Maintaining a Healthy Relationship with Google

As the internet becomes more of a vital part of the functioning of any good marketing campaign, the importance of Google cannot be overstated. Marketers spend much of their time essentially pandering to Google, looking for new means by which they can utilize this powerful tool to leverage a bigger audience for their clients. This often entails a lot of time and a lot of money, as the algorithms that Google uses to determine where a page will appear in it's search results (and thus, how "visible" it is) are incredibly complicated and Google is not exactly forthcoming with information and details.

As we recently saw, Google can also change the whole proverbial landscape with one simple change. Authorship, or the authority of the author or proprietor of the content, has been a key part of how high a site ranks in search engine results for quite some time. In fact, it was a key element, which led many to target marketing campaigns and design their websites and content with this in mind. Then, suddenly, Google decides to can Authorship and now this is no longer an element of one's search engine ranking.

Whether you love Google or hate it, it is invaluable to business. How can we live with a beast that keeps us constantly on our toes, threatening to undermine the entire way in which we do things at any given moment, without warning?

Plan and Expect Change

Today, marketing campaigns that take into account all the different elements of Google's latest algorithms and for determining page rank are imperative. However, relying on any particular tool too heavily can be a bad idea. It is important that you have a backup plan, in the event that a tool or service you rely upon is no longer available. Things on the internet tend to go just as quickly as they arrive, meaning sometimes dramatic and fast changes to how one thinks about marketing.

Google is Not There for You

Google exists as a means to help people find the information they are looking for. Plain and simple. It is not there to promote your business or product, or to work for you in making your business a success. It can be used for these purposes, but in the end, the ultimate goal of Google is not to enhance your bottom line and it should not be expected to.

It also helps to remember that you are not there for Google either, your purpose is to serve your customers, not the search engines.

Don't Try to Extend a Tool Beyond Its Purpose

Google is a tool, that is all. It is important to remember that. While yes, it can be incredibly valuable to a business, it is the people that Google reaches that really matter - these are the consumers of your product. Yes, you have to reach them, so pandering to Google is part and parcel of being a successful and growing business. However, it should not be the only means you rely on and getting ranked higher in search engine results should never take the place of the quality of what you provide your customer base.

Remember Your Customers

Yes, Google is important. You need to be visible in search engine results. But at the end of the day, you need customers to actually come to your site and utilize your product or it is all for naught. It is vital that you have to have good quality, useful, and relevant content ON TOP OF content that is designed in such a way as to be attractive to search engines. There has to be a balance between pleasing Google's algorithms and providing real, quality content to potential and existing customers.

Google is an ever-changing tool, just like the rest of the internet. Right now, it is King and it is where most of our marketing efforts must be focused. To stay sane in this constantly changing environment, it is imperative that you be flexible and do not become dependent on a tool that may not always be there. It is important to understand the relationship your job has with Google, as well as with customers, as they are the ultimate target of your efforts. There has to be a balance between the importance placed on page rank and what is provided to customers, and we must always remain flexible as change should be expected in the world of internet marketing.