Google Will Love Your Website! Make These Few simple changes to your website Now
With Google now offering their local results in an organic list, making sure your website is well optimized for this search result can be the quick and easy way to improve the number of times you’ve seen online.
Google has always been the leading search engine, with its services now extending far beyond internet searches. Google Maps was launched in December 2005 as a satellite view of Google Earth that allowed viewers to look down on streets worldwide. Google Street View, which allows users to tour cities globally using their web browsers also came under Google’s local umbrella in 2007. Google Local was launched in January 2010 after merging Google Places and Google Maps together helping small businesses achieve greater levels of visibility by allowing consumers to easily find businesses both on and offline.
Although ranking higher within Google’s local results is dependent on Google’s changing algorithms and complicated mathematical calculations, there are a few simple changes small businesses can make to their website that will help improve their search engine rankings.
Google doesn’t like duplicate listings
Google admits it’s difficult to find the most relevant information; therefore Google encourages users to add new information or update existing information regularly. Google also states that Google prefers complete, updated profiles over stale ones that don’t include pertinent business details such as operating hours, payment types accepted, and specialties.
Google likes unique content
Google wants all its users to have a good experience when using its products so it’s crucial for local SEO experts building a website in order for Google Local results to come when consumers look online. More importantly, Google’s algorithms keep Google Local results fresh and up to date by looking for original content within a business website.
Google loves speed
Google wants its users accessing websites in an instant and has introduced Google Instant to help with this endeavor. Google reports that “40 percent of searchers will abandon a slow page” so it’s crucial for all small businesses building their sites to ensure they are optimized for speed as well as the use of keywords.
Google likes authoritativeness
All businesses trying to improve their search engine rankings on Google must be seen as authorities in their sector, not just companies who happen to sell products or services online. Being an authority means having expertise within your field which can be displayed on your website through the use of Google Authorship. Google believes users will have a better online experience when they can see who has written the content and Google has been rewarding businesses with higher Google rankings for certain keywords if their Google+ profiles are linked to their websites. Google reports that “in many cases, pages with Google authorship markup receive a 20 percent increase in traffic from Google”
Google wants it’s users to provide reviews
Nothing tells potential consumers more about a business than customer reviews, but these reviews must be unique not duplicated on other sites. Providing reviews can help a business rank higher within Google’s local results by letting Google know the business is an authority that others should consider using.
Google likes social proof
Google reports that over half of consumers use ratings and reviews for Google Local searches, so it makes sense that Google would reward businesses achieving high Google reviews with higher Google rankings. Google records the number of stars a business has been awarded as well as how many times those stars have been given and ranks Google Local listings accordingly.
Google’s looking at what users do
The Google algorithm doesn’t only take into account the words used on a website; it also looks at how users interact with your site and what they do once they’ve reached your site. If you receive more traffic from Google local results than regular organic search engine results, then this means Google is providing your website to its users who are actively searching for businesses like yours.
Google’s changing its regularly
Although there are some things Google looks for in Google Local results and Google reviews which don’t regularly change, Google regularly changes the Google algorithm to ensure it continues to provide the best search engine results possible. Google’s priorities when updating its Google algorithm are “relevance, freshness, and speed” all three of these factors play a key role in improving Google rankings.
Google wants trustworthy websites
The more Google knows about your website, the more likely it will trust you and provide your site with higher Google rankings. Providing accurate contact details such as telephone numbers and street addresses helps build this trust between Google and your business; however, building backlinks from reputable sources (i.e. .gov or .edu domains) can help increase your online credibility even further.
Google also wants its users to feel safe when visiting Google’s search engine results pages, so Google looks for “secure” websites which have added security certificates. Google reports that secure sites “can sometimes rank higher in Google Search”.
Google wants its users to find what they’re looking for
Google understands people use Google in a variety of ways and it wants every user to be satisfied with the information Google provides them with. One way Google looks at how well a business is ranking within Google’s search engine results is by checking the click-through rate from organic listings compared to local listings. If you want your website ranking higher within Google local listings then promote your website using Google+ Local and ensure all contact details are consistent across all platforms where possible.