How Can I Be On The First Search Page? (7+ Tips for Success)

Many prospective buyers begin their shopping journey with an online search, even if they intend to buy the product at a brick-and-mortar retail store. Considering that Google, the world’s most frequently used search engine, processes billions of searches every day, it’s easy to recognize the significance of being accessible to customers on these platforms.

A high Google ranking is essential for any business that wants customers to locate it online. Appearing on the first page during an Internet search can be a make-or-break proposition. Approximately 75% of searchers won’t scroll to the second page if they don’t find what they’re looking for on page one.

Check out our tips for getting on the coveted first page!

Tips for a successful page one ranking

Applying the following steps can help your business secure this prime search engine territory and increase customer interactions that boost sales and profits.

1. Use long-tail keywords

Suppose you’re looking to purchase a new sofa, and you’re conducting your initial search via the Internet. Instead of typing “sofa” into your browser, you’re more likely to type something like “new sofas for sale near me.” The latter is an example of a long-tail keyword.

These types of phrases comprise a larger percentage of keyword searches, and they tend to rank higher on search engines than single words. Integrating long-tail phrases into your web copy is an effective search engine optimization technique for boosting your business’s page rankings.

2. Focus on the user experience

People type a keyword or phrase into a search engine for a specific purpose.

They may wish to find the location of a store, learn more about a business, or get recommendations for a product or service. Google and other search platforms recognize this need and reward companies that satisfy it with a higher ranking.

Including more user-focused content on your site is an excellent way to meet Google’s requirements. Consider adding features that enhance the visitor experience and keep them on your site longer. Examples include informative and engaging videos and graphics.

3. Make your site more user-friendly

A slow, unresponsive website frustrates visitors and drives them away. Search engines recognize this and will penalize these sites with lower search engine rankings.

Test your site’s responsiveness by loading some web pages, and see how long it takes. The process should take no longer than three seconds. You can increase the speed if necessary by simplifying the design and eliminating apps and other clutter your visitors don’t need.

Remember that many people will view your site on mobile devices with smaller screens, so your design should be compatible with this technology.

4. Get backlinks

Backlinks are URLs that appear on websites other than yours.

Having many high-quality backlinks can help you get to the first page of search engine rankings because they serve as a vote of confidence. Other online entities view the information you provide as valuable enough to acknowledge it on their pages.

The most effective backlink-building strategy is to create high-quality, informative content that appeals to other related sites in your industry. You can also try more aggressive approaches, like looking for broken links on other sites and offering to replace them, or authoring guest posts in exchange for backlinks.

5. Experiment with content and media

Many companies rely on SEO sales copy and blog posts to meet their website’s content requirements. While these offerings should serve as the backbone of your content strategy, they’re no longer enough to meet Google’s increasingly stringent ranking requirements.

Add relevant media into your copy to make pages more engaging to visitors and potentially boost your search engine ranking. Many options are available, including audio, video, graphics, and images. You can even use media to refresh older content, giving it a valuable second life while boosting your page rankings.

6. Update your content frequently

Search engine rankings aren’t static. Google frequently updates its algorithms, making it vital to stay current with your content. The more site traffic you can generate, the greater the likelihood of landing on page one.

While you may not need to alter your basic sales content often, you can use other techniques to entice customers and visitors to return. Integrate customer testimonials, add more frequent blog posts, or provide the latest news regarding your company’s products and services.

7. Emphasize your location

Searchers often look for businesses near where they live. Including where you serve in your long-tail keywords increases your chances of landing on page one because location is an essential component of searchers’ queries.

Complement this strategy by adding your city or geographic location throughout your web copy, including on your sales and information pages, blog posts, and About Us page. Google will recognize this information as a “near me” search result.

8. Encourage customer reviews

These days, many shoppers rely on online reviews when evaluating a company and its products and services. A higher volume of positive Google reviews makes it easier to climb the search engine rankings.

Ask your customers in person, over the phone, via email and social media, and whatever other communication methods you use if they would be willing to share their opinions. Add the positive responses to the review section on your website.

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