Think of your website as a shopfront. In the real world, people might stumble upon your store while walking by. On the internet, however, there’s no such thing as ‘passing trade.’ You could have the best website, a groundbreaking product, or a vital message, but without visibility, it’s like a store hidden in a back alley. To attract visitors who will read your content or buy your products, they need to find you. They need your website address or a link. But how do you spread the word effectively? Word-of-mouth is helpful, but limited. Buying email lists and spamming is a terrible idea and illegal. You’ll lose your website, credibility, and possibly your hosting and internet accounts. Only email people who have contacted you first or specifically requested information.
Interestingly, most people find websites through search engines, even if they know the direct address. They’ll type the URL into a search box on their homepage or internet provider’s page. If your site isn’t indexed by the search engine, a competitor’s site will likely appear instead. In short, getting your website indexed by search engines is essential for being found online.