We get asked this question a lot when clients launch their new political websites. Some people are alarmed when they don’t see themselves for a name search within hours of going live. Others know that it takes a little time to appear on Google – though often not as long as they think!
To start, your website should be optimized for the search engines before it launches. At the simplest level, this means that each page title and meta description should be descriptive and unique. You should also have enough copy on your major pages. How much us enough? 400-500 words should do it.
Your pages should be cross-linked where possible. For example, you may want to link the name of the candidate to the site’s home page or the ‘about’ page. When you mention a specific issue, you’ll want to link that text to the issue’s page.
Once your site is optimized and launched, you’ll need links and time in order to to get indexed in Google, Bing, and other major search engines. The key is get those links as soon as possible, and to keep building new links to your site from different sources throughout your campaign. Typical link sources come from social media accounts, social updates, press releases, news outlets, and other related websites.
Bottom line? With the right links, Google can find and index your website within hours. You may even start ranking for candidate name-related searches right away. How well you rank going forward depends on your site content, competing websites that already rank, whether your site is regularly updated, and the quality of links that point to your website.
For more online campaign training, articles and tools, visit OnlineCandidateResources.com. Our training modules cover everything from starting from establishing yourself online though online promotion and fundraising strategies leading up to Election Day.
« Political Campaign Design: Our Top PostsOnline Writing Tips For Local Campaigns »
Tags: google, search engine optimization