have a Google Plus Local page? A quick way to find out is to search for your business at maps.google.com. If your business shows up, then you have one. Make sure you claim the listing and complete all the information. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions.

Once it is confirmed that you have the completed Google Plus listing, I’ll have you fill out a listing info form that confirms things like the address, phone number, etc. that you want posted on your listings.

When will my directory listings be completed?

In 4-6 weeks after you sign up and complete the listing info form you listings will be completed. At that time I will send you a spreadsheet like in the image below, so you can make updates to the listings later if needed.

How much does it cost to have directory listings set up?

Our current rates are $500 for 30 listings or $800 for 50 listings. Contact us to get started!

I determine then prioritize the keywords that people are using in their Google searches, then track where you are listed for specific search phrases like “thrift store in Goodhue MN” and many others. This list is made available to you at any time just by bookmarking a link that I will give you with your custom search engine result placement rankings.
Blogging (or any content writing that is relevant to your website) is one of the many ways to gain “clout” with Google. You’ll want to add new content to your website at least every few weeks – or at least change the current content so Google knows that it is an active website with fresh content. With WordPress, you will have the opportunity to make your own website updates whenever you want. If you don’t have the time, we’ll be happy to do it for you for a low fee.
Google Analytics is a free service by Google to keep track of everything your visitors are doing on your website and where they came from. Every website should have analytics installed, and Google’s is widely considered the best. I have been working with Google Analytics for 10 years now and have kept up with their many updates. Google Analytics comes with all of my websites and I will set up automated reports right to your email and interpret all of the statistics and lingo for you. → Learn more about Google Analytics.
Not only will you be able to see the progress for your search engine results at any time, I will also set up a custom monthly report that is sent to your email.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

PPC Advertising is an internet advertising model used to direct traffic to websites, in which advertisers (typically a website owner) pay the publisher when the ad is clicked. Instead of taking months (sometimes years) to get your website listed on the top of the search results via search engine optimization, this gets you there immediately. It can get expensive in highly populated areas where there is a lot of competition (typically $1-$3 per click for a restaurant’s website, and even more for more expensive services), but even then this can be a very good option if the ads are targeted for the right Google searches.

With search engines, advertisers typically bid on keyword phrases relevant to their target market. PPC “display” advertisements, also known as “banner” ads, are shown on web sites or search engine results with related content that have agreed to show ads.

Serving St. Paul and the 7-County Metro Area of MN

Call anytime at (612) 867-6296 or complete the contact form below.

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