Late last week, I received a phone call from a consulting firm that turned into a $7,500 website project.

I asked how they found me and was told that they Googled “WordPress Websites Rockville.” I checked it myself and I held the #1 spot for this keyword phrase. And here is the cool thing: I didn’t pay Google a penny for this lead. How? While the Google ranking algorithm is a closely kept secret, here are a few super-important ways to not lose ranking in Google.

1. MOBILE-FRIENDLY — My website is easy-to-view on a phone, tablet, laptop or desktop. This makes it simple for visitors to read the information, and Google ranks me higher because of this. My visitors like this design approach too: It allows them to easily read my text and understand what we are all about quickly and effortlessly from any device. Google has begun to care whether a website is mobile-friendly, and positions websites that are mobile-friendly higher.
2. NICHE — I’m very specific and consistent when I describe the types of websites we build, and who our perfect clients are. We build websites for service-based businesses like health-care practices, and also for nonprofits and this helps us to position well in Google. And we build in WordPress and specialize in websites. We don’t try to be everything to everybody online (even though we have lots of design skills and talent). Our own website is highly-focused, so Google clearly understands what our services are all about.
3. GREAT CONTENT — The blog articles we write are helpful and actionable. I regularly answer questions that my clients seem to always ask, like “how much does a website cost”. I explain how website owners should think about imagery on their websites, and list what should be included on the home page of a website. Google recognizes and rewards me for educating my site visitors, and knows that I’m delivering value and NOT simply trying to sell.
4. EASY SEO UPDATES — We use the Yoast WordPress plugin to optimize each page for Google. Yoast is great because it allows website owners, even non-technical ones, to update their page title and description. And these are key to being found in online searches.

Pretty easy, right? If you want new clients to find you, make sure your website has a mobile-friendly theme, be super-focused with your message, write helpful articles, and use a tool like Yoast to manage and monitor your SEO.

And when you are testing to see where your website positions in a Google search, remember to use a “long tail” keyword. Keep in mind that my business does not show up when I search for the words “WordPress Websites”. When I added the word “Rockville” it did show up in the #1 spot out of 1,110,000 possible matches! So pick a few words that your perfect prospect would type in if they were trying to find you! Localize it for even better results, if this makes sense for your business. Make sure to sprinkle location information throughout your website, even if you deliver services nationally or internationally.

Where are you ranking and for what keyword phrase? Send me a note and let me know!