Tap the SEO Power of Google

You launch a new small business website, and a year later you're scratching your head wondering why the Brinks truck doesn't show up each day with a delivery. Overall you are competing with billions of web pages for attention, and if you search Google for a generic phrase that describes what you do, you may be hard pressed to find your website listed anywhere in the top 50 pages. Anything less than pages 1 to 5 could mean you will never be found by new prospects.

Consider for a moment that Google is the dominant search engine and offers significant potential for driving traffic to your small business website. In addition, they offer free tools for small business website owners that deserve your attention. Visit the About Google Directory of Services to see the range of free promotional tools for consideration.

Will using these tools make you a Google insider and part of the Google family? No. A paid service like advertising with Google does not mean your website will be favored in search results. Favoritism would violate Google ethics and neutrality. However, these tools do provide valuable means of promoting your website if you take proactive steps to increase the importance of your website with topical fresh content added often.

In particular, review the section "For Website Owners" and check the links for Advertising, Business Solutions, Webmaster Central, and Submit your content to Google.

As just one example, some of my blog posts get traffic within hours of posting instead of days or weeks. You cannot launch your small business website and wait for the Brinks truck. A static site with stale content that does not change is like a dusty attic. Attracting visitors including search engines requires new content added on a regular basis.

The Google tools can help. For advice on fresh content, you may want to download my free seo reports in pdf here to learn about free do-it-yourself methods to promote your small business website. There is no requirement for registration or revealing an email address. SEO, or search engine optimization, and keeping your site updated can make a significant difference in your online success.



TAGS: advice small business advice seo search engine optimization website advice

About the Author: Jim Degerstrom offers small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including President or General Manager of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website and graphic art design, and runs his online Small Business Resource Center which includes his SBRC Blog from Kissimmee FL USA.