It’s safe to say 2020 has shown a lot of business owners that having a presence on Google is very important. But did you know that there are numerous ways you can show up on Google?
And sometimes you can even have multiple results on the first page. O.M.G. I know.
I think it’s a no brainer that if there are multiple links to your website on the Google search result pages, then you have an increased likelihood of people picking your website result to click on. More real estate = a larger presence = more website visitors and customers.
But how is this possible you ask? Well today I want to dive into how you can dominate the Google search results in 2021 by showing up multiple times on the SERPs (search engine result pages).
However before I delve into that, you need to make sure you understand Search Intent. What do I mean by this?
Well it means that if you are targeting specific keywords for SEO, then you need to understand what the person who’s typing in that keyword is actually looking for. If they type in ‘christmas hampers’ for instance, are they looking to buy a hamper, make their own hamper at home or looking for the history of Christmas hampers?
To work out this ‘search intent’ as it’s called, is the key. Google is pretty good at working this out. And is only getting better at it. Therefore by simply Googling the keyword phrase you want to target and seeing what type of content shows up on the first page, will give you a good indicator of what people are looking for.
Once you work that out, then it’s your job to make your webpage and content the best possible resource. By looking at the search results you can see if you need to consider showing the following types of search results:
Organic Search Results – SEO
This one you probably have already guessed. If you want to dominate the Google Search Results, you need to be all over your SEO. SEO involves a lot of little elements working in unison together. A great place to start to ensure your website ticks these boxes is Google’s Search Engine Optimisation Starter Guide.
A great SEO strategy will include adding structured data to your website which helps Google show enhanced search results. These types of search results really catch the eye of searchers and in my opinion are one of the best types of search results you can have. They can be called ‘featured snippets’, ‘rich results’ and various other names.
Here are some free SEO resources to help you with your organic search results:
- Shhh… FAQs on your website are awesome for SEO!
- Limited time/money for SEO? My most important SEO tip
- How to Make Google Analytics Your Small Business Superpower
- 20 SEO Tips To Make Google Swoon
- Squarespace SEO Tips You Need To Know
- How to work with online influencers and boost your SEO
- 4 Easy mobile website checks you need to do ASAP
- 8 Valuable SEO results you will see in the first 4 months
- Your SEO Friendly Website Checklist
Paid Search Results – Google Ads
Google Ads are the ads you see sometimes on the search results (they have a little ‘Ad’ tag on them), around the web, on YouTube and even in your Gmail inbox. On the search results you’ll find them at the top of the page, bottom of the page and also on the Shopping and Maps tabs for some searches.
This type of advertising, commonly referred to as PPC or Paid Search does not suit all businesses. However for some businesses the profit they get far outweighs the cost of the ads, so it really is a great form of advertising for them.
Here are some free Google Ads resources to help you with your paid search:
- 9 Google Ads Tips Every Small Business Owner Needs
- Are Google Ads Worth It? 5 Tips For Small Businesses
Shopping Search Results – Google Shopping
Yes there are paid Google Shopping search results, however unless you’ve been living under a rock, then you’ll know there are also free Google Shopping listings now too! Woohoo!
I have been talking about this on my Instagram profile since the news was announced in April 2020. For anyone who is selling products online, this is yet another opportunity you can get your products in front of new eyes.
And the best bit? I have put together a handy guide on how to get your free Google Shopping listings set up!
Maps Search Results – Google My Business
To me, it’s really a no brainer to set up your free Google Maps business listing. Whether you have a physical address customers can visit or if you are a purely online business who works from home (like me) – I would highly recommend to set up a Google My Business listing.
This listing shows when people search your brand name, however it can also show in the Map Pack (as shown in the image below) and of course in the Google Maps tab and the app.
Here are some free Google My Business resources to help you with your local search:
- How to Get Your Business on Google Maps
- How to dominate your local market with Google My Business
- How to Change Your Holiday & Business Hours on Google
- Creative Google My Business Post Tips
- How to ask for Google My Business Reviews the Right Way
- How to Schedule Google My Business Posts
Image Search Results
Images can be so powerful. A lot of people prefer to browse Google Images before they even look at the normal search result pages. Therefore if you have unique images on your website, you need to optimise your images for SEO!
Your images can rank well in the Images tab if optimised well, however they can also show on the main search result page too.
If you notice a lot of image results showing on the search results when you Google your target keywords, then make sure you are using unique images. If you only use stock images, then they are probably not going to rank in image search, not to mention they won’t grab a searcher’s attention.
Video Search Results
Just like with image search results, you can find these in the Videos tab but they also appear on the normal search results, including on the coveted page 1!
Therefore if you’re targeting something like ‘how to open a champagne bottle’ and videos are showing on the first page, then you may want to consider adding a video to YouTube and embedding it on your page as well 😉
Google is getting better at understanding videos and their content however it is worth considering adding a transcript of your video if appropriate too!
Google News
Do you post newsworthy content? If so, the Google News tab is yet another spot your content can show.
Alongside the News tab, you’ll also see news show on the 1st page of the search results for specific searches.
If you haven’t yet set up Google News, simply head to the Google Publisher Center and sign up!
To sum up
So there you have it. There is more than 1 way to show your content on Google in 2021. As mentioned at the start of this post, the key is to understand what keywords you need to target and analysing the search results for those keywords to make sure you are capitalising on all the opportunities possible for those searches.
Alongside the normal organic search results you might be able to show up with Google Ads, Shopping, Maps, Images, Videos and Google News!
Don’t forget when working on your SEO strategy, the Google search result pages are your best ally – they can provide so many insights to help you hone your strategy. So many people forget this, but don’t worry, I gotcha 😉
PLUS! Don’t forget mobile and desktop search results can differ, so depending on what device the majority of your audience are on (check your Google Analytics), make sure you focus on analysing the search results on the device that your audience will most likely be on.
If you have any questions or would like further SEO tips, make sure you sign up to the Grand Cru Digital monthly newsletter. While we are not taking on any new clients right now, when we do, we’ll announce it to our email database first.
