First Page Of Google

When we start talking to companies about what they expect to gain out of search engine marketing services, they always say “we want to get on the first page of Google“. The more ambitious prospects say we need to be #1 for all of our descriptive service/product keywords. My typical response is, “So what happens if you are on the first page of Google, people click on your website, and….your phone doesn’t ring……or you don’t receive any email inquiries.  What do you do next?” That response usually changes the tone of the conversation. Being on the first page on Google is one thing, actually converting visitors into leads is another. If you have a properly optimized website and web pages with relevant content it will go a long way in obtaining the coveted top spot in Google and getting your business new leads.

Being on the first page of Google is great because that means you have written a well-received web page or blog post. That page/post has some authority level within Google (other websites link back to it), people find that page to be relevant to what they are searching for, and you have optimized that page properly not only for the search engines but more importantly for your visitors.

First Page Worthy Content

In order to even go down the path of what it would take to be on the first page of Google, you must first have a conversation about content.

You need good great content.

Without great content, you will never even be close to the first page of Google. Great content is something that is relevant to what your website’s theme is about. It is relevant to what you do, what you think and what you provide.  For example, if you are a plumber a web page on “Top Plumbing Tips For Homeowners” would be a relevant article. Relevancy is paramount for search engines.  But it goes beyond that.  The relevant article must shine.  The words on the page must sparkle.  I know what you’re thinking…  plumbing tips?  Yes.  Even an article about plumbing tips has to be great.  That means it is easy to read, had high-value information, and explains the benefits to the reader.  It must provide exactly what the reader wants, right at the moment in time he wants it.

Below are some First Page Worthy Content tips to follow:

  1. Define the page purpose. This will keep the content focused.
  2. Make the content engaging.
  3. Relevancy is key. Make your page relevant to what you do.
  4. Benefit-oriented content is a must.
  5. For businesses, state your unique value proposition / sales argument.
  6. Don’t write a novel, keep the page on topic and relevant to its purpose.
  7. Use effective “Calls To Action.”  What do you want the reader to do?
  8. Use images to relay a point you want to make.
  9. Use Headers to break up the content.
  10. Be conversational when writing.

Strong On-Page Foundation

Your website must be built on a good foundation if you want a shot at ranking on the first page of Google. A good foundation consists of the following:

  1. Easy to follow navigational paths
  2. Internal website linking
  3. Descriptive URL
  4. Descriptive Title & Meta Tags
  5. Use ALT tags for images
  6. Proper use of Headers
  7. Fast loading web pages
  8. Malware free website

Off Page Strategies:

Along with great content and a strong on-page strategy, tackling off-page optimization can be challenging. Creating the right off-page SEO is critical if you want to rank on the first page of Google. Below are some good off-page SEO strategies you should follow.

  1. Keywords: Choosing the right keywords is crucial in developing a good SEO Off-Page Strategy.
  2. Keyword Software: These tools are essential for SEO Off Page. Without proper SEO tools, you cannot do your job effectively.  Tools like the Google Keyword Tool, Keyword Tracker, Market Samurai, and Keyword Discovery are all fine choices.
  3. Link Research: Conduct thorough back-link research and layout your strategy on how you will get good targeted back-links.
  4. Sitemap: Create & submit your XML sitemap to the Search Engines for content updates.
  5. Social Media Plug-ins: Let visitors promote your website with Social Media plug-ins.
  6. Online Press Releases: One of the best ways to get authoritative back-links and promote your brand online is through online press releases. Stay away from the “Free Press Release” websites and stick to the paid subscription outlets with deep syndication. PRWeb, Marketwire, PRNewswire are all good starting places.
  7. Anchor Text: You cannot have a good off-page SEO strategy without good anchor text on the links going back to your website.
  8. Clean Up Your Links: Run a scan to see who is linking to you on a periodic basis. if you have outsourced your SEO efforts previously and have witnessed a decrease in traffic, you could have gotten hit by Google’s recent algorithm changes. Look at Google’s Disavow Tool to remove the bad websites that are linking to you.
  9. Good On-Page: You cannot have a good SEO Off Page strategy without a good On-Page strategy. If your On-Page foundation is not rock-solid, you will not succeed.
  10. Use Google Webmaster Tools: If there is a problem with how search robots crawl your site or issues with bad backlinks, Google will let you know.

First Page Of Google Research

Conducting research on Google is an overlooked step in understanding why a web page is ranking on the first page (or in the first position). Conduct random searches and look at the websites who pull up first in the search results. Look at the URL, Meta and Title tags, content, headers, and uniqueness of the content. Within that web page will be the answers you need to understand why that web page is ranking on the first page on Google.

Moreover, taking a close look at who is ranking on the first page of Google can help you understand the competitive landscape.  If the top ranked sites are behemoth websites like Wikipedia, or perhaps industry giants, you may have a harder time displacing them from their top position.  This research can have a dramatic impact on which keywords you choose to target.  You may find that it is easier to win by not competing with the giants, rather identifying keywords that the huge sites don’t rank for and dominating those search results.

To move your site to the first page of Google you will need a combination of a proper keyword selection, great content and use best on-page and off-page optimization techniques. To find out more information about ranking on Google, contact us to schedule your FREE SEO Consultation.

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