Breaking down the basics of ranking high on Google

There is no doubt about it, your dealership website’s search engine ranking contributes directly to the bottom line of your business.

Search Engine People statistics show that over half of all clicks on search engine results pages (SERPs) go to the top three results and 75 percent of searchers won’t go past the first page.

Failing to invest in your website’s ranking on search engines like Google can do a lot of damage when it comes to earning business and winning sales.

The most vital component of earning a high ranking on Google is proving your dealership’s authority online.

Google needs to believe that the content on your website is accurate, up-to-date, and delivers the information that searchers are looking for.

How do you prove authority and trustworthiness to search engines like Google? Let’s break down some of the basics.

• Google wants to see fresh content that is consistently updated. Search engine algorithms don’t just look at your site’s content once and give it a ranking that lasts forever. They are always scanning the information on your site and adjusting its ranking accordingly, so you should be continuously checking and updating your site as well. Remove or update information that has changed or is no longer relevant.
• Keywords are key but remember: Quality over quantity. Yes, a large amount of relevant keywords on your site will attract Google. However, search engine algorithms are smart. They can tell when keywords are being overused, and when they are being used solely to attract search engines. “Keyword stuffing,” as it is called, will do more harm than good for your search engine ranking. It’s actually very simple to incorporate keywords in a positive and beneficial way – just focus on writing content that answers searchers’ questions but still sounds natural and conversational.
• Aim to create value with your website content. Like the struggle that comes with keyword implementation, Google will know if your content is truly worthy of searchers’ attention or if it is overdone in a ploy to win the attention of search engines. Google is attracted to lengthy content, but only if it provides real value. Evaluate your content the same way a customer would – is it answering my questions? Is it helping me understand a topic? Am I learning more by reading it? The type of content that allows you to answer yes is the value-driven content that will stand out to search engines like Google.

Search engine users trust Google to give them the best results, so it makes sense that Google needs to trust your website before giving you a high ranking.

There is a strategy to attracting search engines, but what it really comes down to is the genuine effort to help searchers find what they’re looking for online.

If you make that the main goal of your website, a high search engine ranking will come naturally.

Lauren Labunsky is the public relations manager for Dealer Spike, a company that provides innovative websites as well as a suite of powerful online advertising solutions that help marine dealers help increase sales and service profitability. For more information, visit www.DealerSpikeMarine.com or call 800-288-5917.