In the modern world, with so many interests that one may pursue, where does one go for information? If memory serves, you used to have to go to a specific place, to find information. I believe “library” was one term, “Yellow Pages” another. As the world goes more and more online, these “libraries” still exist. But one finds oneself using it less and less, as some of the information that it contains has not necessarily moved, but migrated to online forms that are more easily accessible now, from anywhere.
With a modern browser, and an internet connection, information of all sorts, true and false (more later), is available instantly, if not in decimal fractions of a second. Google, which has about 90% of the market in terms of search, followed by Yahoo and Bing, with about 4% each, are the “portals” to this new world of information.
Now the floodgates of information have been opened to you! Aren’t you excited? But, how many results do I have to wade through? Which is the correct answer? Better yet, which is the more relevant answer to my search? Modern search engines will return more results than you can wade through in a lifetime. If it’s not a niche of a niche, expect millions of results. But link to click?
Human nature being what it is, a certain amount of laziness creeps in. Has anyone really checked out the 1,000,000th result of a SERP (search engine results page)? How about the 11th? Could Google, or Yahoo, or Bing, hide evidence of a serious crime on the second page of a search engine query? Who would find it? When was the last time YOU clicked on the second page of a SERP to find the 11th result?
Search engines, with lots of technological horsepower behind them, are very good at returning relatively relevant results (the four R’s!) in the top 10. Usually, there is no need to go any further. Google, in its audacity, STILL has “I’m feeling lucky” as a possible answer. This only returned ONE result. Why look any further? Now that’s really lazy, but Google was actually pretty good in returning a relatively relevant result (those four R’s, again!). This is why Google zoomed to a 90% share of the search business.
Ah, but what if I’m searching for a plumber? In Wisconsin? In Waukesha? Who fixes clogged toilets? Is available now? Is it reviewed, or recommended, by customers like me? Are those results true, or false, for my needs? Ah, now we are getting local. This is where the house-to-house fighting gets brutal. For in the millions of results for plumbers, how do you find the right one to call in Waukesha? From the plumber’s perspective, how does HE get on the first page, since YOU probably won’t go any further than page one?
If you are that plumber, obviously you specialize in plumbing. Are you a Search Engine Marketer, who will help you find customers for your plumbing business in Waukesha? If my toilet is clogged beyond a plunger’s help, I’d get a professional. If your webpage isn’t returning a respectable ROI, get a professional opinion. Call Orion at 262-820-9520. We can help internet plumbing so that good results will flow in your direction.
To get you started, until next month, go and read “Glossary of Local Search Terms and Definitions” at http://getlisted.org/resources/glossary.aspx. Yes, for now, it will make about as much sense as PVC vs. PEX, and which is better, does to me.
That’s why an SEO specialist like Orion Group is called in. We have learned what it takes to improve your company’s website content to make it more appealing to search engines. Call us at 262-820-9520, and we can show you what we’ve learned.