The cat is out of the bag, and digital marketers are not happy about this news. As it turns out, approximately 62.41% of Google searches result is zero link clicks. That means that more than half of the information searched throughout the day is actually found just by visiting the Google results page.
Even if your website comes up as the first search result, it may not be visited at all. Crazy, right? The entire purpose of SEO is to get your website ranked well on Google so that you get more visits. But what if your website is never clicked, regardless of ranking in the top five?
Why does this happen?
When you’re looking for information, you most likely Google it. Google is such a staple of today’s world, that it’s an actual verb. So, let’s say you Google “comfortable sneakers” and a bunch of shoes comes up that you can click to purchase. But maybe, the price is a little too high, so you decide to instead research what the most comfortable sneakers are. This is where Google gets you: the “People Also Ask” tab.
Fortunately for web users, most of the information they want can be quickly found on this part of the results page. Unfortunately for businesses, the clicks are not coming in the way they should if the website’s SEO is top-notch. While your website may rank in the top five, that does not guarantee clicks.
This is super frustrating, we know. It’s hard to compete with other websites, but even harder to generate clicks when you’re competing with the search engine itself! The good news is, this information can be used to your advantage. There are a few things we know about the way users search (we are also Google-using humans, after all) that can help digital marketers navigate this setback.
Optimize your title tag
Knowing how Google compiles information can help marketers understand how to create content tailored to Google’s system. While there is no way to force people to click on your link more often, you can do a few things to optimize your website and generate more traffic. #Psychology!
When looking for information, many searches include questions like, “What is Digital Marketing?” Therefore, a great way to bring more traffic to your website is the edit your tagline to include that question. Writing a blog post called “How Do I Implement SEO?” will help you land in the top results for that question because it includes exactly what the searcher typed into Google. Digital Bombers does this frequently by writing blog titles in the form of questions and filling the page with answers.
Specify your meta tag
Meta tags should also contain answers to questions. When someone performs a Google search, they scan the results page for the most relevant content. That can certainly come from the title tag, but those are typically vague. The meta tag is where you explain what your content is about and the information it contains. If your page focuses on a specific topic, make sure your meta tag contains the question and an answer to the question. That way, a user searching for the answer will know that your page has it! The meta tag is the line of text under the title; see below.
Use keywords frequently in your copy
Another Google fun fact to consider: keywords are your best friend. When Google scans a website, it searches for keywords relevant to the search. Use this to your advantage by writing your content based on a specific keyword or phrase. The more often the keyword appears, the better rank that page will have on Google when that keyword is searched.
While Google’s algorithm providing data and answers on the first results page is certainly a frustrating obstacle from getting more clicks, it can be used to your advantage. You know that searchers want answers. Therefore, you know that your job is to provide the information they are looking for.
Remember, digital marketing is a complex and ever-changing field. Results take time, and change does not happen overnight. It is a process of learning new rules and adjusting old tricks. Digital Bombers knows how to create blogs and other content tailored to Google’s algorithm and can help you work toward generating more clicks!
