It’s no secret that Google is one of the most important tools in your marketing arsenal. With an average of over 3.5 billion searches conducted each day (according to Internet Live Stats), there are a lot of eyeballs glued to Google’s search results.
Whether you’re trying to sell a product on Amazon or grow your personal brand, Google can serve as a powerful resource — but only if you use it right. With that in mind, here are a few simple tips you can use to maximise your exposure so you can achieve your marketing and growth goals:
Utilise Google Ads extensions
Keywords are crucial to success with Google Ads, but this is far from the only way you can improve the reach and effectiveness of these PPC campaigns.
In an email conversation with Callum Davies, my co-author for the book The Must Have Guide to Google AdWords, he explained, “Extensions are a great way to add key descriptive text without taking up space in your actual ad. For example, a location extension can help you gain another coveted spot in Maps, or you can use price extensions to showcase specific services to increase sales.”
With such a wide range of extensions available, it’s easy for marketers to find options that will help them meet their campaign goals. On average, Google reports that ads using extensions improve their click through rate by 10 to 15 per cent. Relevant extensions can also improve your quality score for even better results.
Leverage the power of Google Maps
For small businesses, few tools can be more helpful than Google Maps.
By setting up a My Business account and incorporating map extensions to Google Ads campaigns, you can ensure that local Web users will be more likely to discover your business. According to SEO expert Bradley Shaw, 46 per cent of Google searches are looking for local businesses – and 72 percent of that group will visit a relevant store that is within five miles of their location.
During a phone call with Jet Saini, CEO of Drip Digital, he explained that ranking in Google Maps requires much more than just listing your business. “There are three keys to your maps ranking: distance, relevance, and prominence,” he says.
“First, Google will factor in your distance from the person conducting the search, as well as how closely your listing matches what they’re looking for. Your prominence then comes into play, based on things like SEO rankings and reviews for your business. To show up on Maps results, you need to provide detailed business information and use strategic location keywords so you can be better optimised for local searches.”
Double down on content production
SEO is vital for moving up in Google rankings.
Though you should start by conducting a thorough keyword analysis and incorporating top keywords in page titles, meta tags and more, consistently delivering relevant content will make all the difference for your long-term SEO strategy.
Focus on your sales funnel and the content that will be most beneficial to your customers. This content isn’t necessarily designed to make a sale — instead, you are informing and/or entertaining prospective customers so they learn to view you as a source of reliable information. This makes them much more likely to have a favourable impression of your brand, while continually updating your website will build your authority with Google.
A Digital Viday case study on computer hardware manufacturer Lenovo is just one example of content marketing’s potential. To build trust and awareness, their content marketing team created a central hub focused on industry news and information. With 250 high-quality articles, the team gained 1.7 million visits and $300m in sales — all by providing relevant, helpful content.
Start (ethically) building quality backlinks
Your on-site efforts aren’t the only way to improve your site’s SEO rankings. With quality backlinks, you can further increase your brand authority. Writing great content for your own site can be a great starting point, as others will likely link to your articles for informational purposes.
[Editor’s note: Steer clear if you encounter a content creator who is selling links in stories that they “guarantee” will appear on leading web sites. Most reputable publishers, Entrepreneur included, strictly forbid paid links in editorial articles and will delete them immediately. Your efforts and your money will be wasted.]
Creating profiles on high-ranking business directories like MapQuest and Yellow Pages will also generate quality backlinks and give potential customers a new way to find your brand.
Ultimately, though, a lot of backlink building will largely come from public relations-style efforts. In a blog post, marketing expert Neil Patel gives this example: “You link to another website’s content and then reach out to let them know that you enjoyed their article so much you shared it on your own website. Interactions like this are valuable touch points. You’re not just building brand awareness. You’re building a relationship. And since you gave them a backlink, it’s not unlikely that they’ll give you a backlink in the future.
Other simple outreach efforts, like commenting on others’ posts or submitting guest articles for industry websites will help you gradually improve your Google ranking.
For many of your potential customers, Google will be their most likely avenue for discovering your brand. While smart keyword research for Google Ads campaigns will undoubtedly be crucial for your growth, you should never overlook these basic ingredients for success. As you use these tips to improve your website and build a stronger presence on Google, you will increase brand awareness and sales.
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