Obtaining a favorable search ranking should be among every small business’s foremost priorities. Since the vast majority of prospective patrons are going to find your business online, a good search ranking stands to give you a leg up on the competition.
Although boosting your current search ranking will take a bit of time and effort, this process is far less arduous than you may think. So, if a better search ranking is what you’re after, the following measures are likely to help.
Publish Winning Web Content on a Consistent Basis
There are numerous ways your business can benefit from publishing high-quality web content on a consistent basis. First off, regular site updates will effectively incentivize visitors to check back multiple times per week – or per day, depending on how much content you produce.
Consistent updates can also be a boon to your search ranking, as update frequency is among the factors many search engines consider when ranking results. So, if your site often goes extended periods without updates, there’s a good chance you’re not going to like your current ranking.
If you’re committed to publishing a sizable amount of web content on a regular basis, it may be in your best interest to recruit talented freelance writers and editors.
The right people will be able to produce professional-caliber content, implement your desired voice and juggle multiple deadlines. Furthermore, if your content creation efforts pay off, you should consider offering full-time opportunities to your most dedicated creators.
Integrate Relevant Keywords
Integrating relevant keywords into your web content can be a great way to step up your search ranking. Keep in mind, however, that determining the most effective keywords will take a bit of time, so you shouldn’t expect overnight success in this endeavor.
Additionally, you’ll need to avoid keyword stuffing – i.e., the practice of littering content with keywords for the purpose of boosting your search ranking.
This is heavily frowned upon by most search engines, and if you’re discovered to have engaged in it, your search ranking is liable to drop precipitously. Worse yet, working your way up to a favorable ranking may prove to be a long and arduous battle.
Be Active on Social Media
Since the web’s most popular social platforms function as search engines unto themselves, it’s a good idea for your business to maintain an active presence on social media.
In addition to creating accounts for your business on various social media mainstays, you’ll need to update these accounts on a daily basis. (However, since the same posts can be used across multiple platforms, you won’t need to worry about crafting platform-specific posts.)
As is the case when tailoring web content for search engines, make an effort to incorporate search-friendly terms into your social media posts.
If neither you nor any of your employees have the bandwidth or experience to oversee your business’s social media endeavors, consider farming this task out to a dedicated social media manager.
Per the title, this individual will be responsible for creating, implementing and monitoring effective social media marketing strategies. Depending on how much success you hope to achieve through social media, you may even want to consider making this person a full-time member of the team.
Familiarize Yourself with the Rules
Every search engine has a set of rules that sites are expected to follow, and sites found to be in violation of those rules are liable to see their search ranking plummet.
While some of these rules are common sense, others aren’t quite as obvious. So, to help ensure that you don’t inadvertently draw the ire of prominent search engines, take care to familiarize yourself with the rules of the web’s leading search giants.
For example, if you’re currently unclear on the YMYL meaning, you’d be wise to start brushing up Google terminology.
Conclusion:
A favorable search ranking can be a boon to any small business. The higher your ranking, the more prospective patrons will become aware of your business and visit your website.
Being that search engines have become the modern-day equivalent of the Yellow Pages, it’s only natural that business owners would want to strive for the highest possible rankings. If your site’s current search ranking leaves a lot to be desired, put the previously discussed pointers to good use.
