How to Improve your Google Presence Immediately

Google in all its ever-changing, secretive, confusing glory. Even the experts that dedicate their careers to understanding Google are always playing catch-up. You can start working towards SEO goals, through writing new content, on-page optimization and working on website health updates. But even after all that work, you may not see major results for weeks, months, or ever. It can be a drag to put in so much work with minimal immediate satisfaction.

All this to say, so much of your Google presence and SEO in general is a waiting game. But, if you want some quick wins in improving your company’s presence on Google, you can get that instant satisfaction. So, what are the pieces of your google presence that you can immediately influence?

Google My Business Knowledge Graph

Your knowledge panel, or knowledge graph, is the box of information that appears in search results. This information in the box, called the Business Profile, can help customers discover and contact your business.

If you haven’t already claimed your business on Google, this is the best thing you can do for your Google presence right off the bat. By claiming your business, you create a profile in which you can edit business information visible in the Google knowledge graph.

Claimed and completed knowledge graphs are important for your Google presence. A Google My Business profile is the difference between needing to actively search for info and just glancing on google to find hours and address. There is even an opportunity to add Calls To Action like “Book Now” or “Reserve” to shorten and simplify the purchase process for the customer. The harder it is to find this business information, the more likely a customer will choose to support a competitor.

There are some aspects of the business profile that are not easily altered, like customer reviews or auto-generated content by google. But, much of the information in the graph can be edited and ultimately improved on by you.

Here is a look at all of the aspects of your Google presence you can edit with Google My Business.

General business information

This may seem like a no-brainer, but most knowledge graphs don’t have this information completed. This can be anything that makes it easier for the customer to find and learn about you – from hours to locations to the purpose of your business.

This information not only helps the customer understand how they can find and support your business, but it also helps Google relay and show this information. This, in turn, improves and increases your Google presence. By making your locational information clear and consistent across platforms, you have a good chance of improving your ranking for local search.

Unique Business Values and Attributes

This is another area many people tend to skip over, but it may be a deal-breaker for customers looking for a specific value. This area of the knowledge graph is your chance to convey the minor and major traits of your business you are proud of. These can look like “wheelchair friendly” or “women-owned”.

While you can’t write in specific accolades, you can choose from Google’s list the attributed that are true for you. These attributes are there to help individuals understand if they will be welcomed into your business – so make sure these attributes are clearly stated!

Credit: Google Support

Google My Business Posts

This is an area of your knowledge graph where you have space and freedom to immediately promote any topic you want to share. From events to discounts to updates, you can post content similar to social media posts, and anyone who sees your knowledge graph will have the opportunity to see these posts.

Images

Adding images is a joint project for you and your customers. While you can choose the main image, logo, and upload images you want individuals to see, your customers who review your business can also upload photos with their reviews.

If your customers aren’t uploading photos, or the photos they are uploading don’t portray your offerings in the best light, make sure to continuously update this section with good images. That way individuals who research your product will have a good mix of real-client experiences and business-generated content.

Industry-specific information

Every industry has different priorities for the information and value they need to highlight in their knowledge graphs. While Google My Business information is mostly a one-size-fits-all, there are aspects of the knowledge graph that are industry-specific.

A few examples – if you are in the food industry, there is a section in which you can promote your menu. If you need to reserve your business’ products or services, there is a section in which you can add an automatic book or reserve a table option.

Understanding how to best leverage these industry-specific Calls To Action can set you apart from your competitors and simplify the purchasing process for your customers.

Google Page Results

While Google knowledge graph info is changed in the Google My Business profile, the appearance of your page rankings is edited and updated in the backend of your website. This information is visible in Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) as well, adjacent to the google Google knowledge graph on desktop and under it on mobile.

There are two quickly editable aspects of business information – the title tag and meta description. While other additions can be added to your search results through a structured data strategy, these two content opportunities are quick updates. While in some cases it takes a little while for Google to recognize changes to title tags and meta descriptions, in many cases you can see those updates almost immediately.

Title Tag

If your knowledge graph isn’t visible, your title tag is the first thing people will read from your SERPs. It is also a major ranking factor in the search engine results. That means you have to keep two things in mind when updating this information: how Google will read the information and how humans will read the information.

For Google, make sure the purpose of your business is clear by using focus keywords. The better you establish the purpose of your business the more likely Google will show your results to more people. For example, if you sell Thai food in Phoenix, it makes sense to include a term like “Downtown Phoenix Thai Restaurant”.

For humans, make sure the copy you use is natural and engaging. If the entirety of your focus is on stuffing keywords into a title, it won’t be an interesting message that draws people to learn more. Regardless of how many keywords used, of people don’t click your link, your ranking will ultimately hurt.

Meta Description

The meta description is the blurb of information underneath the meta title that can give a further explanation. Because this section is not a ranking factor, it should be written with humans in mind. Explain the content of the page, and why you need to click and learn more!

Third-Party Websites

Third-party websites are any platforms that you don’t own that have your information available. These are sites like blogs that discuss our business, review sites, business directories, or any industry-specific business listings.

Consistent business information

Third-party business information is a quick way to improve your business presence that can also eventually improve your local ranking! This means Yelp, TripAdvisor, yellow pages, or other platforms where your business information is found. While you may already have this information filled out, confirming that all of the information is worded in the same way can improve your local search presence.

For example, if your business profile on one platform says “Ivy Street” and another platform says “Ivy St.”, that is a chance at improving the consistency of your message.

Image Visibility

Improving your image search presence not necessarily an immediate update, but it can be quick depending on what you want to rank for. If you want to rank for ‘shoes’, you may be aiming to general. But if you want to rank for ‘purple polka-dot rain boots’, you have a better chance of seeing your image ranking.

Image Alt Text

Improving the search ranking of your Image SEO is done through adding image alt-text to any images visible on your website. In the past, this meant keyword stuffing multiple versions of your keyword in this section. However, with recent updates, the best way to add image alt text is to explain what is in the image in a clear, readable way while including the focus keyword in the explanation. So instead of “purple rain boots, polka dot rain boots, rain boots that are purple, purple polka do rain boots, you may say “two pairs of purple polka dot rain boots sitting side-by-side.”

Adding this to old images and starting this as a regular habit when uploading new images can improve your image search presence fairly quickly!

Are you ready to get your Google search presence optimized? Reach out to our team to find your business’ areas for improvement!