While all major search engines use some form of search engine optimization, Google is undoubtedly the biggest search engine available. Unlike some search engines, Google strives to promote quality content over fluff. It rewards sites with the most helpful information by giving them higher spots on the results pages. These spots are determined by GoogleBot, Google’s robust algorithm that crawls the internet and organizes what it finds. This particular post will focus on steps to help with your Google SEO. Some of these steps are also considered general best practice and can help with other search engines as well. Without further delay, here are 3 steps to a Google friendly site.
Step #1 – Optimize your photos
Having photos on your website can be a great way to share informative content and to jazz up the design of your pages. Staff photos can help to humanize your business, taking you from cold and corporate to warm and personable. But having photos that are not properly optimized can result in slower load times and a lower rank on Google.
Optimize your images by making them an appropriate size for web use. There is not one set standard for height and width of a web-based photo, but the recommended size is anywhere between 1500-2500 pixels. Resolution wise, all web photography should be 72 dpi. (Dpi stands for “dots per inch” and refers to the amount of ink dots per inch of paper it would take to print the photo.) By lowering the resolution and resizing the image, you can shrink the file size and help your website load faster. Faster loading will keep people on your site longer and improve your rank on Google’s search results page.
Step #2 – Optimize your text
One big factor in determining the rank of your site is how much traffic comes to your site. And, one great way to drive more traffic is by having better content. Optimize the text on your site by:
- keeping things simple and easy to read
- avoiding big blocks of text and long sentences
- using smaller paragraphs, lists, and headings when it makes sense
- avoiding unfamiliar words or jargon
- using proper grammar and punctuation
Having more user-friendly content will aid your users in understanding the information on your site and seeing the value in it. They’ll also be more likely to share it with others, giving your site even more traffic than before.
Step #3 – Optimize your site navigation
Site navigation refers to the way in which users move around your website. You can optimize this by linking pages together in a logical way. Think about how you move through websites and what your experience is like when you do. Ask yourself questions like:
- Can I find important information easily?
- Is there a clearly visible menu with options that make sense?
- Are there links embedded on the page that provide further clarity?
- Do I need to rely on an internal search bar to get around because I can’t find what I’m looking for?
These types of questions can help you understand what does and doesn’t make site navigation successful. You can then apply those principles to the set-up of your own website. Google pays attention to how much time people spend on the pages they click through to, and if your site is too confusing for users, they won’t stick around for long. By having an optimized site navigation, you can keep users more engaged and less frustrated.
In conclusion
You now have a better idea of how to make a Google friendly site. If you’d like help with optimizing your photos, text, navigation and more, contact Bold River Marketing. We can provide you with a new, optimized site for your business, or we can help you optimize your current site. We’d love the chance to help you rank higher on Google, so give us a call today!