How to Get Your Business Found on Google

No matter what kind of business you have, you will benefit if people can find your business on Google because Google is typically the first place people search when looking for whatever it is you sell. Here are five things you can do to improve your search visibility on Google.

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Depending upon the type of business you own, there are going to be marketing tools of more interest to your industry. Retailers may find a marketing haven on Pinterest, while B2Bs make valuable connections on LinkedIn. The one great unifier of all businesses? Google. Regardless of what type of business you run—B2B, retail, service, etc.—your customers and potential customers are going to search for you, or a need your business can fill, using Google. So, having higher visibility in searches is key to getting your business found. But how do you do you improve visibility on Google?

Think about it this way: Google is a business just like yours (well, maybe a bit bigger). Just like you strive to provide your customers with great service to keep them coming back, so does Google. This means that as a search engine, Google wants to have the best, most reputable and most relevant content listed first. Understanding that concept, there are steps you can take to improve your search visibility:

Social media matters

Helping you get discovered is one of the advantages of sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest that’s often overlooked. Google recognizes that the size of your social media audience and the number of people sharing your content are reliable factors to consider when determining a source’s credibility. By maintaining an active social presence, sharing content on a regular basis, and engaging with your audience online, you’ll not only grow your community, but will strengthen your relationship with Google as well.

Continuous new content

Content in various forms is the driving force behind the many ways that people can find you online. By consistently publishing new content that’s relevant and helpful to your target audience, you can begin to build authority. As your content starts to generate more traffic and engagement from your readers, Google will give your content more support. This will not only help you attract more readers, but will provide a new door in which potential customers will soon be coming in through.

Website optimization

When someone lands on your site, they should be able to tell right away who you are, what you do, and how you can help. From there, they should also be able to find the most important details about your business right away. Provide descriptions of your business, your services, and the products you sell. Add links to additional resources and make sure people can easily navigate the content on your site. The easier it is for people to find that information, the easier it will be for Google to pull your content into a search result.

Take advantage of Google’s tools

If you have a blog, or write other content, get started with Google Authorship within Google+. By setting up your Authorship, you’ll have more opportunities to build credibility as a source of information, which can improve your chances of showing up in a search result. You should also make sure to claim your Google Local Page.

Manage and update your online listings

From online review sites like Yelp, to mobile apps like Foursquare, and city guides like Citysearch, it can be difficult to keep track of all the places your business is listed online. As a result, the information that’s being found can differ from site to site. This will confuse potential customers and could make it difficult for Google to identify your business and recognize the correct information as well. Make sure your information is consistent across all sites.

Start today!

Take a quick inventory of how your activity maps to some of these best practices—are there areas you can work on? Now’s the time to get started! Become more active on social media, start a blog to regularly publish new content, and make sure your business information is accurate wherever it is listed.