Fun fact. If someone is searching for your business, they’re probably not searching for your name. Getting on Google Page 1 for the name of your business isn’t some kind of SEO win. If you don’t come up on Page 1 for your name, you’re website is desperately in need of help!
Simply put, when a potential customer is searching for something on the Internet they pull up Google and put in a generic phrase.
- Prescott art framing
- Queen Valley RV Park
- Prescott Art Gallery
- Arizona Flight School
- Georgia AT Hostel
These are a few examples of searches that relate to a few of our customers. People aren’t searching for your name. They’re searching in order to find you. This is where SEO matters! If your website is popped on to the Internet without taking Search Engine Optimization into consideration, you’re not going to be found on Google Page 1. Maybe page 2, or 3, or even worse. Honestly though, if you’re not on Google Page 1, it’s as good as not being found at all.
I read a joke from a website designer / SEO expert that summed it up. “Where do you hide a dead body if you never want it found? Google Page 2.” It’s true, there is a perception that what is on Google Page 1 is the best of the best. 10 results, the top businesses in that field, area, market, etc. The truth is those companies on Google Page 1 paid attention to their SEO, nothing more nothing less.
Trying to find a business, not a name.
Google Page 1’s results for Prescott Plumber
If you hand out business cards that have your business name and website address, I could see someone searching for your name. That’s going to be rare though. Most likely when a person decides to conduct an Internet Search it’s because they don’t know your name. Maybe they just moved to the area and bought a house. After getting the house they need to find a plumber because the previous home owners put paper towels down all the drains! So what will they search for?
Town Name plumbers
So, here in Prescott I’d look for Prescott Plumbers. And I’d get the Google Page one results in the image on the right.
Savvy web users will recognize the first three results as paid for advertisements (the little yellow block that says “Ad” on it). That’s one way to get to the top of Google. Pay for every click that goes to your site. That could become an expensive proposition. Just because someone clicks the ad doesn’t mean they’re going to use your service. However, that click did cost money.
Another way to get to Page 1 is simple. Just remember that SEO matters, and optimize your website for a variety of search strings. If you’re a plumber in Prescott who wants to get found, you’ll optimize your website for the search terms you want to be found on. And if you don’t know how to do that? That’s when you call on RLC Design!
Not optimized, not found
If you haven’t made the decision to use “Google Ad Words” and pay for being on page 1, and you haven’t optimized your site for searches, your website will do nothing for your business. Well, people will find it who already know your name and business, but really, family members can’t keep you in business all by themselves!