It’s obvious we’ve reached the digital age and having a strong online presence is crucial for any business that wants to attract new customers and remain competitive in the marketplace. Google is by far the most popular search engine that people use on a daily basis. Ensuring your business shows up on Google search results can significantly improve your visibility and drive traffic to your website. It doesn’t matter if you’re a small business or a large enterprise, using Google to get more eyes on your business helps increase brand awareness and foster growth.
Below are the five best ways to get your business to show up on Google so that you can begin edging your way in to the complex space of the digital world. Implementing one or all of these tactics will help you with the important task of establishing a robust online footprint that will ensure your business can be easily found by potential customers.
1. Create A Google Business Profile
By far the easiest, fastest, and most effective ways to get your business to show up on Google search is to create a Google Business Profile. Formerly called “Google My Business”, Google Business Profile is a completely free listing for your business in Googles local internet directory. This means that when someone local to you or your service area searches for your product or service, a list of businesses (including yours) will show up for them to view and choose from. Having a Google Business Profile is a great way to get your business noticed when someone is searching for the product or service you offer. However, since the creating a Google Business profile is relatively easy it does make getting to the top of the list somewhat challenging. It’s important to take the time to properly set up and optimize your Google Business Profile so that you can have the best chance of being the top listing.
2. Get Your Website on Google
Gone are the days of being competitive in business without having a website. If you don’t have one, you’re missing out on a tremendous opportunity for people to discover your business. Secondly, having a website and not having it show up on Google search is the next big mistake. Since Google is the first place most people turn to look for something, you need to make sure your there to be found!
Getting your business website indexed on Google is the key to showing up in the search results. To do this, all you have to do is submit your site to Google Search Console. This will also allow you to monitor your site’s performance and identify any issues that Google may notice.
Aside from submitting your site to be indexed by Google, it’s also important to optimize your website for relevant keywords or search phrases that people may use to locate you. High quality, engaging content that is optimized for search engines will increase your chances of getting your website to the top of Google so that people can see it.
3. Create Listings in Online Business Directories
Google is not the only player in town to have an online directory for businesses. In fact, there is an overwhelming number of online business directories that you could list your business in. Many of these directories have a high domain authority and Google will show listings from their directory to people who are searching for products or services.
Most of these online business directories are free and will allow any business to set up an account and create a directory listing. The great thing about using these directories is that it allows you to get your business listed in numerous places which increases your chances of showing up in a Google search.
4. Setup Business Social Media Accounts
An often-overlooked way to show up on Google is to set up business social media accounts. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or some other social media platform, creating a page for your business is just one more way to add to your business’s digital footprint. These are also major websites on the internet and Google takes their information seriously.
Quite often Google will display a businesses social media page in the search results if it’s relevant to what someone is searching for. An optimized social media profile for your business will help make your business stand out.
5. Google Advertising
Not everyone has the time or patience to wait for the above methods to get their business shown on Google. Google Advertising is a great way to either get your business instantly at the top of Google search results, or simply add another avenue to broaden your digital marketing strategy.
Using Google ads is a powerful way to get your business in front of the right customers fast. Google allows you to create highly-targeted ads that will appear when users search for specific words or phrases related to your product or service. This can drive motivated customers directly to your business. Learn how to use Google Keyword Planner to help keep your cost per click as low as possible.
Taking the time to implement one or all of these five strategies is a simple and effective way to make your business visible on a Google search. The more places you have your business information listed; the more likely customers can find you. Not to mention, having your business showing in various locations throughout the internet helps to build authority and establish a dominant presence in the marketplace.