An Idiot’s Guide To Easily Improving Your Google Rankings
As the headline suggests, in this guest post, Michael Jenkins (pictured below), director of Shout! Web Strategy, extols his wisdom on how to get your business higher up the Google rankings…
Recently I was reading this article about the growing flower delivery market, particularly boutique services like The Little Market Bunch and Posy Supply Co. One of the founders talks about her desire to get to the Holy Grail – page one of Google, curious (and quietly confident) to see how her business would fare against big guns like Roses Only and Interflora.
How do I get to page one of Google is probably the most often asked questions of me and my Shout! colleagues. I’ve tried to summarise it into some simple tips – after all, us Aussies love to help the small Aussie battlers right?
Small business vs Corporates
Corporates have large SEM spends. They understand it, they get that they can measure return on spend. In some large corporates they have internal departments that handle it, or a media agency that is booking the spend, typically through programmatic buying. Keep this in mind when you’re a small team of one – or some. It can be hard to compete – think smart!
Most large businesses haven’t “got” SEO. It’s a specialist skill set and the big company’s SEO is usually as good as the agency that they employ.
Most large businesses are late adopters of SEO.
We have seen large businesses that haven’t even considered SEO in the mix. The sites often lack any traces of SEO. Often these brand’s digital agency has said that they build SEO friendly sites, however this is just a very small part of SEO.
Small brands are fast, nimble and usually specialise in a niche. Having niche content allows their businesses to push well above their weight in their space.
Things small businesses need to consider:
Nail on page optimisation. Get all the meta data on your site detailed with precision. This will help pull you up in the rankings. If you don’t know how to do it – research it! Or ask an expert for some advice.
Have an on-site content strategy. Allow landing pages to be deep with copy. Have the UX (user experiencer) geared for conversion and lay out the page copy so it’s broken into readable pieces of information as the user scrolls down the page. If you’re an e-commerce site and have category and sub category introduction texts of 150 words or more, why is this? Because search engines can’t read images unless they are labelled.
Search engine robots can better understand the context, and relevance, of a page when there is adequate text to determine that the page is the most relevant result for the term being searched. Moreover, Google weights text at the top of a page higher than text at the bottom of the page, especially when headings are placed in what’s called H1 or H2 tags. These heading tags will boost your page’s relevance for the search terms that you are optimising for.
Interlink your blog content back to key landing pages of your site to build an internal linking architecture. This internal linking architecture pushes internal page authority and lets Google know that the page you are linking to is relevant within your site hierarchy for the keyword that you are trying to rank.
Write for an industry publication. Not only will it help build your profile and credibility in the industry but once published it will be a quality link back to your website. Quality links equal great SEO.
Do strategic outreach development monthly. How? Sorry to say, but there are no shortcuts with outreach. Your best bet is to search for websites relevant to your industry, get in touch with them and ask if they would like an expert article on a relevant subject. Most site owners will know that you are after a link. The way you approach them is key, so don’t ask for a link straight up.
If they are happy for you to write the article, you can request they place a branded link within the ‘about author’ section of the article. Very few webmasters will have a problem with an ‘about author’ link. Hardly any brands do this and it will certainly make marketing managers cry when they see your rankings surge. This is a little gem that most brands don’t understand or do!
Have a social content calendar – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – they all help! Google loves to see that you have traffic referred from lots of other domains other than there search engine. Social referrals will help trigger this ranking factor.
Getting to ‘page one’ for keywords and outranking the larger brands is still very possible. SEO comes down to two factors – Onsite SEO and Offsite SEO. When both of these are well optimised, and best practices like above are implemented, a small business can punch well above its weight through effective SEO.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Designworks einsights GOFB Michael Jenkins PRIA Shout! Web StrategyLatest News
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Digital publisher network Scroll Media has employed ex-Amazon Twitch gaming executive Costa Panagos (lead image) to strengthen its Scroll Gaming capability. Panagos is highly experienced in game advertising and media sales professional with two years in account management at Twitch and three years in media sales at News Corp, so will bring his extensive media agency […]
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
School-leaver service Year13 has launched a new Artificial Intelligence course to upskill young people in AI, made in collaboration with Microsoft and KPMG, at an event to rally industry support behind youth AI fluency. The free online course AI Amplified which is part of Year13’s Academy aims to provide all young people with the opportunity […]
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
General Motors has announced the appointment of Heath Walker (lead image) as the new marketing director for GM Australia and New Zealand, effective April 23, 2024. Walker brings a wealth of marketing and communications experience gained from working across various industries, including IT, sporting, and auto – notably Tesla, Nissan and most recently, Scania in […]
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Carsales Strikes With Another Storm-Based Team
Think our hacks are living their sports journalist dreams vicariously through B&T? Confirm it with this reporting.
Commission Factory & AGL Energy Ignite Strategic Partnership To Empower Australian Energy Consumers
Concerned by global warming yet ran the fans non-stop over summer? Add to the guilt with this read.
Allied Nabs Nicola Gold From Pico International Dubai
Seasoned marketer relocates from Dubai to Sydney. Says the shopping's not as good but at least you can get a drink.
Nine’s Push For Gold, Silver & Bronze Ad Opportunities Could Break New Ground In Broadcasting
Nine insists that AI won't dominate its Olympics coverage. And not merely because Bruce McAvaney doesn't understand it.
TV Ratings (16/04/2024): Toxic City Girls Too Much For Farmer Bert
Fans calling out toxic behaviour on Farmer Wants A Wife, seemingly unaware that's the very premise of any dating show.
Kaimera Wins Afterpay ANZ Media Account
Have couriers even started to mention you're overdoing the online shopping? Probably best to avoid this Afterpay news.
Industry Reacts: Stuff Group Swoops In To Save 6pm News After Newshub Closure
As you'll read here, New Zealand's media's in a right state of flux. And nor have they forgotten 1981's underarm.
a2 Milk Launches “Only a2 Will Do’ Brand Platform In First Work From BMF
A2 milk drinkers tend not to bother everyone with their gut health issues & it's a lesson for vegans & the gluten-free.
Can You Recite It In Under 4 Seconds? Maccas Relaunches Iconic Competition With Modern Twist
Do you know what would make a fantastic ad? Drunk people at 3am trying to recite the ”two all-beef patties"
‘Liar, Liar’: Lehrmann Exposed As High Profile Defamation Case Comes To A Close
Having exhausted all avenues in his defamation case, is there only one option left for Bruce - reality television?
MECCA & Fendi Among Premium Advertisers For oOh!media Woollahra OOH Network Launch
If you've not been to the snooty suburb of Woollahra, the locals would like to thank you again for staying well away.
Yahoo Academy Announces Class Of 2024
This academy is strictly for "emerging leaders". Courses don't include 'sleeping at your desk' or 'bunking off early'.
Top 35 Media Leaders Announced For 2024 TikTok Agency Accelerator Program
Despite the ban threats, TikTok keeps marching on. Cementing its reputation as the Julian Assange of the tech.
AiMCO Announces First-Ever Diversity Webinar To Explore Inclusion In Influencer Marketing
Think influencer marketing's a little on the white side? This free webinar's for you. Sadly, it's not given TV ideas.