Online marketing can seem like a different language. Fortunately, the U-Haul Self-Storage Affiliate Network has access to professional, online marketing experts. Here is some advice from Web Marketer, Joseph Carter. This post will help answer some questions like, “How do websites show up on the first page of Google?” You can expect to see more from Joe in upcoming editions of the Self-Storage Swap.
How Search Engines Rank Websites
Most people know it’s better to be ranked on the first page, but do you know how to get there? Think of a search engine, like Google, Yahoo, or Bing, as a self-storage business owner. When a customer calls or comes to the facility, they want to provide their customers with the best possible experience in terms of rates, employee friendliness, and facility cleanliness so that if they need storage again they instantly think of you and come back. Search engines are trying to do the same thing by placing the best sites on the top of the page.
Percentage of Search Engine Traffic (Photo Cred: Moz.com
Each search engine has its own criteria, although, for the most part, they are similar. Let’s take Google for an example as it is the search engine used by over 80% of North Americans. To rank higher in Google searches, website owners should focus on creating an experience that can be trusted, is useful or informative, and comes from a recognized authority. Google can tell if visitors find content on your website useful or informative by studying how long they stay on that page. If a certain page gets a lot of traffic, and visitors spend a lot of time on that page, then Google will recognize that content as something that readers find informative. Search engines also look to see if the website comes from a recognized authority. For example, Google has recognized www.uhaul.com to be associated with the brand U-Haul, therefore, they identify our website as a trusted and recognized authority (which raises where we are ranked on the page).
In his next post, Joe will give out tips with the best way to design your company’s website and understand your web traffic.
About the author:
Joseph Carter is a Web Analyst for U-Haul International. Carter is a graduate
from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University with a major
in Computer Information Systems.
