Fast Rankings on Google for New Websites
Search engine optimization (SEO) has become a key factor in the success of a website. Competition over many of the industry specific keywords has made getting a high ranking in search engine result pages (SERPs) increasing difficult. While Pay per click (PPC) is part of any effective online campaign, organic results are still far more preferable and have a much higher return on investment.
This leaves many new websites questioning, how do I compete in a market that is decidedly established with strong websites across the board. While Google is relatively silent on the specifics, they have given some guidance as to how new websites can succeed quickly.
Purchasing Domain Names Early
There is a misconception that new online companies should purchase a domain name for a long term. Some even go to the trouble of buying so-called “pre-owned domains” to appear to Google as a long established site. Google associate Matt Cutts has since debunked these ideas.
In a recent video, Cutts explained that, as long as a website has been around for a few months, it will not be affected much by its age. Website developers should then put their focus on traditional SEO techniques.
Getting Indexed Quickly
One way to avoid the introductory phase of lower rankings for a month or two is to get indexed by Google while developing a website. Web administrators should post an index.html with basic information on the upcoming launch of products or services. They also need to use Google’s webmaster tools to ensure their website is being indexed properly. It is vital to prevent 404 or 403 errors by only having functional links.
One method commonly used to improve initial rankings is the launch of an on-domain WordPress blog. WordPress blogs automatically pings various indexing services and are often crawled by Google. High-quality content will generate excitement about the websites upcoming launch while building credibility with both users and the Google search engine.
Social Networking
Much like WordPress, social networking sites are constantly crawled by Google and other search engines. Any company should start a Facebook, MySpace and Twitter marketing campaign start building quality back links. In combination with a well-maintained WordPress blog, these utilities will generate a host of potential customers and company fans.
New websites can take advantage of this resource to provide a very fast return on investment during the initial months of a launch. If the company continues to use SEO best practices, they will find that this social popularity continues to grow, resulting in higher traffic, more conversions to sales and a higher total revenue. Most importantly, these techniques will negate any of the consequences of a young domain.
