Tips for Raising Your Google Profile

Dealerscope asked Google, the top search engine in the U.S., how dealers can raise their search profile. The response, from Tom Oliveri, Google’s Group Product Marketing Manager, includes advice for both pay-per-click advertising and website optimization for “natural” searches.

Q: What are the top three things consumer technology retailers should do to improve their communication with consumers via the Internet and search engines like Google? How can smaller dealers—the dealers who are not Best Buy and Fry’s Electronics, and who may not be actually selling on the web—secure the right kind of exposure to the right customers via Google?

Google’s Oliveri: Google AdWords is a great start, as it lets you target your ads to exactly the kind of web user you’re after. (If you’re already using AdWords, you can find tips on getting the most out of your ads here: adwords.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?topic=9361 Google Checkout adds another dimension, allowing you to differentiate your ad further with the Checkout badge, which lets customers know they can get what they need on your site quickly and easily. Another Google product that’s useful in connecting with the right customers is Google Base, which allows you to upload product information that makes it easier for shoppers to find your store when they search. (More info on base can be found here: http://base.google.com/base/help/about.html?hl=en_US .)