Google Knocked My Website Off Page One -- What Do I Do Now?

Google's new algorithm, called Panda, knocked a lot of former page-one-websites off the map. And I do mean, off the map. If your estate planning or elder law firm website is one of them, here are my Top Ten things to do now, plus three things to NOT do:

1. Don't Panic. It seems like Google is still a bit unstable in applying the rules right now. It's possible your site will spontaneously resurrect. I've seen it happen. On the other hand ...
2. Don't Be Complacent. Ranking well on Google is important. It is not the end-all and be-all of estate planning marketing, but it is important. Just yesterday Kyle got a new client who said they found him through a "Google search."
3. Don't Be Dependent. The great truth about Google is that she is a fickle ally. Please do not -- ever -- put all of your marketing eggs into her basket. It is not a question of if, but WHEN, she is going to empty that basket and send your eggs tumbling! Make SURE you have other marketing channels working for you, including social media, your blog, e-newsletters, direct mail, personal networking, and even workshops. If all other aspects of your marketing are working well, Google's roller coaster ride will not send you reeling.

Now, if you've got all of your "do not do's" in order, here is where to start rebuilding your Google rank:

1. Check your code. Either do this yourself or enlist an expert. Google is fed up with outdated, noncompliant code and she is now giving the boot to websites for mistakes she previously overlooked. Here is a free online code checker: http://validator.w3.org/ Sometimes, previously-compliant pages will become non-compliant after you make a few "updates," especially if you are not a professional webmaster. These small mistakes can cause big problems. On the other hand, some compliancy errors are worse than others. But if your site is showing up with lots of errors and warnings, you're probably going to need professional help to fix it.
2. Broken links. Do you have any broken links on your site -- either internal or external? For example, did you change your site structure, but forget to go back and update all of your internal links? Or, are you linking to an outside "resource" that has moved, or no longer exists? These need to be fixed right away.
3. Submit a new sitemap. How long has it been since you submitted a new sitemap for your website? If you have added any new content since your last submission, create a new sitemap and submit it Google. This will let them know that you've refreshed your site and they should crawl (and index) it again.
4. Add fresh content. Google Panda loves content. Lots of fresh, highly relevant content. If you previously had one paragaph about Special Needs Planning, now is the time to write a more comprehensive article, optimize it, and then publish and link it to your Special Needs Planning landing page. And then submit a new sitemap.
5. Blog. This is one of the most important things you can do to boost your website's SEO, IF your blog is properly structured so your blog pages are indexed as part of your website. Adding fresh, relevant, optimized content to your blog daily -- if those posts are indexed with your website -- will systematically boost your Google rank.
6. Google Places -- are you verified? If you have not claimed and verified your local listing in the Google Places directory (formerly known as Google local business), doing so will help your site's rank. It also could get you on page one of the search results page, in the Google Places (maps) listings that often show up for local searches. This would help at least until you can get your website's organic search rank improved.
7. Claim your Online Profiles and Link to Your Website. Claim and update your profiles online -- including Linked In, AVVO, Martindale, or any membership organizations that list your profile. These profile back-links to your website can improve your rank, and drive traffic to your site.
8. Check Your Bounce Rate. Are people visiting your site but then 'bouncing off" quickly? Google calls this your "bounce rate." A high bounce rate for your key search strings will eventually get you kicked off of Google's Page One -- you see, Google figures that if people are bouncing off your site, they do so because they did not find what they were looking for. If your bounce rate is high, especially for key pages, take a look at those pages and try to make them more engaging. The longer you keep visitors on your site, the better your chances of converting them to new clients -- and the better Google will like you, too.
9. Add Video. Yes, Google loves SEO-enabled video, and so do visitors. Video will not only help your search rank, but it will also help keep visitors on your site longer -- thereby reducing your bounce rate and improving your conversion rate. As I said before, the longer you keep someone on your website, the better your chances of converting them to new clients. Video has been shown to increase conversion rates substantially. Video may be your next best bet for lots of reasons!
10. Objectively Monitor Your Rank. Google will sometimes fool you. She does this to me all the time. Google wants to give you what you are looking for, so if she determines that you are looking for a specific site, she will sometimes just decide to serve it up to you -- and I mean you and you alone! Yes, when you search online Google may give you your own website because she is trying to please you -- but when others search, you are still quarantined in Oblivion. We use a proprietary web ranking software to constantly monitor our Essentials clients' web rank. This objective program gives us the "real" results. It can be frustrating to speak to attorneys who are looking at their monitors and seeing their websites on Page One, when our program shows them on Page 12 ... but please don't shoot the messenger! Google can be a tricksy one!

If all of this seems like too much for you, then give us a call. You may be ready for The Essential Solution.