Creating A Relationship With Google That Lasts
In the past, Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, was centered around what is now called “black hat” practices. No matter what the content on your website consisted of, you could engage in these practices (keyword stuffing, paying for thousands of backlinks to your site, etc.) and Google would shoot your website to the top of the charts—and usually very quickly even without using their Google Ad feature. Almost overnight, your site would appear out of nowhere in a number one or number two spot of the SERP.
These black hat SEO practices resulted in low-quality websites out-ranking the good sites that users actually wanted to see. Websites at the top of the charts weren’t necessarily the most relevant to your search, but instead, were the most keyword-stuffed, cheaply made, and spammy websites that “tricked” Google into thinking they had quality content. While these websites would often achieve quick results in their SEO campaigns, the user suffered from poor-quality, irrelevant content.
Google took notice and started developing updates that would counteract this tactic.
Over the years, they’ve changed and tweaked their search algorithm to target and reward the high-quality sites that users clearly wanted to find. The websites that will answer the questions they have, and provide the user with the relevant information they actually wanted.
Google As More Than A Search Engine
Nowadays, Google is smarter and much more discerning about what is displayed in their SERPs. For a website to achieve a high rank, it has to prove itself as a legitimate site that Google can trust—one with quality information, updated content, professional images, and a great overall user experience.
While some people are still in the mindset that an SEO campaign should be a quick process that leads to almost instant results, the truth is that nowadays, slow and steady truly do win the race. Think of it as building a relationship with Google.
Since you now have to earn Google’s trust, SEO campaigns often take much longer than they used to. SEO professionals are using all available channels to show Google that their site is a quality one.
For example, if Google sees that your site is listed on local directory sites, Google Places, GMB listings, and social media sites, it will start to develop trust for your business. Now take that, and add an active Facebook profile that interacts with customers, lots of online reviews, frequent blog posts, and regular updates, and you’re now a respectable company with a strong web presence.
Takeaway
Building a relationship with Google is just like how you build your relationships with your clients. You need to take the right steps nice and easy until you’re confident enough to say that you’ve won their trust and you're worthy to take the top spot on their rank.
So when you begin your SEO campaign, remember you’re building a relationship. It takes time, patience, perseverance, dedication, and a little bit of luck. But in the end, the results you’ll see will be well worth the wait.
