First Page Google SEO
Many companies come to us asking how they can get their website to reach the first page of Google results. Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer to this question. Your Google ranking depends on a number of factors including the saturation of your industry, your competition, and your overall web presence. Google algorithms are constantly changing, requiring adaptive strategies to maintain a top position on their search engine.
Despite this, there are certain SEO practices you can employ to increase your chances of making the first page of Google and improve traffic to your website. These practices are best defined under three main categories:
- Keyword Research and Analysis
- Technical Optimization
- Original Content
Improve Your Google Rank with Keyword Research
Keyword research plays an integral role in search engine optimization. This process involves identifying and implementing relevant keywords or phrases that users commonly enter into Google when searching for services or products offered by your company. Keyword research can be particularly beneficially for small and local businesses who don’t have the online presence to compete against the top industry leaders.
Keywords can be used to target more specific searches that may fall under the radar of larger companies in your niche. Through this practice, you can dominate specific searches to drive traffic from users with specific needs. If you are a local business, you may want to create multiple pages for your products or services that specifically target each location you serve. This can improve your visibility when your audience includes their location in their search.
Optimize Your Website to Reach the First Page of Google
When determining where to rank your website, the Google algorithm considers a number of technical factors that influence its decision. One such factor is load time. This describes how quickly your pages load, measured from when a user first clicks on the page until it has completely loaded onto their screen. Page load time can be limited by large file uploads, inefficient plug-ins, and a variety of other factors. A simple way to improve load time is to optimize the size and format of your images. Avoid uploading images that are unnecessarily large and make sure they are in a standard format (PNG, JPEG, etc.) to prevent long load times.
Websites should also be responsive, adapting and scaling your pages to fit the dimensions of each user’s screen. This allows for the proper rendering of your website regardless of which device it is accessed from. In today’s world, many users will be viewing your website from a smartphone. Pages that are optimized for mobile devices are placed higher in Google search results.
Legitimize Your Business with Original Content
One of the easiest ways to reach the first page of Google is through original content. Google has made it clear that they prioritize high-quality content that displays authenticity and trustworthiness. When crawling pages, Google makes an effort to eliminate spam. If your pages are poorly written, they may be flagged before they ever make it to the Google search results.
With the rise of artificial intelligence, Google algorithms are on high alert for unoriginal content. By taking the time to produce quality content for your website, you legitimize your business not only to the algorithm, but to users as well. Try to incorporate unique elements that can’t be found anywhere else such as original photos and personal anecdotes about your company.
Additional SEO Strategies
Beyond these factors, there are a number of ways for your company to improve your rank in Google search results. Some other strategies you may want to consider include:
- Google AdSense: Google AdWords is a paid marketing tool that can be used to target for specific keywords. With a pay-per-click (PPC) business model, businesses only pay for direct leads to their website. This marketing strategy guarantees a high rank for searches that include your targeted keywords.
- Building a Social Media Presence: Maintaining an active social media presence can help your business reach a wide new audience. Traffic generated through social media can help prove the authenticity of your website to Google algorithms, resulting in more positive rankings of your webpages.
- Creating a Google Business Profile: Google Business Profiles are a way for businesses to display their important information directly within the search engine. Having a Google Business Profile improves your rankings, allows customers to leave reviews, and allows local users to find your business on Google Maps.
