How to rank higher in search results guide

1. Understanding Search Engine Ranking

Let us introduce you to the most effective online tool for generating sales using the big wide web: search engine optimisation (SEO). The whole incentive behind SEO is to achieve one thing—improve your search ranking. Let us break this down for you in a little more depth to give you an idea of why investing in your SEO is essential to online success.

• What search rankings are and why they matter
  Simply defined, your search ranking is the position of your website link on a search engine. Now this might not sound like a big deal, but years of research behind consumer pattern behaviours proves that people are most likely to click on the top three results that appear in their search. As a consumer yourself, you can probably attest to the fact that you rarely scroll past page 1 to find what you’re looking for. There are hundreds of websites hidden away in pages that follow that probably offer a great product or service. However,  failing to invest in their SEO has left them buried among their competitors. If people can see your link and choose to click it and engage with your website, that can further improve your search ranking over time—which leads into our next topic!

• Difference between organic vs paid rankings
  Organic ranking is when you increase the position of your website on search engines through helping Google identify that your website is credible, high-quality, and relevant to what the consumer is searching for. Google determines this by ‘crawling’ your website, and identifying that you have ticked all the right boxes, or ‘ranking factors’ as they’re technically referred to. There are over 200 of these ranking factors Google looks for, some examples include: the structure/layout of your website, the quality of the images & written content, and the use of relevant ‘ keywords’ which we’ll elaborate on in the next section. Paid rankings are when a business has paid for their top position on search engines (similar to a paid advertisement popping up in your browser). This is called cost per click (CPC) and is effective because it gives you immediate visibility, whereas organic rankings require more groundwork. The downside of this method is that every time the website link is clicked, you pay a fee. This fee is determined by how popular or generic the keyword entered by the consumer is.

2. Keyword Research & Strategy

Narrowing down the right keywords or ‘search terms’ is arguably the most important step in the whole process, because we need to know what your prospective customers are searching for to land your link in front of them. So, how do we find this information?

• How to find the right keywords (e.g., Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest)
  There are a number of incredible resources such as Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush that collect data, and provide you with a list of suggested keywords that match the product or service you offer. From there, you can see exactly how many times these search terms are being used, and directly target these keywords in your SEO.
• Long-tail vs short-tail keywordsThere are two variations of keywords, both of which should be considered when doing keyword research: long-tail and short-tail. A long-tail keyword is one that is longer, and more specific which narrows down a person’s search. It can be effective to target long-tail keywords in your SEO campaign because the more niche or direct a search is, the more likely a consumer is to take action because it’s specific to their needs.Short tail keywords are shorter, broader search terms that are likely to have a higher search volume due to how generic they are. Naturally they’re more competitive and harder to rank for in the SEO space, but will attract more visitors to your website. Increasing your website traffic is always the goal!
• Importance of search intent
  As earlier mentioned, the first step in keyword development is putting yourself in the shoes of the consumer to understand the intent behind their search. What exactly are they hoping to get out of their online search? Are they simply seeking information, or intending to make a direct online purchase? Understanding exactly what your audience is hoping to achieve will help you directly cater to their needs on your website. Of course, the keyword itself is a big hint in establishing this connection in the first place! Begin by analysing the specific keywords they’ve chosen, and think about the context. Note these patterns so you can tailor your website and SEO strategy to match.

3. On-Page SEO Best Practices

On page SEO is a way to organically improve your search ranking online. Earlier, we mentionioned ‘ranking factors’ which are like virtual tick boxes that dictate how relevant, credible and quality your website is. It’s called ‘on-page’ because it directly refers to the structure of your website. Here are some examples of the different ways people optimise their on-page SEO.

• Optimising titles, meta descriptions, and headings
  Let’s start with optimising the page title, which is basically creating a simple and concise title that incorporates relevant keywords, and accurately dictates what information the reader will find on the page.
  From the back-end of your website, you’ll see there are different tiers of heading options you can use. For example, H1 is the main heading, H2 is the sub-heading, and the sequence that follows continues that hierarchical pattern. Maintaining a clear hierarchy with your page headings creates clear, well-structured content for your readers, which Google will reward with a better SEO rating.
  Lastly here, meta descriptions are little snippets of information which summarise the content your reader will find on the page. This will appear underneath the link to the web page on a search engine. They help both the reader and search engines identify the topic, so that the page appears in the correct spot. The most effective meta descriptions will be between 155 – 160 words, are written in active voice, and incorporate a ‘call to action’ which encourages the reader to act; e.g. ‘Call today!’.
• Using keywords naturally in content
  Once you’ve carried out some keyword research, it’s important to incorporate these search terms throughout your content in a way that doesn’t disrupt the flow, or clarity of the text. Use them where possible, but don’t oversaturate the text, and ensure the content you’ve provided is directly relevant to the keyword. Also include keywords in your titles, headings and meta descriptions to tie everything in together and give you more SEO points for search relevancy.
• Image optimisation (alt text, file size)
  Images can also be SEO optimised on your website. The idea behind this is to help Google index them correctly for the right keywords, which once again, establishes relevancy. Firstly, ensure you’re using a supported image format such as JPEG or PNG. Secondly, you can optimise the ‘alt text’ which is a short description of what is featured in the image. Thirdly, consider the size of the files you’re using. You can compress, or reduce the size of your images to increase the loading speed of your website. Fast is best!

4. Content Marketing for SEO

Content is king when it comes to SEO optimising your website. Your text is the biggest link between what your users are looking for, and what you have to offer. However, people are inundated with information all the time, so it’s important that yours stands out for its quality, credibility, and relevance to the keywords you’re targeting.

• Creating high-quality, valuable content
  It’s absolutely vital that content is grammatically correct, clearly structured, simply written, and delivered in a way that will engage your audience. Don’t waste space with any irrelevant information, and make sure to research what your competitors are doing.
• Blog post ideas that rank well
  The more relevant content and targeted keywords, the better! Creating a Blog feed with articles that are specific to your product, service or industry is an excellent way to keep bringing readers back to your website, as well as re-attracting search engines. Remember to make these articles keyword-rich, without affecting the flow or clarity of the text.
• Content length & formatting (e.g., bullet points, headings, FAQs)
  Some tips for this include keeping sentences short, breaking up your text into segments to make it an easy-read, and using everyday language that won’t lead to confusion. Using an active voice can help retain engagement, and makes the reader feel as though you’re addressing them directly. Use clear headings to cover topics, simple bullet points to break down info, and consider the formatting of content sections to keep things well organised on the page, which will also help with mobile optimisation. E.g. a drop down list for the FAQs, so people only get answers to the questions they click on.

5. Local SEO Strategies (For location-based businesses)

By location-based business, we’re referring to businesses that are targeting customers specifically in their area, which may be most relevant to service industries and trades. Here are some strategies that could really help your local SEO take off.

• Optimising Google My Business profile
  Google My Business is a profile for your business which appears on search engines to verify who you are. The profiles showcase information like your operating hours, address, service info and more. This is great for your SEO, so make the most of this profile by filling in all the information possible, including high quality images to showcase what you do and by encouraging your customers to leave reviews.
• Getting listed in local directories
  Having your business listed in local online directories reinforces your locality, and relevance to a person’s search. It’ll help lead your target audience straight to you, without having to dig too deep online to find a local professional. Having links that direct people to your website is also hugely beneficial to your SEO. This is called ‘backlinking’ which we elaborate on further in this article.
• Using location-based keywords
  Referring back to ‘long-tail keywords’, including the location in your targeted keyword list is a great way to attract local customers, because people want to know what’s directly available in their suburb. For example, if you were a plumber based in Canning Vale you might target a keyword such as ‘plumbing services Canning Vale’ in your on-page SEO. Be sure to cross-check which keywords have the highest search volume.
• Importance of customer reviews
  As consumers, it’s no secret that one of the first things we look at is the customer reviews of a product or service before committing to a purchase. The public believe the words of others that have been in their position before, so positive reviews can do wonders for your business. Try creating an automated email that encourages customers to leave a review. You might include a link that directs them straight to your Google My Business profile to simplify the process. Search engines will also review the star-ratings you receive when ranking your website.

6. Backlinks & Off-Page SEO

In contrast to on-page SEO, ‘off-page’ SEO is work that can be done externally that redirects people back to your website. One of the most effective off-page SEO tactics is investing in backlinks.

• What are backlinks & why they matter
  In short, backlinks are hyperlinks to your website from other online sources. This could be online directories (such as YellowPages or Local search), social media or guest blogging platforms. Backlinks are basically a way of multiple sources validating your business, while bringing in extra traffic. They show both Google, and consumers that other websites deem your content relevant and credible. While having multiple backlinks is a good thing, it’s important they come from quality sources. Backlinks from dodgy or poorly ranking websites can end up having a negative impact on your SEO.

• How to get quality backlinks
  There are different strategies to sourcing quality backlinks, but firstly, it’s important to make sure you research the platforms first to assess their credibility. Consider the following:

• • Approach local online directories and submit a business profile
  • Create blog material for publishing on other websites, and send the link to as many credible platforms as possible (research ‘skyscraper’ content’)
  • Offer your business perspective on topics for reporters & bloggers to use in their articles
  • Collaborate with other local businesses to assist each other with cross-marketing
  • Include a link to your website on all the social media platforms you engage with.

A little tip: don’t forget how valuable content is here! Address the ‘what’ and ‘why’ queries from your customers, and keep them engaged using visual features like videos, infographics and high-quality images. It’s one thing for people to click a link, but the time spent engaging with your website will further improve your SEO.

8. Using Analytics & Tracking Performance

It’s one thing to build a website, create content, and implement both on-page and off-page SEO tactics. But how do you know whether any of the hard work is paying off? There are some excellent resources out there that are incredibly user-friendly, even if you’re new to the world of SEO.

• How to track SEO success (Google Analytics, Search Console)
  Google Analytics and Search Console are services which are designed to help you measure the traffic and performance of your website. They show you which pages are receiving the most interest from potential consumers, help you identify issues that need fixing, and indicate which keywords have been most effective. You can use this data to continue optimising your SEO campaign—a never ending feat! These platforms publish this data in simple report form, and are free to use.

• Understanding impressions, CTR, bounce rate
  The terminology around SEO can take some time to understand, but here are some of the most basic terms to get your started.
  • Impressions: This term is a metric that demonstrates how many times your content has appeared in someone’s search feed, whether they’ve clicked it or not. Basically, 1 impression means 1 view. It helps marketers gauge how effective and wide-spread their campaigns are.
  • Click Through Rate: CTR stands for click-through-rate, and is another metric which demonstrates how many people have physically clicked a link or paid advertisement. Once again, it helps marketers identify which keywords, ads or campaigns are gaining the most interest from incoming traffic.
  • Bounce Rate: When traffic is coming through but quickly choosing to navigate away, this adds to the web pages bounce rate. A high bounce rate indicates that the page doesn’t hold any useful information, and can result in a low search ranking.

Hopefully this guide of how to rank higher in search results gives you a clearer idea of what steps you can take to improve your overall position online. Don’t let your competitors take your traffic! Your website is without a doubt your most powerful business tool in today’s fast-paced society.