My grandson has altered my website so it now looks as I want it to, but my cunning plan (to have a lot of key words on the front page) does not seem to have worked. Do I need to wave to Google and say Hallo, I'm here?
Google and web designers are in a constant battle. Web designers want their site to be on the first page of Google pretty much whatever the search and Google only wants to return sites relevant to the search criteria. So Google keep moving the goal posts! I'm not sure they even look at keywords any more. Bearing in mind the vast sums of money large organisations will spend on Search Engine Optimisation, a one-man business will find it hard to compete. Google's robots will find your site and log it but it may take quite some time. I'm not aware of any way to speed this up. I don't think telling them about the new site makes any difference. Of course, Google would love you to buy some key words in their pay-per-click service but only you know if that would be cost effective.
What does make a difference is if your business is unique or at least unusual with few competitors. So if you're selling books of Scandinavian Nursery Rhymes translated into Swahili it will be far easier to get onto the first page of Google than if you're selling ladies fashion.
If you'd like to talk through this a bit more, feel free to call me. I won't put my number on here but if you don't have it, reply here and I'll call you.
Eric Jervis 