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Search Engines: Expectations vs. Reality

Home » Business advice » Search Engines: Expectations vs. Reality
Search Engines: Expectations vs. Reality
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Can search engines really do EVERYTHING?

It may seem like it, but the truth is they don’t always meet our expectations. As a small business owner trying to use search engines to increase your business, it’s important to understand the expectations vs. reality of Google and other search sites.

Let’s look at a few expectations people have about Google that are a bit unrealistic, and what the truth really is.

Expectation: Google Will Always Provide Accurate Results

Expectation: Google Will Always Provide Accurate Results

Google is a search engine that uses a complex algorithm to provide the most accurate results possible. The algorithm takes into account many factors, including the relevance of a website to the search terms, the number and quality of links to a website, and how recently a website has been updated.

Google is known for providing accurate search results. However, sometimes Google’s results are not as accurate as they should be. This can be caused by a number of factors, including the use of algorithms that are not always perfect, the manipulation of search results by companies, or the personalization of search results based on a person’s past history.

As a small business owner, you don’t have complete control over the way that Google ranks websites, including yours. That can be frustrating, but don’t worry. The search engine does updates every day and is working hard to provide users the experience they’re looking for.

The best thing you can do is continually create high-quality, relevant content and follow other SEO best practices. Over time, the best sites will win out.

Expectation: Google is Always Up and Running

Expectation: Google is Always Up and Running

Google’s reliability is legendary and is significantly higher than many other software companies. However, that doesn’t mean that Google is perfect and never has outages. A Google outage is definitely noticed on platforms around the world, though!

For example, in August of 2020 Google experienced a six-hour outage that affected Gmail, Google Drive, and other Google services. Other outages have affected YouTube and Google Drive. Google’s main search engine has also gone down in the past.

Of course, the search engine takes great pains to ensure that these types of incidents are incredibly rare. They use multiple servers so that the system is never down for long. But it’s not perfect!

Understanding that there are missteps in a company as large as Google can help you as you navigate the often-uncertain world of digital marketing for your business.

Expectation: Google Catalogs All Site Changes Immediately

Expectation: Google Catalogs All Site Changes Immediately

You’ve made significant progress in your search engine optimization (SEO) and updated your website. You’ve published the changes. So why haven’t you noticed any changes in your ranking?

The truth is that it takes time for Google to crawl every website and update the available information.

There are a few things you can do to speed up the process as you wait for search engines to catch up to your updates.

First, make sure your site is configured properly for search engine indexing. Verify that your robots.txt file is allowing Google to crawl your site, and that your site’s metadata is properly configured.

Second, submit your sitemap to Google. This will ensure that Google is aware of all the pages on your website, which will help them index your site more quickly.

Finally, use Google’s Webmaster Tools to submit a “fetch as Google” request. This will tell Google to crawl your website immediately, which can help ensure that your changes are indexed quickly.

These technical updates can be challenging, which is why many businesses choose to work with a marketing partner for their SEO needs. If you need help, you can reach out to us any time!

Expectation: You Can Rank For Every Keyword

Expectation: You Can Rank For Every Keyword

Unfortunately, some businesses think that they should be able to be on the first page of Google for every keyword they’re interested in. That’s not how SEO works!

SEO is a complex process that takes time and effort to achieve results. While it’s possible to rank in the top 10 for some keywords, it’s unrealistic to expect this for every keyword. Rankings depend on a variety of factors, including competition, website authority, and the relevance of the keyword to your business.

Remember, there are thousands of businesses trying to rank in the top 10 results for any given keyword. The way to succeed is to make your website as relevant as possible to your specific target audience when they use that search term.

Have the Right Expectations

Unrealistic SEO expectations can lead to disappointment and frustration. It’s important to understand that Google isn’t perfect and that mistakes do happen. Also, remember that it takes time for changes to be catalogued and rankings to change.

If you’re interested in getting great results with your SEO, Local SEO Search can help. We have many years of experience helping small businesses succeed online, and we’d love to share what we can do for you. Contact us today!

About the author

As the founder of Local SEO Search, John Vuong is a distinguished SEO expert with over 10 years of experience in the digital marketing landscape. He has leveraged his expertise to help businesses from a wide range of industries achieve higher rankings and be more visible in the search engine results pages (SERP). His keen understanding of the intricacies of search engine algorithms allows him to empower companies in their quest to build their online presence and drive organic traffic. His proven track record of success has resulted in well-earned recognition from both clients and industry peers, solidifying his reputation as a trusted authority in the field. John's passion for SEO is matched only by his commitment to educating and guiding business owners towards sustainable online growth.

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