Google is hands down the biggest search engine in use today. There are others, like Bing, but who even uses them? Google is available on computers, smartphones, and other devices that consumers regularly use. If your customer finds his or her way to your website online, that person was certainly sent your way by Google. Therefore, if you want your business website to attract visitors and customers, you must optimise it for Google search.

You may wonder why you should optimise your site for Google when it is already optimised for search engines. Here’s the truth: not all search engines function using the same algorithms. Each search engine algorithm has its own unique way of indexing web pages. Basically, the optimisation that works well for Bing might not do so well for Google. So, you must tailor your optimisation efforts to each of these algorithms.

Obviously companies and marketers may not have the mathematical expertise to understand the technical aspects of the Google algorithm. But everyone involved in the campaign should ideally have a basic understanding of how Google Search works. This is important for any business, from an ecommerce store to an online casino site. If your business is solely lacking in this level of knowledge, don’t hesitate to hire a SEO consultant, for example, who will surely know the Google algorithm.

Even without a consultant, there are steps you can take in-house to make your site more Google Search-friendly. Here are some tips:

Google Search Prefers All-Natural Content

Several years ago, marketers used to embed hidden text in web content to get better search results. That tactic will work no more. The Google algorithms have significantly evolved over the years. The engine can now identify sites that use embedded text in this manner. If it does find hidden marketing text, Google will ignore these sites. The sites that rank high on Google now are the ones with natural text. So, if you want good Google search rankings, strip your web content of all such underhanded tactics.

Google Search Isn’t Dependent on Keywords Anymore

Google uses keywords to index web pages. However, keywords are not the only component the search engine looks for. Google algorithm can also evaluate the popularity and credibility of your site as well. So, the more popular and credible your site is, the better your PageRank will be. Therefore, do not cram your website with keywords. Of course, keywords are still important. But they should be used in a more nuanced manner.

The Bounce Rate Matters

The bounce rate is the number of customers who visit your site, find it difficult to browse, and leave. Google does not like sites with high bounce rates. If your site has an 80 percent or higher bounce rate that means it’s difficult to navigate. It’s possible there are too many ads on your site that are keeping the customers away. You must identify such potential problems with your site and fix them immediately. Get your bounce rate down to keep your Google ranking up.

Google Search Considers Your Site’s Reputation

As mentioned above, the credibility of your site matters to the Google algorithms. One way it determines the credibility of a site is by looking at other sites linking to your own. These links, known as backlinks, tell a lot to Google. If your backlinks are bad, your site will be determined to be bad as well. So, improve your backlinks. Instead of having spam sites linking back to you, make some effort to have legitimate and popular sites link back to yours.

There are many other ways to optimise your site for Google Search, the most important search engine for online businesses. For now, however, start with the tips above.