How can I rank higher in SERPs?
In the digital age, everybody wants to rank in the top positions in SERPs (search engine result pages) and outrank their competitors – and when the average CTR (click-through rate) for the 1st position of Google is 31.7%, why wouldn’t you? When only 0.78% of Google users click on the results on the second page of search results, there is even more reason to aim for number 1.
That highly sought-after spot takes a lot of work and continual optimisations to maintain. Just because you’re in the first position today, doesn’t guarantee you a spot there tomorrow. But don’t worry, we have a few top tips to help you rise through the rankings or you can consult with an SEO agency in London.
Research your keywords
All effective SEO starts with your keywords. You need to have an understanding of what you are already ranking for, the keywords your competitors are ranking for and the keyword you should be ranking for. Please be aware that these may not overlap, so try to think about what you want to achieve for your business. The aim is to find the keywords that you are already doing fairly well for so you can optimise it and make it perform better for you.
A big mistake that businesses make with SEO is trying to improve keyword rankings that currently appear on pages 2 or 3. In fact, the best thing to do is move up a ranking on page 1 or try to get multiple keywords on page 1.
Target the right keywords
Once you have an idea of the keywords you want to rank for, you need to invest some more time into researching them to make sure they are worth the effort for your business. It might look like a lot of research upfront but that’s only to ensure that you aren’t wasting your marketing budget on what might be “good keywords”. Bare in mind that a “good” keyword for one company, might not be the same as a “good” keyword for your business.
The kind of keywords you want to look for are:
- Keywords that are already bringing you traffic
- Keywords with high search volumes and high business values
- Keywords that don’t have a bunch of SERP features above the 1st place
Understand the rankings
One of the most overlooked aspects of SEO is understanding the rankings. By this, we mean knowing why certain websites and pages tend to rank higher in SERPs. The more you know about the rankings, the more you’ll understand what you need to do to compete and beat them.
Generally speaking, websites that rank higher than yours tend to have more referring domains, a higher page authority or domain authority. Being able to tell which kinds you are dealing with will allow you to develop a plan to overtake them in positions.
Track your rankings
It’s a shock to know how many businesses invest in SEO without tracking the results. When they pay for SEO they don’t know where their websites ranked originally and whether they have increased or decreased over time.
If you want real ranking results, you need to be tracking your keywords from the first day! Then continue to track your rankings regularly so you can keep tabs on whether your SEO efforts are paying off or if you need to rethink your strategy.
Keep going
SEO isn’t a one-and-done strategy. SERPs are always changing and so are your competitor’s strategies! Even when you start to get the results you are looking for, it’s not the time to stop. You should continue to find more keyword opportunities and also continue to work on your best rankings.
Ranking higher in search engines isn’t rocket science but it does take time and hard work. There are also a few things you can do to quicken the process of search engines giving your page a new ranking. For example, you can do use tools like Google Search Console tool to manually request for Google to index your website.
Using the top tips above, you can easily find yourself climbing the SERPs, so what are you waiting for?
