February 14 2014

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How to Win Google’s Heart

You know that feeling you get when you see your crush with someone else?  It’s something we digital enthusiasts know all too well.  Seeing Google rank your competition first is rather disheartening, but here at TopSpot Internet Marketing we’ve been playing matchmaker for over 10 years! This Valentine’s Day we’re sharing the secrets to challenge her unrequited love.

She likes style.

Google likes a clean, simple format, without all the fuss.  Having a complex home page loaded with Flash animation, Silverlight visuals, and embedded iFrames make it very difficult for Google’s crawlers to understand the information on your site. If you want her to notice you, ditch that flash-based intro and set yourself up with an easy to use site that she can crawl with ease.

Also, since more and more interaction with her is on a cell phone, you’ll want to spice up your mobile game. Outfitting yourself with a responsive website design will ensure that you’re looking your best at all times.

She likes the popular kid.

Google Girl

Just like in high school, the popular kid gets the girl’s attention because everyone talks about how great he is.  If you want to win Google’s heart, you need to develop a good reputation.  One great way is by simply asking your clients to write a review for your Google+ Local page, which anyone with a Gmail account can do.  This can be done either by asking directly, or by optimizing your post-conversion thank you page.

Having friends in high places is also a great way to get her attention.  Quality backlinks from associations, such as the Better Business Bureau, and credible news publications that have published stories about you are a great way to build rapport with Google.  These backlinks establish reliable trust signals, showing Google that you really are the most relevant result for your target end users.

She likes a man with substance.

If you’re truly keen on showing her that you are serious, take a good hard look at your content.  When your pages lack quality information about the services you provide you are setting yourself up for failure.  One good way to think about it is by going back to those old research papers from high school and answer: What is the page about? Why is this important? How does it work? Where is it applicable to?  Who is it relevant to?

The single most important factor to win Google’s heart is through the quality of your content.  By proving that you really are the most relevant result for your end users through specific examples, case studies, and other important information, you are setting yourself up for some Google loving!

When all is said and done, it is important to remember that Google’s mission is to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible.”  If you have the most relevant information, she wants to feature you! All you have to do is win her heart.