My local business website has launched, so why isn’t it appearing on Google?
After spending a lot of time, effort and money, you’ve finally launched your local business website. Or maybe you got a good deal with a cheap overseas web designer. Congratulations!
However, after checking a few days later, you see the website is nowhere to be found on Google’s rankings.
You give it a few more days, then a few weeks, but the site still isn’t showing up when you type your industry and city into Google. Maybe it doesn’t even appear when you type your business name!
The solution to this problem isn’t as elusive as you might think.
Understanding Google’s complex ranking process, mastering local SEO strategies, avoiding common website design pitfalls, creating high-quality content, and consistently monitoring your website’s performance are all integral to your site’s visibility.
This guide will delve into these technical aspects in detail, providing you with the knowledge you need to improve your website’s ranking and visibility on Google.
Key Takeaways
To appear in search results, rank on Google and attract organic traffic from local customers, you’ll need to:
– Understand Google’s ranking process
– Execute local SEO strategies to boost visibility to potential local customers
– Avoid common website design mistakes such as confusing navigation, slow loading speed, and non-mobile-friendly design
– Create high-quality content that is valuable, relevant, and original.
Understand Google’s Ranking Process
Before you can start climbing the Google rankings, it’s crucial to understand how their ranking process works.
Google uses complex algorithms to rank websites based on relevance and quality. These algorithms consider over 200 different factors, including your site’s relevance to the search query, the quality of your content, and the number and quality of links pointing to your site.
They also consider user behaviour on your site, like how long visitors stay and how many pages they visit. Mobile-friendliness, site speed, and security are also essential. Google’s goal is to provide the best and most relevant results to users, so you need to optimise your site to meet these standards.
Your website’s ranking isn’t instantaneous; it takes time and consistent effort.
Importance of Local SEO
It’s important to understand that without a robust local SEO strategy, you may find yourself struggling to rank on Google.
Local SEO is a strategy that focuses on optimising a website to be found in local search results. It’s crucial because it helps your business appear in the ‘local pack’, a section of Google’s search results that shows local businesses related to the search.
When you optimise your website for local SEO, you’re making it easier for Google to understand where your business is located and what services you offer. This can significantly boost your visibility to potential local customers.
Local SEO isn’t just important — it’s essential.
Common Website Design Mistakes
Despite your best efforts, you could be making common website mistakes that are keeping you from ranking well on Google.
A poorly structured website with confusing navigation can turn off users and search engines. Similarly, slow loading speed can negatively impact user experience and ruin your site’s SEO. Google’s algorithm favours sites that load quickly.
If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on a massive chunk of mobile users. Google heavily penalises sites that aren’t optimised for mobile.
Another mistake isn’t using HTTPS for your site. This secure protocol isn’t just crucial for eCommerce sites, but Google has confirmed it as a ranking signal.
Lastly, overuse of keywords, known as keyword stuffing, is an old SEO tactic that can now result in penalties from Google.
The Role of High-Quality Content
You can’t overlook the importance of high-quality content when it comes to boosting your website’s Google rankings. This isn’t just about creating engaging articles, but also ensuring that your content is SEO-friendly. Google’s algorithms prioritise sites that consistently provide valuable, relevant, and original content.
This means avoiding keyword stuffing and instead, focusing on integrating keywords naturally within your text. Also, consider the readability of your content. Break it up into smaller sections with headers and bullet points where appropriate.
Don’t forget about meta descriptions and title tags, these are crucial for SEO. Finally, regular updates are key. Google favours websites that continually update or add fresh content.
Monitoring and Improving Website Performance
To boost your website’s Google rankings, it’s imperative to keep a close eye on its performance and make necessary improvements along the way.
Start by using Google Analytics to monitor user behaviour. Look at key metrics like bounce rates, page load time, and pages per session. If these metrics don’t meet Google’s guidelines, take immediate action.
Next, improve your website’s speed. Slow-loading pages turn off users and hurt your ranking. You can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights for this. Also, ensure your website is mobile-friendly. Google gives priority to mobile-optimised sites.
Lastly, focus on SEO. Use relevant keywords in your content and meta tags. Regularly update your website and remove any broken links. Constant monitoring and improvement are key to improving your Google ranking.
Conclusion
So, you’ve launched your local business website, but it’s not ranking on Google? Understanding Google’s ranking process and the importance of local SEO strategies is crucial.
Avoid common design mistakes and ensure your site offers high-quality content. Keep an eye on your site’s performance and continually strive to improve.
It’s not an overnight process, but with persistence and the right approach, your website can climb up those Google rankings.
And if this all sounds too daunting, you can always hire a local SEO company in Canberra, LeadGen Digital Services, who can handle the process for you and achieve the results you need to grow your business.