Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is about helping your website rank higher in search engines like Google or Yahoo. Think of a spider crawling the World Wide Web looking for the (key)words people type into the search bar. It’s not quite that simple but a good visual none-the-less.
Like Facebook, Google has a super-secret algorithm it uses to rank websites. Knowing a few tricks like mobile optimization and keyword rich page descriptions can help your website rank higher in search results. But what happens after it shows up on page one of a search? What then? Real people are what happen next.
First impressions matter.
Online and offline – first impressions count. People look at your website and just like in face-to-face meetings, they decide quickly if they want to do business with you. Make sure your first online impression is a good one!
A website is going to impact what the visitor thinks of you and your company. Is the website simple to navigate? Can people find what they’re looking for?
Is the copy interesting? Easy to read? Is it formatted in proper English? Which means are the spelling, grammar and punctuation correct? I’m an English major and I still struggle with commas! Like me, many people don’t always understand the rules of grammar, but most people know intuitively what constitutes “good” English from “bad” English.
Tell your story – with a twist.
Are you inviting your potential customer into a story that showcases how THEY benefit from working with you? More importantly, do you clearly share what you do and how it makes your customers life better? If you don’t know, how do you expect your customers to know?
Don’t spend all your time and energy making sure your website pleases “spider bots” when people are the ones you want to connect with. SEO is important but never lose sight of your final target – the person looking at your website.
Websites are your online lobby. And unlike a physical lobby, they work for you 24/7. Make sure they are working the way you want them to.
Good friends don’t let their friends have lackluster websites. You’d tell your friend if they had spinach stuck in their teeth, wouldn’t you? Ask them to contact me if they’ve got a website in need of help. They’ll be happy you did.
If this post helped you out, it may be helpful to someone else. Please email it to a friend or share it on social media.