Google it
What do you do when you’re looking for something super specific, like the best hair salon in your area? You Google it.
Google is undoubtedly the best search engine in existence. Everyone, from individuals to large organizations, uses Google to look up anything.
Google search results offer a near endless list of search results that deliver tons of options for what you are looking for.
Here’s a fact. For any search query, the search result at the very top of the page gets the most clicks. It makes sense, doesn’t it?
If you’re looking for the best hair salon in your area, you’re likely going to check out the very first result that shows up on the page and then move on to the next.
That doesn’t include paid ads, of course, which most people avoid like the plague.
In simple terms, the higher your business is on the search engine results page (SERP), the higher your chances of attracting customers and getting the lead or the sale. This is where an SEO agency comes in – to win your rankings on search engines.
In this article, we are going to tell you about a few Google ranking factors that can help you grow your business online.
Basics of SEO
Let’s skim through the basics first before we dive into the good stuff.
When you search for something, Google uses its phenomenal algorithm to determine which websites have a good ranking to bring you the most relevant results. This would mean that to appear on top, or even in the top 10, you need to tick all Google’s requirements.
If you look up “improving Google ranking”, you’ll find articles and blogs that give you specific types of information. However, these tips are limited to specific areas of the process and are also rather repetitive.
Here’s an example of what you may find:
- Making use of keywords on your landing page
- Targeting the correct keywords for posts and website content
- Managing interaction and engagement on the website
- Building backlinks
- Optimizing your website for a mobile device to provide flexibility for potential clients/customers.
These are some basic tips that any digital marketing professional would ask you to consider.
However, today we are going to give you the 5 lesser-known tips that you absolutely shouldn’t ignore if you want to improve your Google ranking.
Tip #1: Frontloading
When a user browses through the internet and stumbles upon your website, they will likely find a dedicated landing page first.
Your landing page will have titles and headings that will be focused on summarising the gist of the content on your page. This is where frontloading comes in.
What frontloading suggests is that keywords that you are targeting should be placed at the beginning of your titles and headings. This is because the Google algorithm gives preference to the terms that appear early on in the titles.
If your target keyword is strategically placed in this area, your website gets an automatic boost.
Tip #2: One Page Per Topic
Google loves long-form content. When you target a keyword, you need to remember that you are competing with hundreds of other pages for ranking and placement on the SERP.
Our advice would be to start dedicating one page for one post. Make sure that every post has a dedicated page.
It is also helpful to have posts that are up to 1500-1800 words long while also incorporating the frontloading technique. Repeat your keywords from time to time as well, however, make sure it’s relevant and organic.
Tip #3: Fix Your Loading Time
While this one is fairly obvious, it’s often overlooked. It is important to ensure that your website is not taking too long to load.
There is nothing a potential client would hate more than having to wait for your page to fully load.
Moreover, Google is not a fan of this either and it is guaranteed that your website will lose its ranking if it’s slow. Check if your website’s loading time is unnaturally high and fix it to keep your ranking up.
Tip #4: Bounce Rate
When a user visits your website from the SERP but then goes back to look at another option, it affects your bounce rate. Google registers this action as proof that your website does not offer what the targeted keywords claim to.
If your bounce rate is high, your rankings are immediately affected as Google starts to think that your website isn’t relevant.
This is why it is important to line up your content with your keywords and make sure that those visiting your website are happy with it.
Tip #5: Using Google Tools
Google provides you with many, many tools that you can use to optimize your website in different ways. However, in many cases, website and business owners are unaware of these tools and how they can be used.
Google Search Console is one such service provided by Google where website owners can monitor indexing status as well as their visibility.
If you register your website on Google Search Console, you will be able to see if Google is having difficulties indexing your website and if there are any errors to be fixed.
Now that you have some extra information, tell us, which tip are you going to use first?
To Sum Up
To generate a higher ranking for your business, it is important to make sure that you follow these tips. Once you start practicing them, you are sure to see progress in your website rankings!
Additionally, you may not have the resources or the skillset to get on top of these ranking factors. It is best to partner with an experienced SEO agency that knows its way with search engines!
Get an SEO expert to audit your website and see how you climb the rankings (in good time)!