Ok, here's three simple tips to help your website be found on Canada's most used search engine. Two are basically free and one is amazingly cost effective for those serious about Internet marketing.
Most people I speak with are amazed their web designer hasn't offered to deal with these items but I always say... there are designers and there are marketers and their focuses are a little different. One makes your website look awesome to customers, and one helps your customers find your website...
1) Title Tags
A Title Tag is the title you give your webpage in the website code. It appears in the browser bar at the top of a user's screen when they are on your site. Importantly, this title is also the name Google (or other search engine's) show as the title of your site when your page comes up in a search. This is a marketing item you have control over so I suggest using it to your advantage. Include in your Title, important words your customers use when thinking about your product, even your city if that is relevant.
So then originally you may have titled your main home page
"Bill's Copy World - Home"
Change it into a marketing tool... like...
"Photocopiers & Fax Machines Ontario - Bill's Copy World - Tinsletown Ontario".
Google shows up to 65 characters of your Title so use up to 65.
Bill's Copy World - Home
Photocopiers, fax machines, wide selection. Showroom open to public, serving corporate and small business technology needs...
www.billscopy.com
vs.
Photocopiers & Fax Machines - Bill's Copy World - Tinsletown Ontario
Photocopiers, fax machines, wide selection. Showroom open to public, serving corporate and small business technology needs...
www.billscopy.com
Last thought on Title Tags, you can actually title each page on your site differently to reflect the information on that page. This encourages search engines to show the most relevant page on your site to searchers.
(Want to read our site from the front page? Click Here to go to "home")
2) Meta Description
Meta Description is the description you give your site again in your website code. Google usually uses this on their search results page as a describing paragraph of your site but sometimes change it to make it more objective. This is an item you can control so use it to entice searchers to click on your site.
Google will show up to 160 character spaces of your description. Use everyone of these to create an apetizing explanation of what you do. Use commonly-used terms for your products. Don't include hyperbole like "best" and "greatest" as Google may penalize you or change the description.
Here is an example of a basic search result with Title and Meta Description just under it...
XYZ Limited Tent Rentals - Party - Awnings - Weddings
Joe and Casey Smith, owners of XYZ Limited, are proud of their 30 year old business as one of Mainburg's oldest manufacturing...
www.xyz.com
Marketing is connecting with customers and making it all about their needs. This description is more about the company. Plus it was so long, Google cut them off! Let's focus on the cusomter's needs in a change... Here is how it could be changed to increase visitor interest...
XYZ Limited Tent Rentals - Party - Awnings - Weddings
Specializing in sales and rentals of awnings, tents, hideaway screens. Wide selection of custom fabrics. Buy direct from manufacturer. Large Mainburg showroom.
www.xyz.com
(Want to read our site from the front page? Click Here to go to "home")
3) Google Paid Advertising
"I didn't know I could pay to be found on Google."
When I tell business people they can pay to be on top of Google, I might as well be saying to Virginia "Yes, there is a Santa Claus."
We hear Google is making boat loads of cash but do you know how they do it? By enabling businesses like yours to connect with customers searching for products and services.
Google Paid Advertising or "Adwords" enables businesses to pay a small fee to have their advertisement show up when a searcher types a relevant word into the search engine. For a detailed explanation go to What is Search Engine Marketing anyway?
Need more help? Call now to discover how Arrowfinger can help bring potential customers to your website.
Rodney Lover
www.Arrowfinger.ca
519-937-1431
London Ontario Registered Google Advertising Professional Consultant