Steve Wyer Lists Top 5 Ways to Make Your Business Google-Friendly
Google is a valuable digital search tool for business owners looking to increase traffic and expand their customer base, says Steve Wyer of Third Coast Interactive, Inc. However, it must be utilized correctly and combined with other tools in order to be most effective. Here, Steve Wyer lists the top five ways to make a listing more visible.
- Claim all third party listing profiles and ensure they are up-to-date and maintained.
Steve Wyer reports that many business owners who claim a Google My Business profile fail to do the same for other third party listings, such as YP, Trip Advisor or Yelp, and those offered by local community sites. Google sees these listings when an internet user is searching for that particular business. According to Steve Wyer, the search engine results pages (SERPS) will offer more valid results for users if business owners have a consistent presence across all sites.
- Maintain an active social media presence.
Facebook and Twitter act as valuable “signals” to Google. As explained by Steve Wyer, “Social media is a way for customers to interact with a business, which strengthens that business’ visibility online.” Regular engagement with customers, by means of a Facebook post or Twitter status, lets Google know the business is active, says Steve Wyer. Fresh content makes the listing more relevant and also more interesting to those searching for information.
- Create and post location-specific content.
Digital branding is, of course, vital to your business success, acknowledges Steve Wyer. However, businesses with multiple locations will perform better overall if each storefront offers content specific to their address. As an example, two barbecue restaurants in the same city may drive very different amounts of on- and offline traffic based on content, notes Steve Wyer. A business that consistently posts location-specific information, whether it be a menu or special event, will almost always rank higher within search results.
- Provide plenty of relevant information for local media.
Businesses with mentions across different media outlets, such as restaurant review sites and local newspapers, are stronger in the eyes of Google’s web crawlers. Steve Wyer says it’s important to offer media publishers and writers plenty of content, high-quality photos, and interesting facts. This helps them organize information and makes their job easier, which leads to more exposure, according to Steve Wyer.
- Ensure there’s enough content for relevant results to go deep into the SERPS.
Steve Wyer acknowledges that every business wants to be found on page one of Google. Obviously, not everyone appears within the first page of search results for a specific search term. Since Google is constantly changing its algorithms, it is not enough to have just one or two strong results. Business owners should strive for positive, relevant mentions across a number of websites. Everything from blogs to comments relating to the business may show up. Steve Wyer notes that when weak results such as a brief mention on a forum thread show up on the first page or two, that is a sign Google is having trouble grabbing relevant information. It is not difficult to find free opportunities to be mentioned online.
Steve Wyer encourages business owners to get on the map and in user radar as quickly as possible. Google is the largest and most powerful search engine on earth, so claiming a Google My Business listing (and doing everything possible to ensure its strength) is one easy and free marketing technique.
Steve Wyer leads an international team of digital branding experts at Third Coast Interactive, Inc. (3Ci). For more information about 3Ci or to get in touch with Steve Wyer, visit 3Ci.agency online.
