Did you know that Google has 8.5 billion searches every single day? Yeah, keep that in mind when reading this blog!
Building a successful blog or brand online can be super exciting! Thanks to the internet, people can find anything they need with a few clicks. Whether they’re looking for information, inspiration, entertainment, products, or services it’s all at their fingertips.
As a blogger running your own brand, this is your opportunity to connect with potential customers who are searching for what you offer. However . . . If you’re not showing up on Google, you’re missing out on all the action. YES, even if you’re posting on social media all the time.
People searching on Google are highly intentional. They’re looking to make a move, whether that’s read a post, shop affiliate links, or buy something! There’s no other digital marketing solution that finds potential followers that are THAT motivated to do something with your content. That’s why your top priority needs to be optimizing your blog for search engines!
So, if you’re ready to boost your online presence and grow your audience totally organically, let’s talk about how to show up on Google. In this post, we’ll be breaking down the basics of search engine optimization (SEO) to get your blog posts ranking in top spots on Google. Your people are searching for you, we just have to show them where you are!
How To Show Up On Google Search with SEO
Search engine optimization is the process of formatting, curating, crafting, writing, and uploading content to rank well on search engine results pages. To do it well, you need a proven SEO strategy that serves Google’s algorithm and shoots you to the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs)! (Because no one goes to page two of Google, right?)
Since the best SEO strategy isn’t as simple as a few keywords here and a high-quality image there, we’re giving you a solid place to get started when it comes to effective SEO! And hey, if the whole SEO thing is a little stressful or overwhelming for you, we offer comprehensive services to help you reach all your blogging goals! Start with a free SEO evaluation, and then check out our SEO packages to find the one that best fits your needs and budget.
Why Is Google Ranking Important?
As we mentioned, Google brings in organic (AKA free) blog visitors that actually convert way better than other forms of digital marketing. So, whether your goals are to boost affiliate revenue, sell a digital product, gain more followers, establish a paid membership, or something else, SEO is the best way to do that.
In fact, Google has a conversion rate of 14.6%, whereas other forms of digital marketing convert at 4% or lower. That’s a BIG difference. So, if you want your blog to be successful, securing a higher position in Google’s search results is essential. Luckily, there’s a lot you can DIY to get your website ranking!
There’s one thing that really impacts your Google ranking, and that’s search engine optimization, which is why we’re going to get more into how you can start optimizing and reaching all your brand goals. Here are just some of the ways a high Google ranking can benefit you and your biz:
Increases Website Traffic
Appearing on the first page of Google search results is the best way to increase the likelihood that your target audience clicks through to your website. It works like this: users search for specific information and if you have content that matches that search query, Google will put your website at the top of the search results. Why? Because it’s EXACTLY what the user wants! This is how a high Google ranking gets you a ton more traffic.
Boosts Conversions
People on social media or people viewing ads on websites aren’t usually ready to make a move. They’re just spontaneously discovering content and looking to be entertained. However, people using search engines are ready to make a move, whether that be to make a purchase, sign-up for a newsletter, or something else!
Enhances Brand Visibility
Google ranks high-quality, reputable content. The better your content is optimized, the more visible your brand becomes. This helps you establish yourself as a trusted brand in your industry! People will say, “Oh, yeah, I’ve heard of them!”
Improves User Engagement
Websites that rank higher tend to have much lower bounce rates and higher engagement, as they provide users with relevant, valuable content that keeps them scrolling, clicking, and interacting.
Builds Trust and Credibility
Being at the top of the search results, especially local results if you’re a local business, can help your brand look trustworthy and authoritative (which is suuuper helpful.) It helps people see that you’re the real deal, making them more likely to click on and engage with you.
Cost-Effective Marketing
Unlike paid ads, which require A LOT of investment, SEO can help yield long-term results and organic traffic that doesn’t stop once you stop spending.
Outperforms Other Marketing Channels
SEO typically outperforms pretty much any paid marketing channels (like ads) or unpaid marketing channels (like posting on socials0 in terms of ROI. Unlike paid ads, which stop generating traffic once the budget runs out, SEO provides continuous organic traffic over time, making it a way more sustainable strategy. (Here’s more on compound SEO.)
How to Get Website To Show Up On Google Search
Optimize your website for mobile devices.
More people are browsing on mobile devices than ever before, and Google LOVES sites that look and work great on phones and tablets. So, it’s super important to use a responsive design and test your site on different devices to make sure everything is running smoothly.
Optimize your site speed.
Not a single person in this world likes a slow website. Can you think of anything worse?! Fast loading pages are absolutely crucial for both a good user experience and ranking higher on Google. To do this, compress images, reduce code, and use caching to speed up your site. Check your speed with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights.
Improve your site structure and navigation.
A clean, easy-to-navigate site helps users and search engines alike. Because of that, Google actually rewards well-organized websites. This is why it’s important to make sure your site’s navigation is simple, use breadcrumbs, and submit your sitemap to Google Search Console. For more on this, check out our post on SEO-friendly web design!
Optimize all of your images.
Your images shouldn’t just look good, but also load quickly! Plus, optimizing them helps Google understand your content better. Just name your image files descriptively, add alt text with keywords, and compress images for faster loading.
Use internal linking.
Internal links are good for SEO for a few reasons! First of all, they add more context to your web page or blog post, which makes organizing and indexing your content on the SERPs easier for Google. Beyond that, internal links take your readers from one page on your blog to another, keeping them on your site longer and increasing engagement. This added engagement will also boost your rank!
Prep your Google Business Profile (if applicable.)
If you’re a small business that would benefit from local search engine optimization, you need your Google Business Profile built out! Basically, SEO localization is where you target your content to populate for people in your area. Local search can be super important if you are trying to provide services to people in your vicinity. So, fill out your Google My Business Account with great photos, your business hours, your Google Maps location, and your contact info. You can also encourage lots of online reviews and optimize for local keywords!
If you’re not sure if SEO makes sense for your business, check out our post on the benefits of SEO for small businesses!
Create SEO-friendly blog posts regularly.
Google honors websites that upload new blog posts regularly! It shows that your content is fresh and relevant! Plus, the more you upload, the more content your readers have to gobble up and the more opportunities you have to rank for more searches. All of this gets you higher on the SERPs!
Focus on high-quality content creation.
Above all other strategies, this is THE most important one. To rank well and curate an audience, you just need to focus on creating high-quality content. High value content that’s engaging and informative will reach your potential followers, increase your traffic, and help you show up on the Google results pages!
Use google search console and analytics.
Google Search Console and Analytics are like your SEO dashboard. Use them to track your site’s health and see what’s working. Check as well for any errors in Search Console and use Analytics to track performance. Then, you can use these insights to keep on improving.
How Long For A New Website To Appear On Google
It typically takes around 6 months to a year for a new website to start seeing any lift off and rankings on Google. During the initial period, Google needs to crawl and index the site, and rankings improve as the website gains authority through quality content, good engagement, a well-designed website, and link building!
Unlike social media, where posts have a short shelf life and require constant updates, the benefits of SEO compound over time, with your rankings potentially improving without needing heaps of continuous effort once your pages start to gain traction. This long-term growth is one of SEO’s major advantages over the other marketing channels.
Use SEO to show up on Google Search!
With these tips in your SEO toolbox, you’ll be well on your way to showing up on Google’s search results when people make a relevant search. And, once that happens, you’ll get your traffic, your followers, and your brand growth!
Truthfully, this post only scrapes the surface of our your optimization opportunities, so check out our blog and Insta for even more ways to boost your chances of finding online success via SEO!
Jordan Becerra, founder and Lead SEO Strategist at InfluencerSEO, has spent almost 15 years in the creator internet space, the last nine building InfluencerSEO into the go-to SEO partner for content creators, with 500+ creators served from pre-launch to massive publication. She learned creator monetization and community building strategy from the inside working for Lauryn Bosstick of The Skinny Confidential prior to founding InfluencerSEO, so she understands both halves of the game: how search actually works AND how creators actually build a strong community online and make money. Her job now is to stay ahead of where search engine optimization is going, especially as AI rewrites the rules, and to make sure the creators she works with get there first.
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