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How to get found on Google: 3 tips for businesses

Posted by Alex Rodríguez

how to get found on google

Everyone these days wants some love from Google. No, not cuddling with the Googz like a furry Pillow-Pet. What we mean is that true business leaders want their brand to be found first when eager buyers look for a trusted service or a reliable product… and what better place to be positioned than an engine gobbling and serving up 3.5billion searches every single day.

There is still a lot of confusion on what to do to get this kind of prime positioning on the search giant. On one hand, many naively think that just placing a website on a hosting provider will automatically sound an alarm at the offices in Mountain View, CA, which will in turn cause their site to be properly indexed.

On the other hand, with so many conflicting opinions from “experts,” “gurus,” and “ninjas,” business owners are duped into thinking that they have to pay several thousands of dollars per month just to spin a costly roulette called “SEO.”

The fact of the matter is that there are a few critical actions you and your internal team can take to place your brand right under Google’s spotlight. How can I be so sure about this? Well, for one, Google has never been clearer on their guidelines and best practices.

Aside from this, they’ve made their tools freely available, which although they may take a bit of an expert mind to wade through to the fullest extent, they’re not anywhere nearly as complicated as some of your current business operations, such as keeping your finances in check or hiring the right team member.

Here’s a handy list of actions you can take today to raise your visibility on Google:

1- Get Set Up on Google Business

Google has made it very easy for businesses to place a listing on their massive directory, but it does take a bit of effort and time.

The place to begin is Google My Business, which will lead you through every necessary step to list your business properly.

Once you begin filling in the minimum requirements — business name, phone number, and address — you will need to wait a few days until Google sends you a verification code via USPS, aka “Snail Mail.” Yes, although Google is the king of digital, you’ll need a code physically sent to you in order get the coveted green “verified” check mark.

This is how our Google Business Dashboard looked once verified.

As this listing will appear on Google Searches, Google Maps, and Google+, the key here is to add as much relevant information as possible. Businesses that appear like they “have it together” are much more likely to be taken seriously by eager buyers willing to take action immediately, either by visiting, picking up the phone, or clicking to the company’s website.

A few additional tips:

Once you’re set up on Google Business, a whole realm of other possibilities open up, such as Location Extensions inside Google Adwords (we touch on Extensions later in this article).

2- Make Your Website SEO-Friendly

For many business owners, “SEO” is nothing but a magic wand certain “wizards” wave in the air, and POOF! Their websites are suddenly on the first place of Google.

The truth of the matter is, there is no way to instantly guarantee top billing on competitive search rankings — and anyone who is telling you the contrary is absolutely lying.

At the same time, often-ignored best practices to position your website at the front of the line do exist, and they can help as you compete for valuable search terms. The more you follow these best practices, the more you raise the probability of being found organically… Which at the end of the day, is what matters the most, right?

Some of the most essential best practices we’ve been following are:

These are but a few steps you can take immediately to improve your site’s “search-ability,” but there are many, many more. However, as most businesses often neglect these basic ones, by just applying these you’ll likely be much more attractive than your competitors in Google’s OOO-shaped eyes.

3- Say The Words… AdWords!

how to get found on google - adwordsOh, so you thought this article was about SEO, huh?

The truth is that, at the very core, Google Search is one of the most powerful advertising platforms today, and there are no signs of it dying down any time soon. With searches firing in at all times from Google.com, as well as directly from tools within browsers, by voice commands, and many others, Google has placed their massive search engine so readily-available that placing your ad on it just might be more effective in the short-term than that neighborhood flyer or community rag.

You can get set your business up today on Google’s own advertising network,Google AdWords. This platform will not only allow you to place Search Ads, but also Display Ads (what people commonly refer to as “banner ads”), Video Ads, and more.

You can certainly feel free to thumb around for free, but here’s an honest word of caution: You need to be very sure you know what you’re doing before you deploy any campaign. Google does not offer 30-day refunds — or for that matter any kind of refunds — on the thousands of dollars you might blow in a matter of minutes due to a wrong setting or two. They assume you know what you’re doing… So do you?

Aside from seeking advice from professionals (and we’re here to help, just in case), here are a few quick tips you should consider before you dip your toes into Google AdWords.

These are just a few of the most basic tips to get started. The great thing about AdWords is that is a measurable and effective way to get targeted visitors to see your business right away, without waiting for months and months.

The bad news is… well, that there is a cost involved in order to place your ads. After all, we are talking about paid advertising here. However, this should not be a problem in the very least, provided you have a strategy in place, and are following some of the guidelines we’ve shared.

With all these tools and resources at your reach, there is really no reason why your business shouldn’t be properly set up on the undisputed #1 Search Engine in the world. People are right now using it to search for what you offer. Will they find you?