Nobody wants to state the obvious, but we’re here to shout it from the rooftops – don’t overlook Google SERPs as an SEO tool! The most insight we have into how Google’s algorithm for organic search rankings is right under our noses, completely free, and yet it’s rarely brought up. It’s Google itself! Testing out keywords, seeing what ranks, understanding the type of tags and content that performs well are all easily accessible functions you can utilize right within Google’s platform. In this blog, we will show you how to improve your site’s organic search performance by going straight to the source – Google!
When it comes to small business search engine optimization (SEO) tools, there are a lot of options out there, but don’t overlook the obvious. Google has free SEO tools that are constantly being updated by the search giant’s own algorithms, making this a great place to start when you’re trying to drive attention to your brand. These tools can help you understand why your pages are underperforming and guide you with specific advice that’ll help improve your website’s performance to rank better.
Ironically, the best way to do self SEO is to, well, Google. You’ll soon see that Google itself has a plethora of tools ready for use at no charge.
For example, Google’s Search Console is an extremely popular online analytics platform that helps companies understand how Google is crawling their sites. With this tool, you’ll be able to see everything from when your site was last crawled to any errors that are present with URLs or links. You’ll also have access to a statistics panel, which displays the way Google sees your site, along with other data regarding subscriber stats and search queries.
Here’s a look at a few more:
If you’re not already using Google Analytics, you might want to start here. This is the premier data source in terms of providing you with high-quality, detailed information about your users’ behaviors. In a Google-dominated world, this should be your go-to for in-depth data.
In reality, you can’t ignore Google Analytics. Nearly every piece of actionable and important data about site visitors, traffic, and everything else comes from this critical source.
Google Search Console is a great tool for anyone who wants insights into their SEO data. The very focus of this tool is focused on search and optimization. With a simple glance at the dashboard, you’ll be able to see all kinds of important information, including search query data, search traffic, and search appearances. Google Search Console is less focused on numbers and more focused on charts that make it easy for you to understand exactly what’s going on with your website and content.
Google Search Console also gives you the ability to access link data information. By staying on top of toxic backlinks, you can help boost your overall long-term SEO game.
When it comes to local SEO tools, nobody does it like Google Business Profile – formerly, Google My Business. This completely free-of-charge platform offers small businesses a robust solution to help drive customers to your brand. You can easily list your business location on Google Maps and find yourself in local search results by filling out your profile and completing a few easy steps to register with the platform.
With Google Business Profile, you can:
Here’s another one for you – Google Trends. With regard to measuring keywords against each other and seeing if search interest is fluctuating up or down, Google Trends is a great tool to gain that visibility. Marketers usually use this tool as a way to gather insight into customer behavior, understand what customers are interested in, and more.
If you’re on the hunt for tools that reveal trending search queries or popular keyword phrases, Google Trends is a free SEO tool you should consider.
Now that you know a little bit about Google’s own tools, let’s talk about how you do testing on the search engine. To test a search engine, you can use Google SEO Checker to find out how your pages are performing (or will perform).
Sitechecker will help you identify technical on-page SEO issues so you can get them fixed and improve your ranking, thereby bringing in more traffic and sales. Simply enter your URL into the database, and you’ll soon have access to Google’s observation of your website. The results are based on 14 key features that Google will provide basic feedback on, based on the content you’ve provided through the link.
When you log into Google Search Console, you can simply enter your keywords and hit “Enter” or click the search button. The platform will provide you with results and offer a “search performance for this query” box, which will give you further insights into the keywords you’ve asked about.
This keyword ranking analysis is important because it will help you understand not only which keywords your audience is searching for, but also the ones that might be more valuable to your organization that you haven’t thought of previously. When you’re armed with this information, you can begin to create content that speaks to the needs of your readers – both in human form and algorithms.
In the end, SEO can be a big task to undertake. If you feel like you need help navigating these waters, Zero Gravity Marketing is here to help. Reach out to us to learn how we can help your business make the most of Google’s tools and beyond!