Getting Your Site Listed on Google
Getting your website listed with Google can take a few weeks to a few months. However, there are some actions you can take to hurry this along.
As an added bonus, these steps will improve your website’s online reputation and help move your website towards the top of the first page of a search.
- Before launching your site, add Google Tracking Code, on your website. This will show you the amount of traffic to your website, and key demographics, acquisition and actions of your visitors . Head over to Analytics.Google.com to get started.
- Make sure the following are setup and operational.
- Google My Business – to get started, go to Business.Google.com
- Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc
- Directory Listings – TripAdvisor, Houzz, OpenTable, etc
When your site is launched, send out an email about your new site to as many of your friends, family, clients, etc as possible. Put the link to your site in the email and ask them to click on the link and to stay a minimum of 3 min. on your website. This gives Google the impression that they are actually interested in the site.- Don’t underestimate the power of good ole’ fashion marketing: put your web address on everything that has to do with your business. Every email you send out (create a signature for your emails that includes your business name, phone number & web address), business cards, fliers, newspaper/magazine ads, mention it during any radio advertising, signage (especially your car/truck!), clothing…. you get the jist. The intent is to get as many people as possible to your site – not just to see all the info about your great company, but to assist in getting good listings on the search engines. The more that people know about you, the more business will come to you.
Work at it – as with any and all marketing, “set it and forget it” simply does not work. At minimum, touch social media once a week, make changes (even small ones) to your website every 3 months.
Would you prefer 800 or 1,600 visits to your website?
While over 80% of all searchers are performed with Google, it is important to note that Google accounts for about 50% of all traffic to your website. The other half comes from social media, referrals, directory (niche) listings, print marketing, digital marking, word-of-mouth, etc. Ignoring other search engines can make a huge difference in the number of people you reach.