Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for helping people find your webpage through Google searches. In fact, almost every internet experience begins with a search engine query, and the top result on Google has a 33% chance of getting clicked. Astonishingly, 75% of people won’t even click on the second page of the search results.
The reason other websites are ranking higher than yours on Google is because they are making a conscious effort to improve their SEO. If you want better website traffic, getting your page to rank on Google’s first page should be your goal.
Here are 5 reasons why your webpage may not be ranking, and 5 things you can do to improve its ranking:
1. Content Length: Long-form content is considered to provide more value to users, so Google favors webpages with substantial text content. If your webpage provides all the information needed for a particular topic, visitors can get what they need in one place.
2. Tough Competition: If your target keywords are highly competitive, it will take more work for your webpage to reach Google’s first page. Websites with millions of inbound links from thousands of domains, like hp.com and Microsoft.com, often dominate competitive keywords like “best laptops”. Use tools like Moz, Majestic, or Ahrefs to assess the level of competition for your chosen keywords.
3. Improve Page Loading Speed: Slow page loading times negatively impact user experience and can harm your webpage’s ranking. Research shows 53% of visitors will abandon a website if the page takes longer than 3 seconds to load, and 80% of those won’t return. Test your website’s speed using tools like Pingdom to identify and address any issues.
4. High Quality Content: Frequently updated websites with fresh, relevant, and informative content tend to rank better. Dwell time, or the amount of time people spend on your site per visit, is an important ranking factor. Bookmarking your site from Google Chrome can also help improve your SEO.
5. Optimize for Mobile: With mobile use now surpassing desktop, Google prioritizes websites that are optimized for mobile devices. Over 60% of Google searches come from mobile, so ensuring your webpage is mobile-friendly is crucial for improving your ranking.
By addressing these key factors, you can take steps to improve your website’s search engine optimization and increase your visibility on Google.