A User-Friendly Guide on How to Rank Higher on Google

When was the last time you searched for something on Google and had to scroll to the second page of search results to find a website that matched what you were looking for? This rarely happens because Google’s search algorithm is very smart. There are over 1.3 billion websites online, and that number is continually growing. That means that there’s a lot of competition out there when it comes to sorting How to Rank Higher on Google.

So, how do you get your website into that top spot?

In this article, we’ll look at how to rank higher on Google using search engine optimization.

What Is Search Engine Optimization?

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the practice of tweaking your website and content to rank higher on search engines such as Google and Bing.

There are several areas to SEO; these include:

  • On-page SEO – Relating to the steps you take to optimize the content on the site itself
  • Off-page SEO – Relating to the steps you take outside of the website to improve its ranking
  • Local SEO – The practices used to drive your business website in your local area
  • Technical SEO – The technical aspects needed on your site to improve your ranking

Let’s discuss these elements further.

Content Is King

One of the most important ways to improve your Google search ranking is to create great content people want to read. It is that simple.

Google knows that people are looking for good quality, informative content. Using powerful artificial intelligence tools, the search engine reads every website and analyzes all the content.

Length, the quality of the content, and the use of relevant keywords are all factors that will affect the position of your content on the search engine results page (SERP)

Use Relevant Keywords

Within your content, you should be sure to include relevant keywords. Keywords relate to people’s search terms on Google. If you can naturally include some of these phrases in your content, then you may be able to start ranking for them.

Write Longer Content

Google wants to direct people to the site that it thinks will provide the most relevant information on any given search topic. This often means directing users to articles with a lot to say on the subject.

Think about increasing your word count- but make sure you’re packing your content with relevant information. You should aim at least 1,000 words on each page where possible.

Don’t Try to Beat the System

Many people will try and beat the system by forcing keywords into their content. Keyword stuffing is a practice that is quite common, but it leaves you with unreadable content.

Google can pick up on this, and because it doesn’t want to send its users to a bad site, it’ll penalize the keyword-stuffing site by dropping its position in the rankings.

Include Links in Your Content

You’ll create authority in your content by including links to relevant content elsewhere on your site. You should also include links to high-quality content elsewhere, providing value for your users.

Create a Link Building Strategy

If you want to be on top of Google, you’ll need to think about your off-page SEO. This means getting your site linked to other sites.

When Google sees a link on a reputable site, it sees it as an endorsement. If your content is being linked to from elsewhere, it is obviously of a high enough quality. The more sites you have linking back to you, the better.

How to Get Your Site Linked

Getting your Google ranking will mean getting your site linked to as many high-quality sites as possible. Approach influential bloggers and ask if they can link your content where relevant.

Another way to link your site is to provide guest posts from influential sites. This will mean writing an article that links to your content for publication elsewhere online.

Improve Your Page Load Speeds

Google aims to provide fast and accurate search results. In today’s culture of instant information, users should be able to get results and get onto the site they want to visit quickly.

If your website is slow to load, your potential visitors won’t hang around. With plenty of other sites to choose from, they’ll go elsewhere.

Google knows this fact and includes page load speeds as a ranking factor. If you want to improve your ranking on Google, you’ll need to speed your site up.

To find out your page load speeds, visit Google’s Page Speed Insights, and run a test on your site. This will give you an insight into what is slowing you down.

Removing unused plugins and compressing images are ways to improve your page load speeds.

Think About Local SEO

If you run a business that wants to attract customers from the local area, then you should focus on local SEO as it is one of the best ways of getting your site to the very top of the rankings quickly.

Using services such as Google My Business, along with creating listings on sites like Yelp and Trip Advisor, will help to get your business to rank in local searches specific to your niche.

Ensure that you provide as much information as possible on all the other listings and check that they are consistent. If your name, address, and phone number don’t match your website, it can confuse Google and harm your rankings.

How to Rank Higher on Google

SEO and how to rank higher on Google involves constant tweaking and adjustment.

By implementing all of the different SEO techniques, you should start to see an improvement in your Google website ranking; however, remember that other sites will constantly be trying to improve their SEO too!

For more great articles, check out the rest of the site.


Yvan Lebrun
Yvan Lebrun

Yvan Lebrun is a trusted expert in the field of product & service reviews. With over a decade of experience analyzing and comparing services online, he shares his valuable experience with readers at GoodSitesLike so consumers can make educated decisions before making a purchase.

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