" How do I appear first on Google? How can I get to the first page? " More and more Italian business owners are asking these questions, and they're legitimate concerns. Just consider that in our country, there are currently 150,000 bars operating. In such a crowded environment, competition is becoming increasingly difficult to manage, even online. Difficult, certainly, but not impossible.
Users are now accustomed to searching Google for what and where to eat, and this is an advantage for bars and clubs looking to attract new potential customers. However, there's a problem: users are so lazy that they don't continue their search beyond the first page of results .
Just like in a cycling race, to appear first on Google, or at least on the first page, a few things are necessary. The first is fundamental: the bicycle, or rather, the tools needed to achieve the goal. There are many ways to reach the top of Google's results. Let's look at some of them, from the simplest to the most complex.
1. SEO, the resistant Graziella
When we talk about first place or first page on Google, we often talk about SEO , Acronym for Search Engine Optimization , the process of optimizing a website to naturally rank among the top results . SEO is like a Graziella, the historic Italian bicycle. Solid and durable, it gets you to the first page of Google, with a little effort but a great deal of satisfaction.
SEO is a method of inserting keywords used by users during searches into your website pages . For example, if we enter the words "Gluten Free Restaurant Bologna" into a restaurant's website, the restaurant's website will appear among the search results for that keyword.
The most relevant keyword must answer two questions:
- What are users really interested in?
- What problems do they want to solve by searching the web?
There are several online tools that can help you identify the right keywords: the most popular is Google Keyword Planner .
2. SEA, the pedal-assisted bicycle
Unlike SEO, SEA ( Search Engine Advertising ) allows a site to rank more easily. Like a pedal-assisted bicycle, the mechanism behind SEA facilitates first-page positioning on Google.
The results aren't natural, but rather pay-per-click ads : the advertiser pays a fee each time a user clicks on their link. The ads are uploaded and promoted through AdWords , Google's platform dedicated to sponsored campaigns.
Paid placement is labeled “Ann.”, which stands for “ad” and indicates a SEA activity.
This type of activity has high click-through rates because it appears among the first results in a search. However, there are two drawbacks: the cost is quite high, and it usually requires someone capable of managing ad creation and scheduling.
3. Google My Business: Racing on a Sports Bike
As in cycling, you can compete with professionals in Google positioning. In this case, the ultra-lightweight and carefully designed sports bike is Google My Business , the free platform that allows businesses to manage their online presence on Google , including Maps.
This is a fully-fledged online listing for your business. All you need is a Gmail account to create one, with the option to add images, opening hours, a website, and even write posts. This way, you can provide more information to users, increasing the engagement rate. Don't forget to curate reviews, which appear immediately after the business's main information.
Google My Business is essential for a business because it's a carefully designed tool for presenting a business online and encouraging users to contact you . For this reason, it's the most technically advanced tool you can use to reach the top of search results.
You wanted a bike? Now pedal on the front page!
With SEO, SEA, and Google My Business efforts, appearing on Google will no longer be a dilemma. There will be ups and downs, and the finish line will seem distant, but with the right pedaling, the first page of Google isn't that far away. And after updating your Google presence, take the time to perfect your business's social media channels .
