The Search Marketing Advisor Newsletter Article: June 2006, Volume 5, Issue 6
First Impressions: Does Search Hurt or Help Your Brand?
by Matt Evans, Algorithmic Search Manager, iProspect
It’s been said that, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Such was the case in 1992 when I bought a brand new Volkswagen Jetta. I picked up my car from the dealership and two miles later, it was broken down and I was pushing the car off the road. Farfegnugen? More like far-from-workin’! I hear that Volkswagen has fixed many of their quality issues since then, but save it for someone else. I will always have a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to that brand.
With over 200 million online individuals in the U.S. and 74% of them saying they have used search engines to research products and services (JupiterResearch, 2006), it’s a simple reality that some percentage of your target audience will get their first impression of your brand through your website listings in the organic search engine results. What do you want that first impression to be? There are a few things you can do to ensure that a visitor’s first interaction with your brand is a positive one.
Satisfy Your Target Audience
Your home page is usually the most important page on your site when it comes to communicating the message of your brand. However, for many businesses it’s impossible to optimize your home page for all the important non-branded terms you want to be found on. That’s why it’s important to build separate pages on your site that focus on the non-branded keyword phrases you’re unable to target on your home page. If these pages present searchers with exactly the content they’re seeking, the visitor will have a positive experience with your brand once they click from the search result to the actual page.
Accurate Title and Meta Tags
The title and meta description tags are important when a searcher is deciding which organic search engine result to click on. In most instances, the title appears as the clickable text within the search results and the meta description appears as the blurb underneath. Misleading the user with keywords that are not relevant to the page is one sure way of frustrating searchers and devaluing your brand instantly in the eyes of the visitor.
Another way to ensure that your listings in the search engine results accurately describe the actual Web page is by making sure all your directory listings are updated and accurate. Some search engines use data from directory listings instead of the page’s title and meta description. For instance, Google often uses DMOZ directory listings and Yahoo! uses their own directory listings in their search results.
Providing Alternatives for Moved/Expired Content
Your website is a steward of your brand, so maintaining your site properly should be a high priority. Searchers who click on search results, only to find missing pages within your website will experience a negative brand impression and you risk losing them as potential customers.
There are typically two reasons why a page no longer exists; either it has a new Web address or it is a product or service that has been discontinued. Ideally, pages that have moved to a new Web address should be redirected via 301 permanent redirects. For pages that have expired and don’t have a corresponding page to redirect to, the best solution is implementing a custom 404 page (also known as 404 trapping).
Avoid Indexing of Error Pages
Requiring users to enable JavaScript or accept cookies in order to view content are other potential problems in creating a great first impression. Since search engine spiders cannot read JavaScript or accept cookies they may be served an error page that states that “JavaScript must be enabled” or “Your browser is not accepting cookies.” In a worst case scenario, important pages can be indexed with title and meta data from the error page, not the actual page. Rather than redirect users and spiders to a JavaScript error page, instead you should utilize < noscript > tags filled with the actual content that is on the page and any explanation as to why JavaScript is necessary to experience the full functionality of the page. A solution for mandatory cookies would be to implement User Agent Detection which prevents cookies from being served to search engine spiders, but still allows you to make cookie acceptance mandatory for users.
It is critical that the image your website conveys within search results is that of a useful, accurate, efficient, and competent brand. The alternative will leave your brand dead on the side of the road, and visitors with a bad taste in their mouths.
