July 9th, 2011 : Where Should Your Business Be On Google's First Page?

Where Should Your Business Be On Google's First Page?

Many companies promise to get you on the first page of Google, but what does that really mean for you and your business? The first page of Google encompasses a wide range of results. In fact, you could easily achieve first-page placement simply by purchasing advertising spots. There is no need to hire an SEO company to purchase advertising because you can do it directly. Additionally, the first page may include results from video, images, and most importantly, Google Places. In this article, you'll learn more about for which positions you should pay for and which are only temporary. After you finish reading, you'll know which ones are worth your money and which aren't.

Advertising Is Temporary

First, you should never pay for advertised positions when you're promised SEO. Unless the SEO company has specifically made it clear that they're offering paid advertising placement, it's a scam.

To differential paid and non-paid positions, the natural search results are often called "organic." This means the placement depends on the keyword being searched. Paid positions are "automatic" by contrast. They will automatically show your website whenever someone searches on that keyword.

In other words, non-paid positions are the result of your web page naturally including the keywords. Your website has "earned" its position; it's not paid. The reason you shouldn't be paying for advertisements is that only about 20% of visitors find local businesses this way. Plus, the results are temporary and last only as long as you keep paying.

Natural "Organic" Listings

Non-paid listings in Google are those that come about from a natural search. Google has a set of rules for fairly evaluating web pages and organizing them for relevance. The rules apply equally to everyone, and paid advertising cannot be placed among the results.

These results are the lifeblood of Google. Traditionally, they're called "organic" results. This is where you want your business to be found. First, your business earns greater trust from visitors because they discovered you through a natural search instead of a paid listing. This means they are much more open and welcoming to messages on your website.

The Importance Of Google Places For Business Owners

There is another more specific type of natural listing called "Google Places." It's unique because it seeks to narrow the results to a certain town or city. This special section of Google is triggered when people type in the name of a location. For example, suppose you did a search on "dentists in Miami." That would call attention to Google Places. It would then show a listing of results including a map in the Miami area.

The importance for business owners is that nearly 65% of local businesses are found this way on Google. This is one of the emerging areas that can bring your business many targeted visitors looking for your type of business. It's the online equivalent of a listing in the yellow pages. Once your business is listed there, it stays. You may need to maintain the presence to keep it at the top, but it's not like advertising that disappears when you stop paying. The listing will continue to bring you new business even after the major SEO work has been done. That's the greatest advantage of Google Places for business owners.

Tags: Local Internet Marketing, Local Internet Advertising

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