How to get found by Google is pretty straight forward. That said, it takes a little more work to get found on Google. So how do people make their way to the top Google search pages? What's all this SEO people keep going on about? There are basically two things to consider when wanting to be found on Google. Both; How Google sees your page, and What people are searching for.
How Your Page is Viewed - So you get found on Google
When Google sends it's 'GoogleBot', a software program that crawls the web and indexes web pages based on their content, titles, etc., it will definitely come across your web page. Once it reviews your web page, it will then use the collected data to list your content's relevance to certain searches. For example, if you can imagine this page as one that was crawled by Google, you'll notice three things crucial to get found on Google;
The URL and Title of this page (match the title of 'How to get found on Google')
The Header and sub-headings of this page (refer to Get Found on Google)
The keywords used in both my meta tags and content. (get found on Google is the most frequently used phrase here to ensure proper indexing)
The primary key here is to know what keywords are being searched for. More about this when we cover, 'What people search for'. To keep things simple, you must ensure these simple steps;
Use your keyword phrase in your: URL, Title, Keyword and Description Meta Tags, Page Headings and sub-headings, and even in the anchor text of your links.
Your content should be very relevant to the keywords you are using. Ensure that you write at least 300 words of valuable information. Otherwise, you will index low and waste anyone's time that is searching for that specific information. Google is very smart this way, and rightly so, since people searching for Jewelry will want to see sites about jewellery.
Valuable and relevant links from other related sites is helpful. Use Forums, Information sites, and if possible, EDU sites to create a good solid connection with your content and the people searching for it. You can opt to buy Backlinks, but be careful to select reliable sources, or you will do more damage then good.
Promote your page with strong website linking. This should include YouTube Videos, Slide Sharing Presentations, Blogs (with Good Page Ranks), and Forum Comments as mentioned above.
Do not submit directly to Google, Yahoo, Bing or the like! These submissions can actually hinder your relevance if not done perfectly, so best to avoid it.
Ping! Submit your newly created site to a few good quality ping sites to let search directories know that you have some updated content.
Be Patient… Once you have created your content rich page for your specific information, wait, wait, and wait some more. You should not try to adjust things too frequently to avoid appearing confusing by GoogleBot or other crawlers. Google likes new content, but if it's too much, then it will not know where to index your page.
What People are 'Searching' for - The 'key' to getting found on Google
Knowing the phrases that people are typing into search boxes is important. If you just choose random ideas from your head and 'see what happens', you have less chances of Google indexing you for something relevant to the people you are trying to reach.
Let's use an example again. If you were to type in Google Search; 'How to make bread', you can be certain that this page will be nowhere to be found. As it shouldn't be, since we are talking about 'How to be found on Google'. Now, one step further is this; I have named this page 'How Do I Get Found On Google' for a very specific reason. Using Google Adwords: Keyword Tool, I can see that this phrase is searched for over 60,000 times per month with a low competition level. If the phrase typed in Google Search is; 'How Do I Get Found On Google', why would I call this page anything else. Plus, you will see clearly that this content is very relevant to the search itself.
Now, here is where we want to make note of a few important things to make sure you get found on Google for the right reason;
Do not fill your web page with Fluff! Be sure to use real, valuable and relevant content to benefit searchers properly. Google will keep you on top, and people will find you often, not just for a brief period of time.
Do not make it a sales page! Sell on your other pages, but not on your information pages. People don't usually look to be sold something; they tend to have this happen enough. Therefore, provide valuable content and gain the respect of Google, the people searching for you, and ultimately, your customers.
Don't simply repeat the keyword phrase multiple times just to have Google see it. Once this is discovered by Google and other search engines, you will not only lose your page position, but potentially your entire domain.
There you have it. A simple list of tricks, techniques and rules to provide a valuable service, and to get found on Google for the right reasons. Should you have any SEO questions, please feel free to use the 'Question' box on the side. We look forward to seeing you on top of Google, and if you need help, we are happy to do so.
