SEO FAQ’s – How do search engines work?
Search engines like Google want to bring up the most relevant and closely matching results for every Internet search. So, if you type in ”Chiropractor in San Anselmo” for instance, you are going to see the website listings that the search engine determines are the most likely matches.
You might see the home pages listed for several chiropractors, but not necessarily. Search engines look for and present web pages rather than websites, so you might also see their treatment or contact pages. This is important to know if you are a business with multiple services. For instance, let’s say that you are a general contractor who builds homes, remodels kitchens and constructs garages. A homeowner in San Rafael could search for someone local to remodel her kitchen, and if your website is optimized with keyword-rich content, your web page on “kitchen remodeling” might show up rather than your home page. It is always a good idea to have separate website pages for each of your major services or products.
How will SEO Help my business?
Going to the Internet and using search engines is how most people today research professional services and products before they buy. If you want consumers to find your business online, search engine optimization, or SEO, helps your website get found by those consumers.
Do I need to build a new website so that my business can be found by search engines?
No, most current websites can be “optimized” so that they can be found more easily by search engines. Optimizing your website will involve updating what is known as “meta-tags.” The meta-tags help search engines understand what your business does.
Besides updating the meta-tags, we may also need to change some of your website content or add a few pages. How much updating will be necessary depends on how your website is structured, how much content you already have and how keyword-rich it is. I’ll help you understand the full extent of any changes to your website before we begin working together.
How long will it take to see results?
Search engines typically visit and index a website every 4-6 weeks. Many of my clients see a great improvement in their search engine results in just 8 weeks. The full impact of optimizing a website is usually achieved in 3 months.
Will I be able to get in position one on page one of Google?
Perhaps. It depends on the keyword phrases we select for online searches and the competition for those phrases. When we work together, I will review what your competitors are doing before optimizing your website. My clients regularly get on page one for several or many keyword phrases that are important to their business.
Beware of any SEO specialist who guarantees that you will automatically get to the top of page one. They are either selling advertising, for which you will need to pay a recurring monthly fee, or they are stretching the truth.
Can blogging help with search engine optimization?
Yes, because a blog post can be found by search engines separately from your website. Let’s say that you are a family law attorney and write a post about “When Is The Best Time to Create a Post Nuptial Agreement?” and someone searches Google with that question. She may see your blog post in her list of search engine results. When she clicks on your post, she can also discover your website.
Blogging also helps set you apart as an expert in your field. If a potential client should go to your website because he did an Internet search for “Post Nuptial attorneys” and clicked on your website listing, your blog posts will validate and expand on your experience. Blogging is a great idea, if you have time to do it!
Text us for a complimentary SEO consultation: (415) 250-1347.