In the days before the internet, businesses where usually discovered by customers flipping through the Yellow Pages. Google has become the method of finding a business nowadays, and having your site found is not as simple as having it built and putting it online. Google uses a complex set of algorithms to decide which websites rank higher than others, which is why part of operating a business website involves making sure that you do all you can to get your site on the first page when a relevant search term is used.
There are a number of different search engine optimization (SEO) techniques that can be used to move your business website up the Google rankings, and it should be noted that there is no way to make this happen overnight. Just as it can take time to build an audience and customer base, it also takes time to get to that coveted #1 spot in Google. It should be noted here that you can used sponsored ads on Google to get views while you build your ranking organically. Those boxed results you see on the right-hand side of the page when performing a search on Google are paid ads, which can come in handy when trying to build your business early on.
As mentioned earlier, there are several SEO techniques that can be employed to improve your search engine rankings, some of which are free, while others involve some sort of cost. One of the most effective ways to move your business website up the rankings is via link building. This is where other websites point back to your site via a link. The reason this is so valuable in the eyes of Google and other search engines is because it shows that other websites view yours as being valuable to your industry. This is why it helps if the links are displayed on sites that are relevant to your own.
Setting yourself up as an authority on the industry you operate within is a huge part of building trust when you operate an ecommerce website. Besides link building, another way to create authority is by creating content on our website that is both entertaining and informative. The content that you deliver to you audience should not be of the hard sell variety, but rather things like how-to guides and information about new products. This content is where you can use keywords and phrases that will also help get your site discovered via the search engines.
While SEO is something that you can do on your own, it’s not always easy to find the time to do it effectively when you are also trying to operate a business. There are plenty of SEO professionals out there who offer up a comprehensive service list that is both affordable and effective. If you are struggling to gain traction in your SEO efforts, the investment of going with the SEO pros is one that will quickly pay off.