Google has become the most influential search engine in the world. It influences almost all of our searches, and even non-internet users rely on Google to find things. So, you need to ensure you rank well on Google.
There are hundreds of different factors that determine how well a website ranks in search results, but there are five important ones that can have a significant impact.
Google’s goal is to show the most relevant results to the user. This is why we see a mix of popular and obscure websites in the search results.
In recent years, Google has announced at least ten significant updates to its ranking algorithm, including the ‘Panda update’ and the ‘Penguin update. Pandas and penguins, lovable animals they may be, were a significant game-changer for people working in the SEO business and their clients.
With these significant algorithm updates, Google came into SEO town like the sheriff on his white horse, clearing the bad guys from the city and laying down a new set of laws.
At a stroke, Google outlawed the age-old practices of keyword stuffing, link farms, sneaky page cloaks, thin content, and over-hyped PBNs (private blog networks).
Overnight, sites making sack loads of cash from underserved search engine rankings were swept into the ditch along with their get-rich-quick affiliate links. Some websites accepted the slap with good grace and changed their tactics; some even climbed back into Google’s good books.
Marketers learned from all these shake-ups that they needed to put their SEO trust into serious agencies like Vectis Marketing, who stick strictly to Google laws and pursue what is known in the business as ‘white-hat tactics.
To rank well on Google, you must ensure that your site has these five key factors.
STEP 1: Optimize for Mobile
Google’s algorithm is constantly changing. One of the most significant changes is that mobile devices are now ranking higher than desktop computers in many instances. In 2015 Google announced the ‘Mobile update.’ Today, Google ranks all websites based on how fast and user-friendly their mobile versions are. You’ll likely need to catch up if your site is not optimized for mobile.
STEP 2: Keep Your Site Up-to-date
Updating your site regularly will keep it fresh in the eyes of Google and increase your chances of ranking well. You should still revisit your site if you’ve updated it recently. Update your site once every three months, even if you think you can skip it.
STEP 3: Keep Your Content Fresh
If your content is dated, it will be harder for Google to identify it as relevant.
Keep an eye out for new topics that are trending. Once you spot something interesting, write about it and get some backlinks.
One way to keep your website content fresh is to add new and relevant content regularly. This could include blog posts, articles, new products or services, or even new information about your company or industry. Fresh content shows your visitors that you are an active and engaged business and can help boost your search engine rankings.
Another way to keep your content fresh is to update your existing content regularly. This could involve changing the wording, adding new images, or freshening your design. By regularly updating your content, you can keep your website looking fresh and new, which will help to attract new visitors.
Step 4: Acquire some good backlinks.
The other key to successful SEO is building backlinks to your site. Backlinks are links from other websites to yours that will help with ranking. The more high-quality backlinks you have, your search results will be better. Getting your website as many links as possible to rank in the top positions is essential. If you want to do this, you’ll need to create valuable and engaging content for other websites. If your content is good, then they’ll want to link to you.
STEP 5: Get People Talking About You
While you should be concerned with search engines, it’s important to remember that Google doesn’t always know what’s best for your business.
It would help to consider other important factors when ranking your business. For example, Facebook can be a powerful marketing tool, especially for B2B businesses.
If people are talking about your business online, it will be easy for Google to spot it. You can do a few key things to get people talking about you online positively. First, ensure you are active on social media and engaging with your audience. Share interesting content, start conversations, and be responsive to comments and questions. Secondly, create useful and shareable content on your website or blog. Write helpful articles, create infographics or videos, and offer free downloads. And finally, reach out to influencers and other bloggers in your industry and collaborate with them. By guest posting, conducting interviews, or writing reviews, you can get your name and work in front of a new audience.
