It’s sort of amusing to think of Google as being as powerful as Santa… but in the world of search engine optimization, they get to write the list of who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.
Fortunately, when it comes to SEO for business, there’s a list of rules that we can follow to avoid such scorn and disappointment. So, when you expect the gift of high search engine rankings, you better not pout and just do what Google says, or else you will NOT have a very Merry Christmas.
5 ways to stay off Google’s naughty list this holiday season:
1. Write different titles and descriptions for ALL of your website’s pages.
This is the most common problem we see with older websites that were never optimized for search engines. Page titles have always been the #1 thing Google uses to figure out what each of your pages are about. Make sure every single one of your page titles are completely relevant and unique.
2. Write website content for your visitors, not for Google.
As ironic as it sounds, Google actually doesn’t want you to write content for them. In fact, over the last decade, they’ve spent billions dollars trying to weed out those that do. Write naturally, without stuffing keywords in every chance you get. Always good to use proper grammar and spellign too :p
3. Connect your website to Google webmaster tools.
As daunting as Google’s mysterious algorithms may seem, they will actually tell you about major problems they find with your website. Hook it up to webmaster tools (takes about 5 minutes with the help of your web designer) and in a few days you’ll have a much better idea whether you’re getting coal in your stocking.
4. Make sure your site is fast and mobile friendly.
It might be easier said than done, but Google has started to weigh this very heavily. As websites become more and more bloated with ads, high-res images and nifty little bells and whistles, the time it takes to load goes through the roof. Google wants people to find what they’re looking for, and they know it’s not…
5. Don’t try to trick Google.
Just as Santa knows when you’ve been bad or good, Google knows when you do things that are against their “code of ethics”. Even if they don’t catch you every time, a pattern of sketchy tactics will keep you from playing anymore reindeer games.
Merry Christmas!