How do I show up in Google Searches

Monica Politte
Entrust Direct
Published in
3 min readJun 1, 2017

Showing up in more online searches is a goal every business strives to achieve. What was once a battle for time and attention is now a battle for online space. The more online space we have, the likelier we are to gain visibility. Here is some information geared to help increase qualified impressions, or views, through search engines.

What are keywords and how do I know which keywords are best for my business?

Keywords are words and short phrases your ideal customers are searching for on the internet. Search engines like Google use algorithms to pair searches with the most relevant content. Creating content specific to your ideal client’s needs gives you an opportunity to appear in the results when they find answers to their questions.

To better understand your ideal customer, try making a buyer’s persona. A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on market research and real data about your existing clients. Gather data to create your buyer’s persona by surveying current customers and finding demographic trends using your website analytics.

Use our tool to create your free buyer persona!

Using a buyer’s persona, make a list of words and phrases they would potentially be searching for online. Expand your list using the internet to search for alternatives.

Broad Keywords vs. Long Tail Keywords

Broad keywords are exactly how they sound, broad. For example, a realtor’s ideal customers are searching for homes to buy. Home for sale and real estate would be examples of broad keywords. Broad keywords are usually hard to rank for because many businesses are competing for them.

A long tail keyword is a more accurate phrase. ‘Single-family home for sale in Knoxville, Tennessee,’ is an example of a long tail keyword. Long tail keywords are easier to rank for and are ideal for small business owners. Remember this when creating your list of keywords.

Optimize Content around your Keywords

Optimize the content you create to the fullest to increase the likelihood it will show up when someone searches for the keywords you used.

BEST PRACTICES FOR OPTIMIZING CONTENT

1. Use the primary keyword in the content’s title.Your Real Estate Company — 5 Tips for Buying your First Home

2. Include the keyword in the content’s URL. Use dashes to separate your long tail keyword. www.yourrealestatecompany.com/buying-my-first-home

3. Write the keyword in the body, headers, and footer.Remember, search engines will recognize keywords even when the verbiage is different.buying your first home/ first time home buyer/ purchasing your first home

5. Add the keyword to the image alt text to help you show up in image searches.

By applying this information, you will create compelling content that is sure to help you show up in search results. Stay consistent with writing. The more content you display online, the more likely you will attract opportunities and create awareness for your company.

Thanks for reading! My name is Monica Politte and I work for Entrust Direct, a Title Company. Check out more here!

Originally published at www.entrustdirect.com.

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Monica Politte
Entrust Direct

Head Honcho @ The General Root, Master of the Marketing Arts @ Entrust Direct, aspiring skoolie, dancer, tree hugging yogi, and I write about stuff 💜