Businesses yearn to be on the coveted first page of Google and simple changes to your website and routine could improve your chances of getting there.

Danny Davis has spent the last 15 years working on search engine optimization as the president and co-founder of Incline Media.

The Rockwall-based company helps its clients rank higher in Google using its proprietary platform. But, Davis also shared some tricks of the trade that anyone can do Wednesday during the Small Business Expo Wednesday at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

“It’s totally doable,” Davis said. “Some of them are really easy. Some of them are hard.”

Blogging is a great way to catch Google’s attention and it shows you’re knowledgeable about a topic, Davis said. Don’t assume that nobody wants to hear what you have to say.

“Content really is key and blogging is your key to that kingdom.”

DANNY DAVIS

“They do want to hear it. People care,” Davis said. “Content really is key and blogging is your key to that kingdom. You don’t have to be a genius. There are thousands of people who are just now starting who would love to hear what you have to say.”

New blogs should be posted regularly with relevant headlines and keywords that people will actually type in Google, Davis said.

“Google is like a stray dog that comes back at the same time looking for food,” Davis said. “If you train them to keep coming back by posting consistently, even if it’s every Tuesday, that’s a way of not having to wait 60 to 90 days for them to find you.”

Once a blog is posted, leave it alone, Davis said. Post another blog rather than update or edit the existing one, even if there are mistakes or the situation has changed. 

Also, linking to more authoritative websites lends credibility in Google’s eyes. But, linking down to a website that gets less traffic than yours can actually hurt your ranking, Davis said.

Video is becoming increasingly important, too. Up to 80 percent of consumed content on the internet will be video by 2020, according to Cisco Systems. While it’s scary to some, Davis said even a video shot with a cell phone of yourself or a satisfied customer can be helpful.

Websites need to load quickly, within a few seconds, and should be optimized for different screens, including mobile.

Improving your ranking could be as simple as using hyphens instead of an underscore when naming a photo file on the website. Google analytics will find the photo and understand its significance if the file name has hyphens and is relevant to the topic, Davis said.

It’s a common mistake that even BMW made. The carmaker had to redo its entire catalog of photos and videos on its website, Davis said.

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