SEO Fact of the Month: March
Business owners, cover your ears–you’re not going to want to hear this one. Please don’t shoot the messenger. I promise there are things you can do to combat the issue I’m about to share. And I can even help you put those solutions into place. But first…
Let me tell you a story.
About eight months ago, my now-fiancé proposed to me and my mind has been spinning with wedding ideas ever since. I would have agreed to get married right then and there—we were in the middle of a tropical vacation, after all—but we decided to take our time to start planning. (And I’m happy we did! I explain why here.)
Now we’re finally ready to roll up our sleeves and dig into wedding planning one step at a time. Even though we’re planning for the fall of 2023 or 2024, we want to nail down a date ASAP to tell out-of-state friends and family. So I started the way that most brides do—by hitting up the Google search bar.
Since getting engaged, we moved to a big city with lots of hype and endless opportunities. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love living in Austin, Texas! But when I typed into the search bar, “Austin Texas wedding venue,” it was overwhelming. Over 5.9 million website pages popped up. Who knows how many of those pages were even relevant—I only looked at the first five. And I know that doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s actually right on par with most Google users.
92% of Google searches result in searchers visiting sites from ONLY the first page.
So maybe I’m a little lazy, but so are most consumers. We live in a fast-paced, instant-gratification world and most of us don’t have the time to mess around on the second page of Google results. We want answers now. And we trust Google to show us the pages that can provide them.
Even businesses in smaller cities and those that provide a very specific service still find it grueling to climb the Google ladder. There are just so many websites, all over the world, and the majority of them have been around longer than ours.
Time plays to our competitors’ advantage. This is because the Google algorithm tends to view older sites as having more “authority,” or expertise, in their field. Think of it this way…
Imagine you’re looking to get alterations done on a garment and you have two options for local seamstresses. There’s the seamstress in town who’s been hemming for decades and has excellent reviews, and there’s a newbie seamstress just getting started but who still shows promise. Most people would browse a couple of reviews, and go with the seasoned expert.
That new seamstress may be very well-trained and she might even offer more services at a lower rate. But we can’t deny that to some degree, experience is still King—even on the Internet.
So what does this mean for you and your business?
Here’s a test: open a Google tab and search your location and the industry of your business. Try to find what search result page you come up on. If you can even find yourself on Google, congratulations—you must be doing something right. If you’re on the first page of results—even better! I want to hear where you land; shoot me an email and let me know.
I want to hear about your Google search position because I want to help you hack Google.
If you’re reading up on SEO statistics and looking for ways to boost your organic traffic, you’re clearly devoted to seeing your business succeed. As an independent business owner, your services are likely top-notch and full of value. Your future clients love you—they just might not know it yet.
And before your clients can love your business and tell everyone they know about it, they need to find you. From combing through the colossal list of Google search results. Some people compare Google to outer space—vast and full of things that might never be discovered. Others say it’s like a black hole—easy to get sucked up in and spit out, never to be seen again. Regardless of how you see it, try not to let it intimidate you.
Google can be harsh, but it can quickly become your business’s best friend. Businesses that land on the first page of the results have a chance to be chosen by 9 out of 10 users.[1] And Google’s algorithm has the right intentions. If your business website provides clients real value, the search engine actually wants to promote you—not hide you.
Instead of viewing search engine optimization as an obstacle, see it as an opportunity.
Take advantage of the opportunity to drive up organic traffic by leveling up the copy on your website. Well-written and researched copy that follows all the guidelines is the most valuable tool to business owners looking to reach more clients. Search engine optimized (SEO) web copy and blogs put the work in behind the scenes so you can attract your dream clients… in your sleep.
As a copywriter, I carry out extensive SEO and keyword research to give you the needed edge in the Google game. I pull from my packed bag of tricks to attract people to your site, keep them on your site, and persuade them to book your services. This all helps you land higher and be more visible in the black hole/vortex/outer space.
But here’s a word to the wise that the marketing bros won’t tell you—SEO is not the end-all-be-all of digital marketing. Let me repeat it: SEO isn’t EVERYTHING.
It’s only the tip of the iceberg. SEO is how we get potential customers in, or how they find us. But what matters most to your wallet is getting them to stay and follow through with the sale. Generic, sales-y pitches don’t close a sale. Schedule a time with me to find out what does.
Don’t be the business owner who fears Google. Be the business owner who befriends it.
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