What does it take to get to the top?

It seems that we are constantly fighting to get on the first page of a Google search. Designers and agencies are always trying to figure out Google’s “new” method for site ranking. Other websites might give you their “secret” tips and tricks to ranking on the first page, but it really only boils down to five different key factors:

Content

Producing quality content is the best way to rank highly in searches. This will increase your compatible search terms and key terms, but more importantly, it will keep the viewer on your site longer. I will not go into depth on how this works, but basically, Google’s algorithm for ranking sites rewards those that get viewed longer. Filling your website with lots of exciting information about your business will keep readers on your site longer and give them a reason to choose your business over the competition. The best way to do this is by posting blog articles. This will also show that you know what you’re talking about regarding your business.

Site Speed

Increasing the speed at which your site loads is another one of those double-edged swords. People are information-rich and time-poor, which means most don’t have the patience to sit and wait around for your site to load. The best and fastest way of solving this problem is to run your site through Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool. I would aim for a general load time of 3 seconds or less. Anything after 4 seconds is where you lose people.

Mobile Friendly

I think we can all appreciate those sites that offer responsive versions of their sites so we can view them easily. Well, Google does too. It has been proven that responsive sites are generally much higher ranked than those that aren’t. That is why we are starting to see fewer and fewer desktop versions of sites anymore. Nowadays, most web traffic is through mobile devices, so it makes sense that these sites would rank higher.

Back Links

You can think of backlinking as virtual word-of-mouth. The best way to increase the number of backlinks you have is by posting your website to as many sites as possible. I usually use sites like Yelp, Bing, Google Business Listings, Manta, etc. These are pretty credible and will increase your SEO by a good amount.

Keywords

Typically, someone might think 90% of SEO is based on keywords. I’m sorry to say, but that’s not the case anymore. Unless you deal with Google AdWords, keep the keywords in your meta tag simple. No more than 20 and no less than 10. Just put yourself in the shoes of the customer. Think about what they might do that would lead them to your business.

Simplicity is key when it comes to keywords. Instead of cramming as many keywords as possible into your meta tags, focus on using a small number of relevant keywords that accurately describe your business. This will make it easier for customers to find you in search results.

Top 5 SEO Strategies for 2022