Over the lifetime of the Internet, we have seen many techniques that have helped websites gain visibility on the search engines. Early on, website owners could manipulate results by embedding keywords multiple times into the coding of the web page, or obtaining links from thousands of websites that have no relevance to your site. These techniques no longer help websites stay on top of the search engines; in fact, you may be losing visitors and search engine visibility with this approach.
Today’s Internet has specific but easily-managed requirements for websites. Quite simply, search engines favor websites that are a source of valuable information and deliver it securely and efficiently on the device it is being viewed upon.
1) Your Website Is Not Secure
HTTPS is a way to encrypt information that you send between a browser and a web server. It is also referred to as SSL (Secure Socket Layer). Historically, HTTPS connections have primarily been used for web pages that contain sensitive information, such as payment processing, control panels, and logins, but now secure connections are the standard for all pages within the website.
Currently, web pages that are not secure are labeled within the web browser, warning the visitor that the site is not secure. Because of that warning, as many as 8 out of 10 visitors will leave the site right away, even though the site may offer top level security on sensitive pages that require SSL.
The solution to this dilemma is to obtain a secure certificate for your website domain name. That allows the complete website to be secured at the domain level, making the entire website secure. A secure certificate, much like domain names, are renewed on an annual basis and require a one-time conversion on all non-secure elements within the website. If your website is not secure, contact us and we will obtain a secure certificate for your domain name and activate SSL throughout your website.
2) Your Website Is Not Mobile-Friendly
Mobile has changed the world. These days, almost everyone has a smartphone. Mobile devices have the ability to communicate and seek information at any moment in the palm of your hand. We are now seeing that smartphones and tablet devices have surpassed the number of personal computer users. In order to have a successful online presence, it is essential to have a mobile-friendly website as the majority of visitors coming to your website are most likely using a mobile device.
If your website is not being displayed optimally on a mobile device, chances are your website is not ranking on search engines like Google and Bing when the user is on a mobile device, which accounts for about half of all searches that are performed.
3) Your Website Has Not Been Updated
The benefits of updating your website’s design, content, and SEO are tremendous. Quality content that is updated regularly can deliver top results of organic search rankings. A new design update to your website shows your customers that you’re keeping up. Incorporating the latest technology keeps your customers safe and earns trust among your website visitors and search engines as well.
How often should you redesign your website? Industry professionals say that 3-4 years is the maximum lifetime for a website’s design and framework. Technology changes fast for online businesses and these changes benefit everyone. Utilizing new web technology can bring many benefits to your business, help attract new customers, and increase profits.
4) No Links To Your Website
Inbound links, or backlinks, occur when someone else’s website links back to your site. Basically, a link from one webpage to another. Google views the links to your site as an indicator that your site has high-quality content. This is viewed as one of the most important elements in search engine optimization, or SEO.
The number of links to your site do not necessarily help your SEO. Google considers the quality of the inbound links over quantity. Links that come from relevant websites are more valuable than links that come from sites that have nothing in common with your own. Your own social media websites can offer quality backlinks, especially if your link is liked and shared by many users.
Professional Website Consultation
Learn about the strengths and weaknesses of your web presence and how to improve your online visitor traffic and sales with an expert analysis of your website. This valuable insight is available at no cost to you. We can provide a comprehensive list of recommendations that are personalized for your business and geared for your success. If you find that your website visitor count and sales are dwindling and your bounce rate has increased, our free consultation will provide the answers you need to improve your results.
