Every day, an online search optimization company contacts at least one of my client’s websites, outlining what’s wrong and promising extraordinary results. All they have to do is click through and test their site using this third-party SEO company, followed by the all-too-predictable poor score.

It’s a scam.

Let’s examine all the ways that search has changed and will change based on the Google antitrust lawsuit so we can reset expectations once and for all, help business owners stay safe, and spend money on initiatives that contribute to online success.

Did you know that Google reports that approximately 250,000 new websites are launched globally every day? That’s a staggering 175 websites per minute.

That also means that the “average” scores being calculated by SEO company sites are wildly irrelevant. Page count is one clear example. Depending on your industry, a website’s average number of pages can vary significantly, from single-scroll sites to e-commerce sites with thousands of pages or products.

The framework your site is built in (WordPress vs. React vs. Drupal) also impacts how quickly your site loads, making an SEO company’s quick domain check just as quickly outdated.

Now it’s time for a reality check: the likelihood that your website will ever reach the first page of Google organically is slim at best. Search engines calculate rank based on several factors. The most important is the number of references to specific keyword phrases.

If a user types in “solar company near me,” the search engine will deliver results showing what it believes is most relevant based on references to that specific group of words as well as other offsite factors like traffic, conversion rates, backlinks, etc.

If that same user searches for “closest solar company to me,” the search results change. Every single combination of words changes the index or rank delivered. The results also change depending on where a searcher is physically located and even their device.

Factors like this have led to the Google anti-trust lawsuit. Spending money to try to lift your keyword rank is as likely as trying to go viral. And the long-term impact is minimal when the engines change the rules tomorrow or next week or your competitor adds 50 more pages of content.

The only way to guarantee top-of-page placement is through paid advertising. Your goal should be to identify users who demonstrate behavior that indicates they are an ideal match for what you’re selling. It’s not enough to be at the top of organic search; the real win is to deliver your brand messaging to the right person at the right time, creating a meaningful customer relationship moment.

Your goal should be to build your website content with a focus on your customers, not creating content simply for a search engine. The days of keyword stuffing are over. Instead, try these tips to build rank that will pay off:

• Place excellent alt-tag descriptions, meta titles, and meta headlines.
• Make sure that your site is optimized annually (one way is to reduce image sizes through compression).
• Track user behavior through G4.
• Ensure that you’re marking your key events (conversions) as reportable, growing your domain’s value points.

These strategies will prove to Google and other search engines that customers who visit your site stay, engage, and convert in meaningful ways. That’s the best way to increase your overall rank and reach more people at a lower cost per click when advertising in search engines.