How to Get Higher Rankings in Search Engines

It seems like a mystery why certain websites have higher rankings in Google than others, but there are a few things that can increase your traffic. First, if you aren’t already doing so, start a blog and update it weekly. The search engines like fresh content and blogging will increase your ranking. Make it a priority to blog 3-5 times per week and aim for 300 words per post. Also, make sure you interact with other bloggers, including commenting on their posts, linking to other blogs, and guest blogging. These elements will drive traffic to your site and also keep you up to date on what hot topics are being discussed right now.

You can also increase your ranking by incorporating SEO copywriting into your website. You’ll want to first identify a list of phrases and words that your target audience is searching for and place them in your content. Ideally, the keywords should be weaved into the content so that it isn’t totally obvious to readers.

Heather Lloyd-Martin, CEO of SuccessWorks International, says that titles are the most important SEO element on a site. She recommends a unique title on every page of your site with several keyword phrases. A great title should be no more than 75 characters long—just enough to compel readers to want to read more and click on your site. She also suggests no more than 250 words of content per page. If your site is too wordy, not only will readers lose interest, but the search engines also like shorter bursts of content.

While working on the keywords content, type phrases into Google to see what people are searching for in your target market—and then make those your key words. You are now helping to direct readers—and search engines—to find you and click to your site. Since the search engines are set up to rank by keywords, try to have not only words, but also phrases that are specific. Use keywords and phrases 4-5 times per webpage, and remember to balance your keywords with relevant, useful content. You don’t want to just direct visitors to your site without giving them an incentive to stay.