Your website ranking on Google is more important than ever. More and more people are searching the internet on mobile devices every day. These devices generally have small screens, making it even more likely that internet users will only look at the very top listings. On top of this, people are searching on the go, and may not have the time or patience to dig through a long list of search results. So, what do you need to know about how to improve website ranking?
How to Check Website Ranking on Google
You need to have a clear view of your starting point to properly create your path forward. One of the first steps to know where you are is to check the website ranking on Google. There are numerous free and paid-for tools you can use to do this. Probably the most obvious choice is the Google Search Console (this used to be known as Google Webmaster Tools). From here, you can determine where your site ranks for different keywords and search phrases.
The Performance Report dashboard will give you information on your clicks, impressions, CTR, and average position for up to 16 months of data. Please note, however, that Google can only collect data from the point you set up the Search Console. Because of this, it’s important to get your Search Console set up and verified as quickly as possible. You can then deep dive into key areas of your website’s performance such as queries, pages, countries, and devices.
This information will allow you to create a plan to improve your website ranking. Once you’ve figured out your key metrics, you can use the Google Search Console to track them. You can even use it to make direct comparisons between different periods, allowing you to see what changes have made a positive effect on your website ranking. If you want to keep your data for more than 16 months, you can just export it to another application.
Why You Need Solid Foundations for Your Website
Search engines favour websites that deliver a great user experience. Some important metrics include:
- Page-load speed
- Ease of navigation
- Security
Page-load speed is a major factor in your rankings. It’s also a major factor in your ability to keep a user’s eyeballs on the screen so you have a chance to engage with them. Ease of navigation is also vital. It really can make or break a user’s experience. Since search engines are trying to get relevant information to users in a way that can be used properly, the user experience is a key factor in rankings.
One of the benefits of designing accessible websites is that it generally makes them much easier to use for everyone, helping you expand your visitor base, while offering a good user experience. Ease of use pleases your visitors, keeps them on your site longer, and encourages them to come back. All of this helps to boost your website ranking.
How to Establish Authority
In the context of SEO, authority basically means credibility. Depending on your products, services, or niche, this could range from very easy to incredibly difficult. For some fields, such as medicine or finance, you may need to show evidence of significant real-world credentials. These credentials help show that you are an authority in your field. However, credentials alone will not help your ranking – this combines with other factors, such as more authoritative sites linking to you, how many people visit your site more than once, and how long they stay on the site.
When you’re looking to establish or grow authority, you generally want to go for depth rather than breadth. In other words, you want to become the “go-to” resource for a specific area. Once you’ve put down strong roots in your chosen niche, it becomes much easier to branch out.
Local SEO
The internet may be global, but SEO is becoming increasingly local, especially for smaller businesses. This is arguably a huge benefit to both businesses and their customers. For example, if a business only serves Toronto, there’s little point in it trying to rank against companies in other parts of the world. Instead, it would make sense for that business to use its resources to rank for Toronto SEO.
Local SEO generally follows the same principles as regular SEO. The implementation of those principles can, however, be slightly different. For example, if you’re trying to improve your website rankings for a specific area, it’s crucial to have a Google Maps listing that allows for directions to your location. This not only improves your search viability, but also allows your customers to find you more easily as they are driving to your location.
What Makes the Best Content?
Technical SEO can get your website to the top of the search results, but only great content will keep it there. Search engines can now measure user engagement very accurately. If they detect that users are regularly disappointed with your website, they’ll send you straight back down the rankings again. By contrast, if they see users react positively to your website, they’ll keep you at the top. One of the big factors that search engines use to gauge user engagement is how long someone stays on your page or site after clicking.
Good content is content that delivers exactly what your website users want. Great content encourages them to come back for more. The very best content encourages them to recommend you to their friends as well.
There are three keys to creating the very best content. One of the most important pieces is authenticity. If you’re not authentic in the content that you write and post, your readers will see that immediately. You must also deliver real value to the people on your site. This could be value in the way of information, inspiration, or entertainment. Value in this context is something that the user is looking for and is willing to engage in. On top of this, the content offered needs to be delivered in a way that respects the user’s time. This is done by breaking up paragraphs, getting to the point, and offering well-constructed content.
Improving your website ranking isn’t always an easy task. For many, the time needed simply isn’t available. On top of this, understanding how to improve website ranking takes a skill set and knowledge that not all business owners have, or even want. If this is something you’re struggling with and you want to rank in Toronto, SEO services may be something to consider.
