Google’s rankings are systems that determine where your website is positioned on a search page when someone searches for a certain keyword or phrase. 

When your website ranks 1st, it means that you sit at the top of the search engine results page (SERP). If you’re number 11, then you rank on the dreaded second page of Google’s SERP because you only have 10 listings per page. 

There are a few steps you can take to influence Google’s ranking for your website. Organic traffic is gained by popular SEO agencies. 

Keep reading this article to find out more about 6 easy-to-use steps when improving your search traffic and Google rankings. 

 

But first, find out what influences your Google rankings

SEO keywords are more and more flexible by the day and their popularity can change at any time. There are four essential factors that influence your ranking at any given point. Knowing more about them can give you an edge:

• Algorithm changes – Search engines keep changing, tweaking and updating their search algorithms. They’re mostly run by AI, so it’s more difficult to understand what turns they take at any given point in time. 
• Personalization – it’s common knowledge that search engines like Google know a lot about us from what we search, and they show us relevant results. 
• Localization – every search takes into consideration your location. If you’re looking for a service, Google will give you answers close to your location, meaning you’ll see businesses closer to you ranked first. 
• User engagement – search engines rank pages based on the interaction people have with your website. If more people click on your web pages when they show up on their results page, you have higher chances to rank better in the future. 

 

Check your ranking with the Google Search Console

Your most important tool is the Google Search Console. There, you can check where your website ranks for search terms. The rank tracker there shows you key metrics like:

• Position – where your site ranks in search results
• Clicks – how many clicks your listing received
• Impressions – how many times your page was displayed
• CTR – how many times your listing was clicked on

You first need an account for your site on the Search Console. Then, you can go to Search Analytics and find out how many clicks you generate and where you stand in the search engine.

 

Tips on how to rank high on Google 

1. Improve your on-site SEO

On-page SEO can be a fast way to improve your rankings on Google, mainly because you can optimize your pages in a matter of minutes. The results can be seen in just a few days. 

But you have to take into consideration a few aspects first. For example, make sure you frontload your main keyword in your title tag because Google takes note of where terms are positioned in your title tag. 

Consider publishing long-form content, of at least 1,800-2,000 words. Backlinko’s analysis on key ranking factors discovered that the average first-page result has at least 1,447 words. 

Basically, you have to make sure your content covers everything on the topic at hand. Of course, long content won’t fit every time, but if you can advertise long-form content, go for it. 

Don’t forget to add your main keyword at least two or three times throughout your article. 

When you add a relevant keyword to your content, you’re basically telling the search engine that your content is about that specific topic. It can help you rank higher.  

 

2. Add LSI keywords to your pages

LSI keywords are other words and phrases related to your topic. By using them in your content, you’re telling Google that your page is really about that specific topic. 

When you cover an entire subject matter on a single page, you have a much higher chance to rank better on Google.  

To find compatible keywords, you can use SEO tools like LSI Graph. You just type in your main keyword in the search bar and the tool will give you some LSI words to use in your content. 

 

3. Monitor your technical SEO

Usually you don’t have to worry about technical SEO. But you can keep an eye on certain aspects of your site. 

For example, check if your website is 100% compatible with mobile devices. Statista says that in the fourth quarter of 2021 54.4% of global website traffic was generated on mobile devices. So, it’s an important detail that can help you get more clicks. You can check it by plugging your website’s URL into Google’s Mobile-Friendly Testing tool. 

Check your website’s loading speed too. Average loading speed has been a Google ranking factor for years now. Even if it’s not the most important, it can still make a difference. 

If you run your website on WordPress, try out the Yoast SEO plugin. It can increase your chances of ranking higher by providing tips to make it more SEO-friendly. 

 

4. Match content to keyword intent

Keyword intent, or search intent, is a popular concept in the world of SEO. Google now pays attention to how visitors react to and interact with your website. And it makes an assessment of whether your website is appropriate as a result for a specific keyword. 

Your rankings improve if Google considers that people find what they’re looking for on your page. When your content is what someone is searching for, the search engine will try to show your site more. 

 

5. Research new keywords to target

You can never get too much traffic for your website. To drive even more people to your content, work on your keywords. Optimize your pages around more than just one keyword. 

Google Search Console’s Performance on Search results can help you find out which queries you rank for. You’ll find a lot of keywords you already used to optimize your web pages, but chances are high you’ll also find some keywords you didn’t use. 

When you find a keyword you’re accidentally ranking well for, try to optimize the page specifically for that keyword. That means adding the exact phrase you rank for to the article. 

Of course, expand on the topic if needed. Otherwise, you can create a new page for that keyword, if you feel the subject can benefit from more exploration. 

 

6. Focus on high-quality content and backlinks

You probably already heard about the content quality in relation to Google ranking. It needs to be content people read, share on social media and link back to. 

Backlinks are important for Google’s algorithm. Your website can rank better if you have more backlinks. 

The easiest way to get backlinks is to publish content people engage with and link to. You can turn your site into a data source that people cite in their content or focus on long-form content. Add infographics, charts and other visual content to your website. 

You have to realize that publishing content doesn’t mean instant success. People need to actually find and see it. 

WordPress says that every month it has 70 million new published posts. If you want people to link to your content, you have to promote it, too. Some good examples are building links from dead links, guest posting or appearing on resource pages. 

 

Conclusion

Nowadays, search engines like Google work with an extensive number of variables when ranking pages. 

Wanting to see how you rank against your competitors can be difficult, but with a little patience, time and resource investment and a little help, if needed, you can improve your website ranking on Google search. 

You can start by checking your current rank and work on improving your content. Keep in mind that SEO is a long-term investment. A steady increase in conversions and traffic are good measures of how you’re actually performing.