SEO Mythbusting

What we'll be focusing on today are the fundamentals of search engine optimization.

Google Penalties

When someone says Google will penalize you, what does that mean?

• A major drop in rankings
• A very minor drop in rankings
• A warning from the browser

The one we care about the most is a major drop in rankings.

Realistically, we can drop in rankings from:

• Someone outperforming us, whether because our content is not as relevant as theirs or because we have less traffic than them
• Doing something Google thinks is dishonest
• Minor preferences in Google's algorithm

Myths: Facts vs. Fiction

Will Google drop your rankings if you don't have an SSL Certificate?

Unlikely. Chrome might warn users that your site does not encrypt submitted data.

SSL Certificates are free now. Up-to-date companies, like ResNexus, SquareSpace, etc., include a SSL certificate free of charge since their cost is $0.

Will Google drop your rankings if your website loads slowly?

Yes, load speed is a factor. Google confirms this is a ranking signal but it's usually a small, nuance one. According to Maile Ohyle from Google, "2 seconds is the threshold for ecommerce website acceptability. At Google, we aim for under a half second."

Will Google drop you in rankings if you don't have a mobile website?

Yes, very much so. They have been telling us loud and clear about this since April 21, 2015. Why would Google drop you in rankings for not having a mobile-friendly website? Because that segment of search is exploding. If you Google "mobile-friendly testing Google," you can pull up a tester for whether or not your website is mobile-friendly.

Do you have to write content all the time?

Not really. Most content on your website once created doesn't need to change. "Live Content" like upcoming events are what experts update consistently. When re-indexing your website, if Google doesn't see much change... then it doesn't really matter.

Blogging has changed. It's time to adapt because clients don't read blogs. Remove "blog" from your website, but keep the content there. Spread out the blog content to things like places to eat, things to do or upcoming events.

What about ADA compliance?

Do your best to state your ADA policy. If sued, make the requested changes. Modern web builders and companies have ADA tools to help.

What about social media?

If social media sites were ranked by pace:

• Pinterest: Slow
• Facebook: Slow
• Instagram: Fast
• Twitter: Super fast
• SnapChat: So fast nothing gets left behind

Don't go crazy, but post consistently.

Post:

• Specials
• Upcoming events
• Attractions
• Favorite restaurants

"Boost" or place ads as desired.

What does Google really look for?

1. Money (Pay-per-click)

When should I do Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising?

• If marketing channels target your business
• If you need more business. Find low cost PPC ads
• If you need more traffic. New? Slow?
• If you need an edge on your competition (there is a lot of competition)

Google could kill all directories, like Booking.com or TripAdvisor. But why doesn't Google do that? Because the company makes billions of dollars from advertising. Great News, though! Google changed their maps.

2. Relevance and traffic

If a website gets more legitimate traffic than another in the same market, search engines TRUST that website more.

High quality "topic" pages drive traffic. You should have more copy that's relevant, reviews or lists and three to four pictures.

A site with more high quality pages is more relevant than a smaller site with less content.

3. Backlinks

Where the link comes from is important.

• News sites: huge impact
• Directories and channels: Medium impact
• Other businesses: Small impact

Now let's recap this webinar.

In Conclusion

Here are the facts about Google SEO:

• Google is unlikely to drop your ranking if you don't have an SSL Certificate.
• If your website loads slowly, you're going to drop in ranking.
• Your website needs to work on mobile.
• Have relevant content on your website and avoid calling that content a "blog."

By following these guidelines, your website will rank better on Google.