Esther C Kane

Last night I was at a dinner party and several times during the conversation the phrase “Google it” came up.  (and no, I wasn’t the only one saying that!) In all instances, the point was to either determine that the statement being made was fact or to find more information on the statement.  But it got me thinking…how integrated not only Google is in our lives but the act of search.

Whether you use Google or another search engine on the Internet, the point is most everyone is USING the Internet for search.

Can’t remember the name of a movie?  – search it.
Need more information about a recipe? – search it.
Need to know the phone number for the doctor’s office? – search it.
Are peaches on sale this week at the grocery store? – search it.

The point is, the great majority of people are searching.  So, for business owners there’s basically 2 things that will happen when someone does a search for your products or services…

a) The searcher will find your website.
b) The searcher will find your competitor’s website.

So, it’s no surprise that search engine optimization (SEO) has become such a desired service for today’s businesses.    Years ago it was easy to optimize a website.  All it basically took was some meta tags and a few keywords here and there.  But today, the game is very different.  Today, it’s all about relevance and exposure and incoming links.  Today, SEO is not just optimizing html it’s optimizing videos and graphics, press releases and articles and yes, social media.  It’s the art of bringing the entire package together to create one unmistakable brand out of the business.

So, that when a searcher types in your product or service in multiple formats, your business name keeps coming up.  Whether it’s your website that comes up or your blog or an article on another website or someone tweeting about you, whatever.  The point is, your name is associated with the product or service that you’re selling.

SEO is the process that can help your business stand out in front of the mass of websites.  Without SEO, your business is just another listing, one of billions.

So, the next time you’re in a group situation and you hear someone say “Google it” think about what they’re really saying.  And think about your business and the Internet.  Are you getting all you can from your website?