When it was still just a research project, the founders of Google used LEGO bricks to create a storage compartment for the 10 hard drives they used to test the PageRank algorithm. Nowadays, Google has become a massive corporation that plays a major role in how people use the internet. Of U.S. internet users over the age of 13, more than 88 percent were expected to use the internet to browse products and services in 2012, and some 40 percent of them were expected to follow up on social media in order to get more information before buying something. Many of those experiences begin with a trip to Google or another search engine, so having strong search engine rankings is a great way for businesses to take advantage of the constantly growing digital marketplace and attract new customers.

One of the greatest challenges for many businesses today is finding ways to make themselves stand out in the digital marketplace in order to increase visibility and earn new customers. For many, developing and executing a powerful SEO campaign that improves Google rankings is the best way to do so. Every day, web users from around the world perform billions of searches, so Google and other sites provide great opportunities for businesses looking to be seen.

Though SEO is helpful, it is hardly the only strategy that businesses will want to use in order to build they dynamic web presence they need to grow. Since many individuals are not only visiting search engines like Google on their phone, but also doing their shopping, being optimizing websites for mobile use is quite important. As of 2012, more than 70 million people use their cellphone or tablet to shop. On top of that, 48 percent of mobile device users say that they use it to look up product reviews or seek out promotions. So in addition to ranking well on Google, businesses should also try to cater to the crowd who likes to shop while on the go.

And, though SEO and mobile optimization increase visibility, businesses might want to also spend some time working on social media to be better able to communicate with both current and potential customers. Even Google uses social media, and its first Tweet, from February 2009, was binary code for, “Im feeling lucky.” Nowadays, millions of people use Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites, so developing a strong social media presence, in addition to mobile optimization and high Google ratings, is key for businesses looking to build a larger, and more loyal, customer base.