by Don Purdum
Everyone wants that elusive #1 spot on Google! Who could blame you if you wanted the same? Sometimes it’s easier said than done. Today, I’m going to show you in three steps how you might be able to get on the front page of a Google search, or the #1 spot.
Local Search
Over the last few years, Google has really been focusing on local search. That’s a good thing and when they began evolving it more with Google Caffeine in the summer of 2010 it was much needed. Now, more than ever, with the changes happening across the search engine world, it’s imperative that you know the basics of how to navigate the SEO world.
Everything about the web is local now. If you’re a brick and mortar retail store, restaurant, or business, you’re goal is to get them to your store.
I have always said that there are two issues you have to concern yourself with:
- How will get them to your website? That’s where SEO, social media, email, and online marketing comes in.
- What will think of you after they find your website? Is it interesting, compelling, and relevant?
Obviously, we are focusing on getting them to your website in this article.
SEO is changing, and will it will continue to change. But there are three things I believe you can do that will never change and can help your business.
#1 – Use the Right Words in Your Content
Choosing the right words is critical to helping a search engine know what your website / web page is about. Using the right words combined with a Google is huge in determining where you might sit on the Google search page.
I learned a principle in college that in my experience is true in SEO, and I still have never heard it presented like this:
- A word is combined with another word to make a sentence
- A sentence using words makes a paragraph
- A number of paragraphs makes a chapter
- And chapters make the book.
In the end, it is all built on words.
So how do you know what are the best words to use.
Use Google Keyword Tool
Put in a general term about your business or a specific product. When you do, it will show you :
- What words were used in searches
- Competition level for those words
- The number of searches done both globally and locally for those words
(Continue reading below picture)
If you’re a local business not attempting to attract an audience outside of a 50-75 mile radius, I would use the local numbers.
You might be surprised at the words that were used.
For example. I own a web design / development business in Dallas, TX. We did a study and learned that the highest rated word / phrase was “Website Templates” (see image above). We are a custom company. So we created a section to share that we do not do offer “website templates. We get a huge amount of people who come to our site from that and have gotten an untold number of jobs because our site persuaded them they didn’t use a template for what they wanted to do.
#2 – Learn Who Your Target Market Is
Who is your ideal customer? You may say anyone who wants to buy your product. Wrong answer!
Instead, think about your customers that are raving fans, come to your store or business often, and share you with their family, friends, co-workers, etc.
Then, write to them. You are looking specifically for people like them! The others will still come, but your tone will be more direct, more interesting, more compelling, and more relevant to your average customer’s needs.
If you’re local, then you need to start considering a geographical audience. How far from your business are people willing to come too just to see you? This is critical for the next tip.
#3 – Create local landing pages
Here is a secret (well not really, but it sounded good), Google likes large websites.
Take what you learned as you studied and developed a target market, and create landing pages that are product specific for each community you want to reach.
Back to my other company, we have over 200 landing pages that target market every community in Dallas / Fort Worth. Each city is targeted in the meta title, and h1 tags for each individual geographical target market.
Keep in mind your landing pages don’t have to be geographical. If you define your target audience, you can create multiple pages for a single product or service that hit your target market.
#4 – Get involved with Google+
Like it or not, Google is changing the rules of SEO with their social media application, Google+. Recently, Google announced “Search, Plus Your World”.
(Continue reading below video)
In essence, they are combining Google+ results into the search algorithm. It is really the beginning of social search.
In my opinion, I believe we will see major changes this year. There has been talk across the Internet that SEO linking strategies will be minimized and the +1 button will replace it. The purpose of the linking rankings by Google always had to do with authority and popularity.
Now, the more people press +1, the more people are acknowledging the value of the article and its credibility to Google.
Will the +1 button replace linking? It would make a lot of sense as Google pushes people into their social media platform.
You don’t want to do it. That is okay, at first I didn’t either. But I don’t want to take the risk of Google changing the rules suddenly (which they do), and lose all the effort and hard work we’ve put into our SEO efforts.
Conclusion
The point here is that if you do your homework and create target market rich landing pages with the right keywords, it will always outperform a six page website that tries to say it all in a way that is too broad and general.
These practical steps have shown and proven time and time again to work. And, since you’re marketing local, has a great advantage and opportunity no matter the changes to a search engine.
Here’s the best part. Virtually none of your competitors are taking the time and effort to do this, giving you a significant advantage.
Have you done targeted marketing online? Are you on Google+? Take a moment and share your Google+ page with your opinion in the comments section below.
Don Purdum
Don is the founder and owner of The Internet Conference. In addition, he also owns Texstar Web.com, a web design/development company located in Dallas, TX.
