Internet search engines resemble catalogs of books in the library. The mechanism of action is similar, but the factors determining the position are much more complicated. The scale is also different – we are talking here not about several hundred titles to sort, but about … billion websites from around the world. Therefore, positioning websites in search engines is – like library science – a whole field of knowledge!
Unlike analogue directories, Internet search engines have the ability to catalog information in more detail. With the help of web robots – programs that absorb information about websites – they are able to collect data on the structure of the site and its content. Thanks to the knowledge accumulated by the bot, the search engine is able to choose the answers to the queries of its users. The library equivalent of a search engine would be its employee, manually (thanks to knowledge and experience) searching for books for the reader.
What is website positioning in search engines?
Search engine positioning aims to show robots that it is our site that best answers the question, and at the same time is convenient for the user. The SEO process is primarily about adapting the website to the rules set by search engines – an algorithm that determines the order of results in SERPs.
What affects position? Initially, the keywords and the number of links to the page were relevant. With the growing page base and changing user expectations, the number of factors affecting positioning has begun to increase. In the case of Google, it is estimated that as of today, robots analyze about 200 different signals on the basis of which they determine the site’s ranking position. To limit the possibility of manipulation of results, some of the factors are kept secret and Google employees provide rather evasive answers on this topic. Information on what helps websites climb search results is obtained not only from official search engine guides, but also from external tools and tests, the results of which are positioned by positioners in industry media and forums. The experience of a specialist also plays an important role here, as he has survived more than once!
Positioning is primarily talked about in the context of Google. It is this search engine that is the most frequently chosen way to search for information. However, this type of services is provided by:
Yandex – a Russian search engine of great importance in Russia and its neighbors. Yandex holds a 50% market share in this region. It works on a similar principle as Google – page indexing can be controlled through the equivalent of Google Search Console, here called Yandex.Webmaster. The search engine also has its own set of rules according to which pages should be created. The income comes primarily from advertising.
Baidu – a browser created for the needs of the Chinese user.
Bing – a search engine created by Microsoft. It is much more popular in the US than in other countries. Its market share in the US is around 30%.
Yahoo – another search engine whose importance is noticeable primarily in the US. It owns 10% of the market, which places it in the 3rd place in the poll of the most popular search engines in the United States.
In addition, there are also Ask, DuckDuckGo and AOL on the market, but the number of searches through these services is a small percentage of the total.
Search engines and the state of your business
Statistics say that the average person performs about 3-4 searches per day and, according to another source, about 93% of internet experience begins in the search engine. Both information is valuable from a business point of view and can only lead to one conclusion – a search engine is a place where customers need to be found.
Business in 2020 without the Internet and Google does not exist. The search engine is the basic source of knowledge of the average internet user – most of us are looking for information for private use, some – also for the needs of our work and company. Wishing to open up to new customers and increase your income, it is worth playing with Google and try to adapt to the rules imposed by the search engine.
The skilful use of the search engine allows you to expand the advertising space in which your business may appear. A properly prepared and positioned website can not only inform about the services offered by the company, but also support the process of building the position of an expert in a given industry and increase brand awareness. Website positioning is compatible with other marketing activities and brings results not only directly during the campaign, but also when a potential customer needs it.
First steps in the Google world
It is not difficult to appear in the search engine, and Google willingly shares knowledge about taking the first steps in its environment. Guidelines and tips can be found not only on the support pages, but also in the courses. In the materials prepared by Google and partner companies, basic knowledge of Internet marketing – SEM, SEO and an introduction to tools provided by a search engine, e.g. Analytics, is provided in an accessible way.
General knowledge about the search engine environment helps to understand how search works, why you should set up a map and how the prices of ads in search results are shaped. Understanding the terms used in the Google context and the capabilities of the search engine help in setting marketing goals. Even basic knowledge of the search engine also facilitates cooperation with a positioner or an Ads specialist.
Where to start? First of all, putting up a modern, secure and fast website. The size of the website and the technologies used on it should be chosen according to the industry and the goals to be met by the website. And then…
A. Invite robots – sharing a page with web robots is tantamount to agreeing to appear in the search engine. The crawl program analyzes the structure, content and links coming to your site, allowing it to appear in search results.
B. Find out how they see you – the data collected by web robots can be controlled on a search engine – in Google, this is Google Search Console. This is where statistics about site indexing, search, and alerts about errors or problems detected by other tools. Controlling the status of the page in the Google index allows you to quickly respond to problems in the event of a breach of data security on the page and when the movement within the domain ceases.
C. Take care of the content and convenience of using the site – only and up to. The content of the page is important not only from the point of view of gaining high positions in search results, but also because of the end user – potential customer. It was he who asked the search engine the question that she is looking for the best answer. Preparation of content that will introduce him to the world of services offered and explain all the complexities of the industry in an accessible way, usually meet with a very positive response from customers and robots. They also help in building the right image of the company and increasing brand awareness.
Positioning on steroids
Positioning is a process that requires time, knowledge and experience. While in the case of small, local and sole proprietorships, activities on their own can be effective, the increase in coverage and more effective activities would require the extension of the day by another “day”. Do you prefer to reserve some time to rest? Take advantage of the professional help of a Paraphrase-Online.com specialist who will properly choose the methods and actions to increase the visibility of the site, and thus – traffic and sales!
Knowledge of Google search meanders saves a lot of time and money – the experience accumulated for years allows you to arrange a strategy tailored to the type of business and use methods that are effective in the fight for better places in search results.
The positioning of a website or online store in virtually every search engine begins with choosing the right set of keywords – passwords after which the user goes to the appropriate page of the site. Key phrases can be divided into so-called:
– short tail – phrases consisting
of one or two words. They are characterized by a large
number of searches and high competitiveness;
– long tail – phrases consisting of more keywords, with fewer
searches and less competitiveness.
The words from the “short tail” look attractive at first glance – after all, any shoe store would like to be in the first position as a response to the query “shoes” … These types of slogans are usually occupied by large websites with adequate financial resources, allowing extensive actions for the highest positions. Interestingly, the phrases like “shoes” are not as effective as the slogans from the “long tail”, which more often lead to the purchase of the right model. Why is this happening? A specific question means a desire to know answers with similar characteristics, such as “pink children’s sports shoes”. Search results direct users to subpages containing the products they are looking for. The customer saves time and if he finds a matching shoe model – he will probably make a purchase.
When choosing keywords, you should consider words from both groups. It is also worth remembering that during the positioning process, the website casually begins to rank in search engines for other phrases. A whole set of activities is responsible for this, the main purpose of which is to improve the condition of the entire site. The positioning of websites in search engines resonates much more widely than you can imagine basically.
On Page – site from Google metro
On Page activities are the abovementioned “adapting to Google game rules”. Website optimization has a technical dimension, which includes:
– improved page rendering speed,
– Website display and indexing
control on all devices,
– choosing appropriate titles and
descriptions for subpages,
– adapting headlines to the
requirements of Google’s art and guidelines,
– adjusting friendly links,
– selection and implementation of
structural data.
The strategy and set of optimization actions are selected individually, according to what works a given page requires.
On Page activities also include work related to content creation and optimization. During the process, the positioner indicates places that should be supplemented with additional content or saturated with keywords.
Off Page – all roads lead to your site!
Off Page activities are everything that aims to get links directing to your domain. Sounds easy? In the olden days – yes! Today, however, links, link is not equal. Here you also need a strategy that allows you to collect links of different types and from different sources.
Off Page activities include, for example, creating sponsored entries, exchanging links with contractors, adding services and companies to catalogs, and obtaining reviews and opinions. Off Page activities are also indirectly linked to social media activity – a well-run Facebook profile is a great support for SEO and another source of traffic.
Website positioning – be the first in search engines!
In the first paragraph we mentioned what connects the library with the search engine, now let us pay attention to the differences between them. Suffice it to say one word – “change”. The order of library drawers is not subject to constant changes and modifications, the Google index and its equivalents in other search engines, yes.
The search engine algorithm is constantly being improved, and Google is changing its approach and putting more emphasis on other factors. A few years ago, there was talk primarily about “mobilesgeddon” and “mobiles First Indexing”, and today UX issues are very important. Added to this are various smaller and larger changes, monitored on an ongoing basis.
Due to these changes, trends in user behavior and other factors, positioning websites in search engines should be treated as a process. Once done, the optimization will not last the test of time – especially during “hot” periods. To gain high positions and increase traffic it is necessary to keep the “mouse on the pulse”, monitor the results and, if necessary, modify the strategy.
