Google offers many advantages for businesses to manage search engine optimization, paid advertising, geo-targeting, analytics and more. At first, it may seem overwhelming to get started with Google, but they have actually made it easier than ever to build and maintain your business. In our June webinar, Dering Hall’s Erin Gilbert and Ryan Tross break down some of the most efficient ways Google can help design-based businesses grow.

The webinar, which can be viewed above, covered the following topics:

Search Engines, Organic Search and Paid Search

Search engines allow users to enter a word or phrase (query) into a search bar. Using sophisticated algorithms, search engines will return relevant results best matching to your query. These results are usually a mix of organic results and paid ads.

Why Google?

Here are some reasons your business should consider investing some time (and possibly money) into Google:

• Google owns 92% of global search engine market

• About 6 billion searches per day

• 35% of product searches start on Google

• 34% of “near me” searches result in store visits

• 16 - 20% of Google searches have never been searched before

Best Practices for Getting Started

Making your site search friendly is one of the first ways you can get started with getting your pages found through Google. You want to make sure each page is as good as it can be. Consider how you want your pages to appear in search by properly editing page elements including Title, Meta Description, Headings, Page Copy, and URL.

If you’re just starting out, you want to make sure you have the following components on your site:

• Compliant, error-free HTML code

• Mobile responsive website - test it here

• Site Speed - test it here

• Secure website hosting (HTTPS)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

There’s a lot of jargon surrounding the term “SEO,” but it really comes down to this: “SEO is how you get your content in front of people searching for it online.” There are about searches 6 billion searches done on Google a day. A fraction of that 6 billion searches are the millions of people looking for what you’re already writing about. You just need to make sure they find you before they click through to your competition.

Here are some SEO software tools we recommend using:

• Moz - Fullstack, all-in-one SEO software

• Google Adwords - Keyword research  

• Uber Suggest - Keyword research and idea generation

• Spyfu - Perform in depth keyword research on your competitors

• Ahrefs - Helps with backlink research

• Buzzsumo – Shows what kind of content gets the most backlinks and social shares

• Google Search Console – Shows you errors on your site, and some of the keywords you rank for

• Google Analytics – General analytics data on all of your website visitors

Google My Business (GMB)

Google My Business is a business profile that appears on the right side of the search page that can be managed and controlled by business owners. This free tool allows business owners to post information such as address, business hours, contact information, photos and more – helping to expand their local presence.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Search Engine Marketing. SEM involves paying for ads that appear in search results. This is considered paid search. PPC stands for pay-per-click, which is essentially a model of internet marketing in which advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. While SEO takes time to build, SEM basically allows you to buy visits to your site and appear for the terms you choose to bid for. Target the audience you want to target and reach people searching for what you offer. Using Google Ads or Google Adwords (express version), you can begin bidding for ad space to get your name out there for the keywords you want to rank for.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics allows you to track how users view and use your website. Using Google Analytics, you can see where your traffic is coming from, view what pages get the most traffic, explore demographics and geo-locations, measure goals and KPIs, and so much more.

When to Call a Professional

Using Google may not be the best use of time for some people. Here are some situations where it may be best to call in a professional:

• If you see some results from initial efforts, but it’s starting to take too much time

• If you aren’t getting the results you are looking for

• If you realize that this is generating more business than other advertising methods, consider re-allocating toward an agency or professional