Wanting a high Google ranking is a universal desire. After all, who wouldn’t want to be at the top of the world’s leading search engine? A higher ranking not only boosts website traffic, enhances online visibility, and strengthens business credibility, but it also brings a sense of satisfaction, much like the feeling evoked by Jackie Wilson’s song…

However, the concept of “ranking higher” is subjective. For a new website or an SEO novice, it might mean surpassing page six for a blog post. For others, it could involve climbing from the sixth position on page one to the coveted number one spot. In this article, we’ll explore 17 strategies to improve your Google ranking, categorized into three levels, progressing from beginner techniques to more advanced ones.

Contents

• Achieving a High Google Ranking (Fundamentals)
• Ascending to a Higher Google Ranking (Specifics)
• Clinching the Highest Google Ranking (Premium Strategies)

Achieving a High Google Ranking

This section covers the fundamental SEO principles, particularly for those who are new to the world of SEO. Ensure you’ve addressed these aspects if you’re aiming to enhance your ranking.

1. Select Achievable Keywords

Before anything else, you need to determine your target keywords – the terms your potential customers use in search queries. Keyword research tools are essential for pinpointing realistic keywords for your website.

Explore nexus-security’s Free Keyword Tool » Here’s a breakdown of the factors to consider when selecting the most effective keywords for Google ranking:

• Search Volume: The frequency of monthly searches for a particular term.
• Competition: The level of difficulty in ranking for a specific keyword.
• Domain Authority: Your website’s domain authority influences how easily you can rank for keywords. Established websites with a history of quality content have an advantage.
• Relevance: It’s pointless to rank for a keyword that won’t attract your target audience.

2. Analyze Keyword Intent

Generally, keywords fall into four categories of intent: informational, commercial, transactional, and navigational. For SEO, the primary focus is on informational keywords. However, even within this category, you need to understand the specific information users seek when they search for a keyword. For instance, I wanted to use some screenshots I’d gathered of appealing websites and features and needed a target keyword. I came across “website ideas,” which had a search volume of 2900, and thought, This is it! However, upon searching on Google, I realized the results catered to individuals seeking side hustle ideas or beginner developers looking for projects, not businesses seeking inspiration for their websites.

Targeting “website ideas” with my screenshots wouldn’t lead to a good ranking. But, targeting “website design ideas” would be a different story.

3. Create In-Depth, Long-Form Content

The secret to a high Google ranking? Comprehensive, long-form content focused on your target keyword. While this is most evident with blog posts, it applies to landing pages as well. For instance, our free Website Grader landing page secures a page-one ranking for the keyword “website grader.” At first glance, it might not appear content-heavy. However, scrolling below the initial view reveals a wealth of information in the form of FAQs.

4. Optimize On-Page SEO

Consider this the core of achieving a high Google ranking. Dive into the intricacies with my comprehensive on-page SEO guide or this video:

Here’s a concise checklist:

• Keyword Placement: Ensure your keyword is strategically incorporated into your meta title, meta description, at least two H2 headings, image file names and alt text, the URL, and naturally within the page content.
• Internal Linking: Include links to the page from a minimum of three other pages on your website.
• External Linking: Add 1-3 links within your page that direct to relevant, authoritative websites.
• Meta Description Optimization: Limit it to 155-165 characters and highlight the value readers gain by clicking on your page.

Ascending to a Higher Google Ranking

Let’s say you’ve already implemented the basics. Your website is ranking decently, but you aspire for a higher position. If this resonates, continue reading.

5. Target Long-Tail, Question Keywords

Long-tail keywords often strike the right balance between search volume and competition. Long-tail question keywords offer an additional advantage – they provide opportunities to outrank even the top results for broader, high-volume keywords through the “People Also Ask” (PAA) section. For instance, “social media marketing” has a substantial search volume of 32K. nexus-security holds the top spot, followed by Sprout Social. However, nestled between these two is the PAA section. When a user expands any of those questions, the page addressing that question temporarily ranks higher than the second-highest result on Google.

The long-tail keywords Google features in the PAA section are unpredictable, presenting opportunities for your page to surpass even the second-highest result for a high-volume keyword.

6. Enhance Content Skimmability

Google is increasingly focused on delivering direct answers rather than simply a list of web pages. This is reflected in the concept of “zero-click search,” where users find the information they need directly on the results page, eliminating the need to click on any links. While this might not be ideal for websites aiming to drive traffic, adapting to this trend is key. Positioning yourself as the source from which Google extracts answers is the next best thing – and your ticket to a higher ranking. Optimizing for this involves making your content easily skimmable. This allows Google to extract snippets to construct answer-focused results like Featured Snippets, Passage Ranking, and even meta descriptions. Here’s how:

• Utilize Heading Tags: Most website builders and content management systems (CMS) offer this feature. Go beyond simply increasing text size and weight for headings; ensure they’re properly formatted using

  and

  tags. For instance, in our blog post “How to Brand Your Business,” a clear H2 heading states “How to brand your business,” followed by each step as an H3.

• Craft Specific Headings: SEO can sometimes restrict creativity. Aim for headings that allow readers to grasp the key points by skimming. In the example below, Google bypassed our provided meta description and generated one based on the H3 headings:

  

  More creative or informal language might have hindered the post’s performance. To illustrate:

Vague Heading	Clear Heading
X marks the spot	Identify your target audience
UVP is the MVP	Create your value proposition
Save the whales	Determine your mission
Humans only, please	Define your brand personality
Get creating	Create brand assets

Clearer information extraction for readers translates to easier processing for Google as well. Embrace the use of lists, bullets, boldface, and headings – and use them liberally.

7. Incorporate Explicit Statements

Not the inappropriate kind, of course. This refers to providing clear and direct answers, especially when addressing question keywords, even if the answer is multifaceted. Include explicit statements within your content that rephrase the question while providing a concise answer. Looking at the search engine results page (SERP) for “how long should a blog post be 2022,” it’s likely Hook Agency secured the Featured Snippet by incorporating the sentence, “The best blog length for SEO in 2022 is 1,760-2,400 words.” In contrast, Wix, the second result, answers the question without explicitly restating it. **

** For “how-to” keywords, conclude your post with a recap like, “To summarize, here’s how to [do X]:” followed by a list of the strategies or tips discussed. Alternatively, begin with an overview section offering a bird’s-eye view before delving into each point.

8. Integrate Meaningful Visuals

Including images enhances your page’s ranking potential in several ways. Firstly, it creates more engaging content, encouraging users to stay on your page longer. Secondly, search results are becoming increasingly visual. Lastly, it provides an opportunity for your images to rank in image search results as well. However, for blog posts you want to rank higher, stock images and basic graphics won’t suffice. Opt for images that clarify concepts, provide value, and align with the keyword intent. For example, the SERP for “January marketing ideas” is not only image-heavy but also reveals Google’s preference for screenshots showcasing January social media posts and event landing pages.

When crafting content for a specific keyword, analyze its Google search results to understand the significance of visuals and the types of visuals that are performing well. This will help you align with user expectations.

9. Create a Table of Contents

This simple addition to your blog posts is well-received by Google. You’ll often notice Google incorporating these links directly into a post’s meta description.

Here’s how: In the HTML editor of your post, insert the following code above each H2 or H3 heading you want to link to:

Retain the quotation marks and separate multiple words with dashes or underscores. Then, at the beginning of your post, list your table of contents, linking each entry to its corresponding #section-title: For this section, I used the tag: At the top, “How to rank higher on Google” is linked to #higher.

10. Craft Informative Meta Titles

You read that right. The SEO title, or meta title, is what appears on the SERP. Similar to headings, Google doesn’t offer much creative leeway here. Sticking to a title similar to those already ranking on page one is often the best approach. While you can have a more captivating H1 title (the one displayed on the page itself), keep your SEO title concise (under 60 characters), place the keyword at the beginning, and take note of common modifiers, such as including the year in the title.

Opting for a more creative title like “How to Rank Higher on Google: 10 Perilous Pitfalls to Avoid” might not be the most effective for ranking.

Clinching the Highest Google Ranking

For those aiming for the top spot or seeking to improve their ranking for highly competitive keywords.

11. Acquire Backlinks

Backlinks, links from other websites to your page, carry significant weight as a ranking factor.

Image source Creating high-quality content and promoting it on social media can organically generate backlinks. However, you can be more proactive in acquiring backlinks for specific pages. Explore strategies on how to acquire backlinks.

12. Analyze Your Search Queries

Google Search Console reveals the search queries that lead users to your page in search results and, more importantly, the ones that result in clicks. This data helps identify additional headings to include on a page, as well as new keyword opportunities for dedicated pages. If you’re already unintentionally ranking for a keyword, intentionally targeting it will undoubtedly yield results. In the image below, “best advertising sentences” is generating impressions. If it proves to be a valuable keyword, I might consider writing a dedicated blog post or using it as a heading in an existing one.

13. Create Videos for How-To and Tutorial Keywords

Video content is becoming increasingly prevalent in SERPs. In some cases, it presents the only viable option for achieving a higher ranking for a specific topic. For instance, the SERP for “how to advertise on Facebook” is dominated by ads, the PAA section, Facebook’s organic result, and videos, pushing the highest “true” organic result further down the page. Creating video content on this topic offers a chance to secure a top position among organic results (outranking Facebook is unlikely).

Targeting tutorial keywords, where videos perform exceptionally well, is even more effective.

14. Target Pages Already Ranking

Moving a post from position nine to position four can be less challenging than propelling it from, say, page nine to page four. Moreover, the former yields a more substantial increase in traffic. If you have a large website, utilize SEO tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to filter organic keywords by position. This helps identify pages that fall within this category, presenting opportunities for re-optimization.

15. Conduct a SERP Analysis

This strategy also necessitates the use of an SEO tool. If you’re determined to secure the top ranking for a specific keyword, a SERP analysis will provide valuable insights into what it entails and if it’s achievable. For instance, if I aim to dominate the rankings for “small business ideas,” I can see that I’m up against formidable competition like HubSpot, specifically a page boasting 4,589 backlinks from 1,100 unique domains on a site with a domain rating of 93.

16. Implement Schema Markup

While not a direct ranking factor, Schema.org markup can significantly enhance your search result visibility and click-through rates. This markup provides Google with more specific information about your content, potentially leading to its inclusion in rich results. There’s a wide array of rich result types, including articles, breadcrumbs, events, FAQs, how-tos, job postings, and more. Tools like Google’s Rich Result tester tool can identify content on your page that’s eligible for Schema markup.

For more guidance, refer to our comprehensive post on Schema markup to determine which types are most beneficial for your website.

17. Review Your Technical SEO

While much of technical SEO is implemented at the site level, several page-level optimizations can contribute to ranking improvements. This includes ensuring image compression and proper sizing, as well as resolving any indexation issues. Google Search Console provides insights into a page’s Core Web Vitals, mobile usability, and more. Furthermore, conduct a manual mobile usability test. Don’t solely rely on Google’s mobile-friendliness checker; personally access the page from a mobile device to ensure all elements are rendering correctly. Some aspects can only be detected through a hands-on approach. Consider exploring other prevalent SEO issues that might be affecting your website.

How to Achieve a Higher Google Ranking: A Recap

There you have it. The SERP has evolved significantly from its early days as a list of 10 blue links. Google now prioritizes visual, easily digestible, and recent content to create comprehensive SERPs that offer immediate answers. Embrace these tips to climb the ranking ladder and establish authority in your niche, ultimately driving increased website traffic and achieving your conversion goals. Discover how we can help by exploring our digital marketing solutions. To reiterate (in line with tip #7), here’s a recap of how to enhance your Google ranking in 2024:

1. ​​

   2. Target Achievable Keywords
   3. Analyze Keyword Intent
   4. Write In-Depth, Long-Form Content
   5. Optimize On-Page SEO
   6. Target Long-Tail, Question Keywords
   7. Make Your Information Skimmable
   8. Make Explicit Statements
   9. Include Meaningful Visuals
   10. Create a Table of Contents
   11. Craft Informative Meta Titles
   12. Acquire Backlinks
   13. Analyze Your Search Queries
   14. Create Video Content
   15. Target Pages Already Ranking
   16. Conduct a SERP Analysis
   17. Implement Schema Markup
   18. Review Your Technical SEO