When managing a website, Google Accounts are your best friend. Using them properly gives you valuable feedback from Google itself about the state of your website and SEO.
This feedback will allow you to improve your site and in turn convert more clients, and it is all totally free. All you need is a Gmail account or g-suite domain-based email to set these up.
Google Search Console allows Google to communicate with you if there are any big problems with your website. It also makes sure that all the pages of your website are indexed as long as you submit your sitemap (eg. website.xml). This means that if there is an issue behind the scenes, you don’t have to hear about it from an unhappy client or customer. You can solve the problem as it arises, keeping your brand’s reputation intact.
To get the most out of Google Search Console, add all versions of your website to it and set a primary domain. In other words, add the http and https versions (if relevant) as well as the www and non-www versions. You also need to add the sitemap.xml to Google Search Console in order to get it full access.
Here is the link to Google Search Console so that you can get started.
Google My Business is an incredibly valuable profile to have, especially if you’re based locally. It’s great for Local Search, letting those looking for your services in your area see you right up the top or to the right of their search results on Google.
To get started, set up Google My Business and complete all relevant fields. Keep in mind that you can still have a Google My Business if you work from home or your business doesn’t have a physical address. Once your account is set up you can strengthen your presence by submitting your website for local citations. This will lend your website trust, driving up the chances that Google will feature your location.
Here is the link to Google My Business so that you can get yours up and running.
One of the most useful tools any business owner or website manager can use is Google Analytics. It tracks what’s happening on your website for all marketing activities, and has some truly useful features for business growth. By putting code on your pages you can set up and track goals in the form of conversions which is a useful way to see how well your business is growing. Be sure to set up as a minimum GA4 , because UA will stop tracking from July 1st 2023.
Here is the link to set up your Google Analytics account.
By utilising all three of these free Google accounts you will be setting up your website and business for success.
Karen Dauncey has been working in SEO since 2003. She specialises in helping businesses get found online through Google using Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
Karen's wealth of SEO knowledge and practical digital marketing experience comes from running her own SEO and Google Ads agency, Blue Cherry Online Marketing since 2008. Karen has optimised over 1000 websites, managed millions of dollars' worth of spend on Google Ads and has a solid understanding of the constantly shifting industry of digital marketing and SEO. This gives her a unique advantage when it comes to being able to recommend the right online marketing strategies for your business.
She is the founder and creator of The SEO School an online SEO Course to help teach business owners how to do their own SEO. She regularly delivers educational programs for both Local, State and Federal Government and was an advisor for the ASBAS Digital Solutions Program. Karen’s passion and commitment to help small business owners get found online is the driving force behind her online school, making SEO advice accessible to all with free resources and online courses.
Karen has attended search engine conferences in London, Stockholm, Adelaide and Sydney, and was also invited to attend a pilot Business Coaching Course at Google’s Head Office. She has a Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the UK.
She is also the co-owner of the Digital Experts Directory, an online directory for female serviced-based businesses to promote their business (with a great backlink for SEO).
To keep up to date with the latest in SEO, join her Facebook group The SEO School Community or follow her on Facebook
or LinkedIn.
There’s been lots of talk about the new version of Google Analytics (GA4) which is seen as the biggest update in the tool’s 15-year history. In my view, it’s almost like a whole new analytics tool rather than just an upgrade. It has many exciting new features and extraordinary functionality and is actually quite
