How to Get Your Business On the 1st Page of Google

Is your business online? If the answer is yes, you don’t need anybody to tell you how crucial it is to be visible online.

When people require a product or a service, they enter questions on search engines. 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. Which search engine do you think people would use to find what they need? Is it Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, Yandex, Ask.com, Aol.com, Ecosia, or others?

Most people would use Google. 92.96% of global traffic comes from Google search, Google Images, and Google Maps. The first five organic results account for 67.60% of all the clicks on the first page alone.

If your business is out there on Google’s 2nd, 3rd, or 4th page, is anyone going to pay attention? Not many, to be honest. That brings us to the million-dollar question - How to get your website on page 1 of Google?

With a foolproof SEO strategy, you could increase traffic to your website, which will benefit your business immensely. Easier said than done, though.

Even with the best keywords, most of the websites out there won’t rank on Google’s first page. The reason is simple - many renowned companies have used these keywords to propel their business.

To add to the turmoil, millions of bloggers worldwide would be using those keywords to rank higher. Now many of you may ask - Does that mean I will never be able to get my website on Google’s first page?

Don’t despair; some tried and tested tricks can help you. Let’s get started.

Unleash the Power of Long-tail Keywords

Driving more traffic to your website is possible with a robust SEO strategy. Create an intentional SEO strategy bearing in mind your target audience and how they utilize their reach.

Also, choose your keywords carefully because they will draw visitors to your website. If we can think of it, so can others, right? Hence, hiring an SEO expert would be a wise decision to make you stand out from the crowd.

How do you carve a niche for yourself amid all this competition? The secret lies in getting creative and developing creative solutions. The majority of the people searching for something on Google use long-tail keywords.

At the same time, long-tail keywords will save you time, money, and effort because they are relatively easier to rank for. Focus on providing specific information. People using long-tail keywords on Google are usually looking for something very specific.

Give them what they want, and you can turn them into loyal customers. Unlike social media, Google search is not infested with influencers or bloggers. You may find some of them on there, but top rankers for particular keywords are companies you have never even heard of.

Short-tail keywords are useful, too, but there is something you need to think about. If 200,000 people visit your website and none of them buys your product/service, what is the whole point of all the keywords?

Instead, create engaging content with optimized long-tail keywords to boost your visibility on search engines. You can try different methods to find the ideal long-tail keywords for your business. You can use Google Autosuggest to find keywords.

Conduct research as to which keywords your competitors are using. If you don’t get answers to your questions, visit forums like Quora, Reddit, and other niche forums. There are two kinds of long-tail keywords - topical long-tail keywords and supporting long-tail keywords. Use both to fine-tune your SEO strategy and attract massive traffic to your website.

Tell Google What Are Your Keywords

Google to understand the keywords. For that to happen, your business needs to have a robust strategy. Use technical tags. Incorporate keywords into the following.

1. Meta tags

Make it a point to include the keywords in each page’s meta description and meta title. By including keywords in your meta tags, search engines will read them and ascertain whether the keywords and descriptions are relevant to the written content.

2. URL

Including keywords in your page URL will tell Google what your website is for and help connect with visitors while building trust.

3. Alt tags

Alternative tags allow Google to understand the visual content of your website. The search engines won’t comprehend your tags and include them in the ranking algorithm without these tags. Additionally, such tags are a boon for people with disabilities, especially the visually impaired, because they can’t see the images.

Always Remember that Your Readers are Humans

Google’s ranking system is designed to provide readers/visitors with relevant information quickly and efficiently. Your website should provide high-quality content that resonates with people or satisfies their requirements. Only then will your website rank high.

Always Highlight Your Location

People trust Google to get directions to restaurants, cafes, businesses, malls, shops, etc., in their vicinity. People can only find you or know what products/services you offer if they know you exist and where. Do mention your geographic location (city/state/town) on your website so that people find you when they search for businesses.

Mobile-Friendly Website

Another tip to get your website on Google’s first page is to make it mobile-friendly. Gone are those days when people used only desktop computers to access websites or shop online. One of Google’s most crucial parameters for ranking websites is assessing how they perform on digital devices.

Unless your website performs well on tablets, laptops, e-readers, storage devices, smartphones, smartwatches, input devices (keyboards, mice & scanners), output devices (printers & speakers), and others, the chances of it ranking high are slim. The screen size on each device is different, and your website should be optimized for optimal functionality on all.

If you cannot create a single website that works well on all devices, create a separate version exclusively for mobile devices.

Focus on Providing An Excellent User Experience (UX)

Mobile optimization is great, but there is much more you need to do to improve the overall user experience. A vital aspect of ensuring an outstanding user experience is by using effective website design. What are other aspects that enhance a visitor’s user experience?

• Function & aesthetically pleasing design
• Ease of use
• Mobile optimization
• Easy accessibility for all
• Seamless navigation
• Fast loading time
• Clear calls to action
• Browser consistency
• Good error handling
• Valid markup and cleaning code
• Contrasting color theme
• Usable forms

Focus on the points above, exceed visitor expectations, and they will stay on your website for longer. Eventually, Google will get the hint that your website is useful, and the rankings will shoot up.

Improve Your Core Web Vitals

Introduced in 2020, Core Web Vitals are an integral element of Google’s user experience metrics. What do Core Web Vitals do? These Core Web Vitals measure three specific areas of your website.

• Largest Contentful Paint
• First Input Delay
• Cumulative Layout Shift

Conduct thorough research and understand how each of the above aspects matters and affects your Google rankings. When you know how you can improve your scores, take the necessary steps and watch your SEO rankings skyrocket through the roof.

Optimize your Listings & Watch the Magic Unfold

Want to drive more organic traffic and improve your website’s search engine rankings? Online business directories are valuable tools, but how do you use them to your advantage? Let’s find out.

Create a Google My Business Profile - 60% of smartphone users contacted businesses directly through the GMB interface using the “click to call” option. Do you need any more proof about the effectiveness of the Google My Business tool?

GMB is a highly effective tool for local businesses to gain online visibility and enhance their reputation. Don’t delay it; hurry up, claim & verify your business profile on GMB.

How to Optimize Your GMB Profile?

Increase your chances of being discovered by prospective customers by updating your profile on GMB. An unfilled or incomplete profile is not going to bring you any business. Moreover, an updated profile will convey a positive impression of your business. Do the following to optimize your GMB profile.

• Fill out all the details in your GMB listing. An updated profile provides more clarity about your services.
• Ensure the consistency of your NAP - It is vital to keep your NAP (name, address, and phone number). Keep the format the same, no matter how many times or where you mention it. Most importantly, avoid abbreviations or shorthand.
• Ensuring proper consistency will tell Google and visitors that the company is legitimate and that the mentioned details are accurate.
• Update your information when required - Many businesses have different working hours and timings during holidays/weekends. If you are one of those businesses, make sure you update these details on your GMB listing.
• Images - Uploading images of your business will help you complete your GMB profile, and people can get a fair idea of what to expect when they visit your establishment.

Explore Listings on Other Platforms

Google My Business is not the only business directory out there. There are others like Yelp, 7. Yahoo, Bing places, Yellowpages, Chamber of Commerce, HotFrog, etc. Many of these directories are general, but some are for industry-specific businesses.

Understand which platform is beneficial for your business and list your business out there while keeping the information consistent with your GMB profile.

Gather Customer Reviews

Reviews from real customers lend credibility to your business and tell others about your services. Encourage your customers to leave reviews and suggestions on websites that have listed your business. Offer them a discount code or a freebie, encouraging them to leave a review.

Make the Most of Paid Advertising

Using the techniques above can help you get your website on Google’s first page, but it’s not like a magic trick that yields instant results. Improving your website rankings organically will take time, and it does take time. It’s a combination of different strategies and techniques which takes several months before you start seeing noticeable results.

We are not saying that you should ditch the hard work and opt for shortcuts. However, what if someone wants results within a short period.

The solution is simple - PPC or pay-per-click ads. When people search using keywords, these ads will show up at the start. In return for the spotlight that thrusts you ahead of other companies, you need to pay Google a small fee.

To get the best bang for your buck, make sure that your ad is placed carefully. There is no need to compete with big companies or spend exorbitant money on these ads. See the results, and then decide if you want to repeat them or run fresh ones. Entrust the task to a professional agency that knows how to accomplish it and achieve the best results.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know how to get your website on page 1 of Google, the sky is the limit. All you need to do is put in some work, create a strategy and observe the results. Of course, there will be some obstacles, and you may feel that some tricks may not work. Persistence is the key, my friend. Keep trying, tweak things and innovate when necessary.

If you still feel you need some professional help, don’t hesitate to contact Netclues. With over 13+ years of experience in the digital marketing industry, we have helped many organizations achieve incredible success.

Along with the best brains in the industry, tried and tested strategies, we are passionate about everything we do. Let’s discuss things over a cup of coffee.