What’s New for Websites in 2019?
What’s new for websites in 2019 and how will Google find your website?
The simple answer is that the primary rule: publish, publish, publish hasn’t changed.
You must constantly post new photos, stories, press releases, blog posts and videos on your website. Write, shoot and edit to ensure the best content.
Will Google Find Your Website in 2019?
There are more than 1.9 billion websites on the Internet as of January 7, 2019. The good news is that 75% of all websites are parked with no activity performed on them.
This means is you could viably increase your website’s traffic and appearance in Google, Bing and Yahoo search results by regularly posting more content.
New WordPress 5.0.1
There’s a new version of WordPress 5.0.1 that offers upgraded editing options, additional SEO opportunities for in-depth work to be performed on each new post. It’s worth the extra effort and learn by doing. You won’t find answers for SEO on Google or YouTube.
The Good News
If you post new content – photos, videos, or copy – to your website, you’re included in the 25% of 1.9 billion active websites that has the opportunity to be found on Google. Google comprises the largest percentage of all searches online, followed by Bing and Yahoo in the U.S. Posting to your website is like exercise, something you need to do regularly and with the best effort each time to get the maximum results. It’s not easy and everyone can’t or won’t do it. But if you generate content, you’ll get phone calls to your law firm.
How Often Should You Post to Your Website?
How often should you post to your website and what should you post? You should post frequently — at least three times per week.
Knowing what to post is important because Google judges a website based on quality and frequency of published content. You should plan based on your practice and write for your audience. Don’t write in legalese because you’re going to bore people unless your audience is other lawyers and judges.
Social Media Posts Don’t Show Up on Google
And NO, social media activity doesn’t count towards a website’s value nor will your time-sucking photo edits show up in a Google search.
If your clients are millennials who love Instagram then, yes you should be posting to Instagram. If your clients are your friends from your Facebook page, then yes, you should be posting to Facebook.
Just don’t be that one annoying friend who tries to sell to friends on personal social media accounts. Don’t share business posts with friends unless they’re clients, close friends and family who are interested in what you do.
Social media is social. People like to look at other people’s pictures and videos and memes and gifs. People share their stories about family, friends, achievements, travel, celebrations and personal life moments. Your law firm posts about serious topics should not be posted on your personal social media.
And if you think clients are scanning and searching Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to hire an attorney, think again. They’re going to Google you, your law firm for answers to their legal questions and their questions about your capabilities, but only if they’re looking for a lawyer. They’re not checking to see what you Tweet or post on Instagram.
What About the Push for Social Media?
People search based on their personal and professional needs. Only a few social media links to profiles will show up on Google. There are links to your pages, but not to your social media posts. The Marketing Square doesn’t recommend spending hours as an attorney on social media. Investing time on your social media is like investing in upgrades to a rental property.
You’ll be found online through your social media account profiles, but your posts on social media will not be valued or shown in a Google search. Go ahead and Google yourself. You’ll see these social media accounts show up:
- YouTube
- Facebook ratings, but not pages
What is Quality Content?
Quality content is original, compelling copy, photos and videos that have never been posted on another website. If you’re an attorney, you should be posting for your clientele so that they see new information when they come to your website.
How will they find your website? When you’ve posted content that is intelligent, well-written, current and original. You shouldn’t be Googling for what you THINK is a good topic. Plan your publications based on your practice areas.
