Google never ceases to amaze with their innovative tools that allow us to access information in new ways. This month we are looking at some of the latest offerings from the company that has become much more than just a search engine. How can you harness this power to make your own website more available and effective for your customers?
Google Maps (http://maps.google.com) gives you ad-free street maps, satellite photos and driving directions. Setup links directly from your site to help your visitors find you.
Google Local (http://local.google.com) gives you access to businesses within a given radius to the location you specify. This can be especially handy if you are trying to find all the tack shops in Ellensburg to market your product. Also, be sure your website is properly listed at Google Local.
Froogle (http://froogle.google.com) is a Google search tool for finding the lowest price on a particular product. This is great for personal shopping but, if you have a business, you can get your store listed in the engine by clicking on the link “Information for Merchants” on the bottom of the Froogle.com page.
Picasa (http://picasa.google.com) is a free program you can download to your computer that manages your digital photos. From the simple catalog you can tweak, crop, resize and export photos to upload to your website. Formatting your images correctly is essential for creating a quick loading visually pleasing website.
Toolbar and PageRank (http://toolbar.google.com)
The toolbar features a small green bar near the center. This is the Google PageRank indicator. PageRank is one of the ways that Google rates your website and plays a role in the position of your site in Google's search results. Your position in Google is based on several variables (visit: http://www.google.com/technology), including your PageRank. The Google toolbar enables you, at a glance, to view the PageRank of your website as well as your competitors' sites. It can aid you in your link-building strategy as links from sites with a higher PageRank will help to raise your site's PageRank.
Bottom-line, taking the time to do the research within Google and other sources will help give you the competitive edge. Google.com is certainly the first place to start.
By Chris Cotten, On-site Technician for Equine-Design.com
Copyright © 2008 The NW Horse Source, LLC
Top of Page
|
