placeholder
Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

How to Help Customers Find Your Business Online

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the ever-changing means by which search engines rank websites.

A strong SEO strategy can be the difference between users finding your website on the first page, or having to scroll through several pages, most likely giving up and going with a competitor along the way.

Yet, with 93% of internet experiences beginning with a search engine, online visibility remains an essential strategy for optimising sales. Sage, a business consultancy expert, have compiled the means of boosting your business’ online presence effectively and quickly.

Write a Meta Description

Meta titles and descriptions are what appear on the search page. They help the search engine understand what keywords to match against your business’ site, and act as a shop window for customers.

Unless manipulated, search engines will take the title tag and description from the first lines of text on your site. However, by using html tags or easy-to-use plugins, these descriptions can be changed quickly to encourage customers to visit your website.

Manipulate Media

While it is crucial to use keywords throughout your website to ensure a focused understanding of what your business can offer users, search engines also scan website images and videos. Use detailed filenames and ALT descriptions to improve your site’s association with your chosen keywords.

Sign-Up to Online Directories

Online directories allow users to see your business’ contact details, location and opening hours directly from the search engine.

This acts as an incentive for customers to get in touch rather than moving on to the next business, with 86% of people using Google Maps to look up a business’ location. Considering that most online directories are free, they remain an essential service for maximising your online presence.

Increase External Links

Another method of calculating search ranking is the number of third-party websites which link to your site. Partnering with other businesses which share a similar customer base, getting products and services reviewed, and offering to do interviews are a great way to increase the number of links, boosting your ranking while simultaneously increasing brand awareness.

Build a Community

Blogging is a great way to establish yourself online as an industry expert. By writing unique and useful content regularly, you will establish trust with a loyal community of readers, many of which will use and recommend your services over time.

Go Social!

Businesses should open accounts on all relevant social media as soon as they have secured their domain name, ensuring the business’ name, logo and details are consistent across platforms. Then, implement technology to monitor user engagement, create social media marketing, and respond quickly and effectively to ensure users enjoy a pleasant experience when interacting with your enterprise.

Of course, with search engines increasingly using more sophisticated means of ranking websites, the most important technique you can practice is to stay informed of best practices for improving your search ranking. In the meantime, these techniques will help get you started!