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Google.
It’s not just a company, it’s a constant presence for any web user.
Google is so prevalent, it’s the Coke of the search engine world. It’s
even evolved to be a verb, like “Xerox” for making copies. We don’t
just search a topic on the Internet; we Google it.
A common question oft repeated by business people far and wide is
“where do we show up on Google?”. Everyone wants to rank high on
Google’s search results, and certainly that’s the nexus of the
company’s integration into daily business speak. With over 2.6 billion
search results for its own name—as found by its own search engine,
Google is the standard bearer of online success.
Sounds a bit overwhelming for small business people, doesn’t it?
Especially for us website DIYers! I personally felt like I was about
to set up a lemonade stand in front of the Taj Mahal the first time I
dared peak inside the Google toolbox. Who was I to touch those tools?
I was just a novice, a mid-grade techie at best. Dare I join the
Wizard behind the curtain?
Truth is, behind the curtain, there are plenty of Google tools that
fit just fine in the hands of everyday folks like me and you.
Certainly, I’ve come across some fancier paraphernalia that either
exceeded or expanded my knowledge, but I’m very thankful to have the
basics on my own tool belt.
If you’ve never peaked behind the curtain, here are a couple of
things to do and some key things to look for during your first rummage
through the Google toolbox.
Create a Google account. The account set-up is like stepping up
to the welcome mat at the front door. From the context of your own
account, you’ll be invited into the various ‘rooms’ of the house.
Set up your Google profile. Yes, this is yet another place
online for you to create a profile. But it’s Google we’re talking
about here, so go ahead and set one up. Let’s hope your preferred name
isn’t taken (I’m “smallbizbigtime” because all obvious variations of my
name were long since gone). I’ve heard murmurs that Google is scheming
to convert us all over to their social networking platform, away from
Facebook and other such sites. While that remains to be seen, having
your Google profile set up at least puts you ahead of the game. NOTE -
Opening an account doesn’t automatically create your profile, FYI.
AdWords - Promote your business through targeted text ads on
the sidebar of Google search pages or via sponsored links at top. I
suggest any small business owner go through the process of setting up
an ad, even if there’s no plan to actually run it. Even a dry run of
the process will help clarify search terms, hone your business’ ‘short
pitch’ and identify some interesting aspects of how Google works.
iGoogle - Create a customized home page for your web browser,
with news feeds, gadgets and features that you choose. I recommend
setting iGoogle up on a weekend or a lazy morning, when you can play
with all the goodies at your leisure.
Web History - This allows you to keep track of your Internet searches, sites visited, etc.
Alerts - Alerts are handy tools for business owners. Set
up alerts to capture mentions of your selected search terms, be they
brand or product names, your own name, common search phrases your
customers are likely to use, etc. You can include more than one search
term in any given alert. Bear in mind these alerts will come in daily,
so look for them in your email inbox.
Reader - Cull all the sites and news feeds you subscribe to
in one place. There are many services that can aggregate information
like this for you (such as alltop.com), but of course, Google is in
just about any game to be played online.
Webmaster Tools - Dig in here, with the forewarning that you
may find some things out of your realm of knowledge. Again, just as I
suggest for the AdWords, I think it’s wise for any small business owner
with a website to get acquainted with these inner working—the
terminology, the various pieces and parts. Even if you ultimately
entrust someone else to handle all these tools for you, you’ll be well
served to have a working knowledge.
Feedburner - This is a tool you can use to add subscription
capabilities to your blog/site to encourage ongoing site usage by
visitors, as well as to track activities of visitors.
AdSense - This is Google’s solution for website owners who
want to make some money off their sites. You can potentially “add
cents”
