Let’s get real – just because you offer the best product or service on the market doesn’t mean you are getting the business. While your competitor may be less qualified to help your customer, if your customer is finding them on Google before they find you, it’s game over. And we know there is nothing more nerve-racking than feeling a competitor on your heels.

In today’s digital world, 93% of customers use Google to find local businesses (source). So what happens when your target customer Googles your product or service offering? Are they finding your business or your competitors? If not you, you have an SEO problem.

What is SEO?

SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” Nowadays, “Search Engine” primarily refers to Google. “Optimization” refers to improving your website’s backend configuration, content, and link usage, so that Google recognizes your company as relevant, high-quality, and valuable. Meeting these crucial markers encourages Google’s algorithm to prioritize your company over others targeting the same audience.

In short – quality SEO helps your customers find you.

The Problem: Many Businesses Lack an SEO Strategy

The problem is that most business leaders don’t understand SEO and aren’t focusing their efforts on an SEO strategy. Your business needs more than the right messaging for your customers in today’s digital world – you need the right messaging for Google, too.

A Google ranking only improves with proactive action.

As of 2022, Google shows approximately 40-60 website links before users must click “See More Results.” Google ranks these links as the most trustworthy and relevant for the user’s search. 

Here’s the kicker: more than 90 percent of users never click “See More Results.”

That means if your business’s site isn’t showing up on that first page of listings, your ideal customer will likely not find you. Your goal is to rank in the top 60 as often as possible when someone searches a word, question, or statement related to your offering (we call these keywords). The higher you get on the page, the more customers will potentially click on your site. We aim to work with clients to get them high on the first page – ideally, the top 10 depending on the industry and location. Many of our clients are number one in Google searches due to a proactive strategy.

So How can you Improve your SEO and Get Found on Google?

The first step to improving your SEO is simply taking the time to focus on it. We get it- you have a million things on your plate as a business leader. Learning something new, like backend web language, isn’t necessarily a welcomed endeavor. The good news is there are SEO experts out there that can quickly improve your ranking. Now is the time to employ them. 

However, if you want to go the DIY route, there are things you can do to improve your SEO on your own. It starts by developing a better understanding of the qualities Google’s Algorithm prioritizes.  Here are a few quick and simple ways to begin ranking higher.

1. Make your Content Relevant to your Target Customer

When your target customer is searching for something your company offers, Google compares that search to all the content available on the internet. Then, it determines what content is the most viable solution, serving them those links. We want your website to be here.

Keywords are a vital piece of this. When a customer types a string of keywords in the search bar, Google attempts to match as many as possible within various sites. The placement of these keywords on both the front and back end of your site matters. Ideally, your business has pages, blogs, and headings with these terms. Google also scans other factors, including photos and URLs.

Moreover, Google analyzes for contextual information, like the user’s location, your company’s alignment, and the user’s past search results. Your “Google My Business Profile” becomes crucial in this process. 

2. Provide your Customer with Quality Content and Helpful Information.

Beyond relevance, Google prioritizes websites based on their quality and helpfulness. To rank high in this category, your company must demonstrate that you are a trustworthy industry expert.

One way to rank well here is to partner with other prominent companies in

the industry and link back to each other’s sites (creating backlinks). Quality backlinks signal that the information is authoritative in the industry.

Asking customers to provide Google Reviews also helps Google recognize that your content is trustworthy and valuable.

Lastly, Google sees websites as higher quality when consistently updating or posting new content. An active site is more likely to catch Google’s attention.

3. Ensure Customers Quickly Find What they Need on your Website.

The faster your users find what they are looking for on your website, the higher Google ranks the usability of your web pages. 

Today, the most important aspects of your website’s usability are that it is mobile-friendly and the content loads quickly. An SEO and website expert can make several adjustments on the backend of your website to help content load faster without changing anything on the front end. 

Your SEO Checklist:

Check these six tasks to begin cleaning up your SEO and help more customers find you on Google:

• Conduct a Keyword Analysis. What is your target audience searching most often?
• Update your Website Copy. Include these top keywords seamlessly.
• Build Backlinks. Ask other trusted companies in the industry to link to your website.
• Create New Content! Consider posting weekly, monthly or quarterly blogs answering FAQs from your target audience.
• Update your Google My Business Profile.
• Ask Customers for Google Reviews.

Introducing the SEO Jumpstart Package.

OneTeam Marketing exists to elevate your brand so you can lead the market. A foundational way we do this is by partnering with our clients to help them improve their SEO. We currently offer an “SEO Jumpstart Package” for clients looking to increase their rank on Google without the hassle of the DIY route.

Here’s what the package entails:

1. Website Audit. Get a high-level overview of your website’s strengths and pain points and how SEO is affected. Following the audit, we’ll provide a recommended roadmap for improvement, including an ideal site map that Google will love.
2. Competitive Keyword Analysis. Our SEO Expert will get to know your business’ offerings, compare it to competitors in the industry, and develop a list of keywords essential for success. We’ll see how your site currently ranks with those keywords and provide a complete list of words and phrases to begin implementing.
3. Backend Site Optimization. Using your current site layout, our SEO expert will clean up the backend as much as possible to add tags and HTML elements that Google will love. 
4. Google My Business Optimization. We’ll ensure your GMB profile is up-to-date and relevant to your target customer and Google’s algorithm. 
5. Ongoing SEO Roadmap. Our team will provide you with a roadmap of everything SEO to consider for the future. The best SEO strategy is not a set-it-and-leave-it strategy but an ongoing effort. We’ll show you what that looks like for your business. 

Interested in learning more about how we can help improve your Google ranking or overall marketing efforts? We’d be honored to learn more about your business and see how we can keep you ahead of the competition. It all starts with a discovery call.