April 21st, 2015 → 12:00 am @ iowawebguy // No Comments
What has become a very hot topic the last few months is Google’s new search algorithm update some call “Mobilegeddon.”
In late February Google announced it was going to use “mobile-friendliness” as a “ranking signal” in how they rank and display search results.
So get ready! Google is now favoring MOBILE-FRIENLDY websites starting TODAY! April 21, 2015.
Is your site mobile-friendly? You can check using Google’s Mobile Test here:
Obviously, every site on the web isn’t mobile-friendly… and it takes time to make the transition. Heck some sites may not need to be mobile–it depends on your audience and competition. But you do want to provide the best possible experience for the user.
DON’T FREAK OUT.
I’m not freaking out. Keep calm… This site is not mobile-friendly yet either. All good things take time. Also, don’t just do something because it’s the buzz. Research. Have a plan. Then execute.
We’ve been really focused on mobile for the last few years especially responsive web design. We’ve also been transitioning client sites that rely on search engine results to drive business to their site.
There’s not a one-size-fits-all solution and transitions do take time. If you haven’t updated your website in the last couple years, this may be the best time!
Here’s a link to the Google webmaster article discussing the change.
As always, if you need help or have questions, contact me.
–Iowa Web Guy
August 15th, 2011 → 11:31 pm @ iowawebguy // No Comments
One of the most asked questions I receive is: “How can I get my website to rank high on Google?”
This is obviously a very important question, so I’ll cover a couple basics:
Tip #1 – NEVER believe someone that can GUARANTEE a high page rank. While it’s possible, it’s impossible to guarantee. Google’s search algorithm is a secret, but they do give us some basic tips and hints on how the equation works.
Tip #2 – Focus on 5-7 of your best “search phrases” meaning what would your ideal target (the person you want to come to your web site) type into Google to find your site.
Tip #3 – Content is KING. Use the “search phrases” you’ve defined in Tip #2 as many times as possible when writing your website copy. Do NOT just dump them into your website, use them in sentence and paragraph form. Google can actually detect this and actually penalize you!
Tip #4 – Ditch the “Image Text“. I still see several websites that use graphics to display actual copy. I find people that want to do this when they can’t get the page to format correctly, or want to use a special font that isn’t supported on all computers. Google and other search engines CAN’T read the text in an image.
Tip #5 – Add a Sitemap and Robots file. If you don’t have them, you need them. These both instruct the search engines what to do with the pages of your website. Here is a link to a FREE Sitemap Generator.
There are other tips that I will cover in future blog posts. A good web strategy should define these search phrases and implement them successfully into your website.
If you have questions or need help with your search engine strategy, give me a shout!
–Iowa Web Guy
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