Why doesn’t my website appear on the first page of Google?
This is a question we hear a lot surrounding websites that have recently gone live, or have dropped a few places on the Google rankings. SEO companies falsely promise that they can get you to the top of Google in an instant for a hefty fee, but it’s not always that straightforward. We are as transparent as possible when it comes to SEO so you know what to expect, and what you’ll get out of it.
There are a lot of aspects that go into SEO. You need to make sure you have the core basics sorted (see this post for info), and once all of these elements are set up, you should ensure that you actively maintain your ranking. Once you begin to move, your competitors will notice and they’ll start stepping up their game to knock you off your podium.
We put a blog together to explain why SEO isn’t as easy at it looks, and what you should/shouldn’t be doing to start making a difference with your search results…
“But they said it’s really easy!”
We have come across several business owners who have told us that they have been ripped off by SEO “specialist” companies who charge colossal amounts of money to get you on the first page of Google. This has caused a trust issue rift through the industry as these companies tend to under deliver on this service.
Google is forever altering their algorithms to make sure that you get the best and most reliable content when you search for something. Ever heard of Google RankBrain? That’s what Google is currently using to encourage quality information over quantity. Yes it’s great to be on the first page of Google, but you need to take into consideration things like content, user experience & page speed. Is your website mobile friendly? That’s another major algorithm that Google runs to ensure that mobile first websites get priority against those who are not.
SEO is a bunch of little things all working together to create one big presence, and this always works better when you’re working with someone who knows you & your brand to be able to deliver relevant content & changes to your SEO as opposed to an online company based on the other side of the world.
“I have 56 keywords I want to use”
Keywords aren’t the be all and end all of SEO, but they certainly give you a helping hand once your website is established. Understanding how they work is very important, and can help your SEO team make sure you’re appearing to the right audience under the right terms.
You should focus on a small amount of keywords to begin with. This will keep the work carried out concise, and you’ll see results quicker. The key terms should also be more specific than, for example “mens trainers”. This is a very broad keyword and there is a lot of competition to appear on the first few pages for this. You should focus more on keywords that have more detail such as “Blue Nike mens trainers” and more specific still “Blue Nike mens trainers size 10”. The search volume isn’t high, but you’ll capture a specific audience, and you are more likely to have meaningful website views, and potential purchases.
“Just whack in a bunch of backlinks”
Although links are still a heavy foundation of SEO, you should avoid dumping a huge amount of backlinks on your website! There are websites out there that can get you 1000’s of backlinks overnight, but Google does not like this! As we have already mentioned in a previous post, Google relies on the credibility of information not only on your website, but off it too. This means that 1 reliable backlink from a high ranking website is far more valuable than having 2000 poor quality backlinks.
If Google deems your website unreliable and uncredible, it will start to have a huge detremental effect on your website. Bad backlinks should be cleaned up as soon as possible to ensure that you don’t need to start all over again from scratch.
“Can I leave you to it then?”
Unfortunately no. Teamwork makes the dream work after all! You should be prepared to invest time into helping your SEO team achieve the results you are looking for. You should remember that although we do all it takes to get to know you and your business, we’re not mind readers so we need your help to gather content to allow us to update your website and online presence in the name of SEO.
Supplying your SEO team with valuable, helpful & relevant content is the most important thing. Google loves content that’s at least 2000 words long and contains your ideal keywords. Once your team has the information, they can run with it and create something that is perfect to improve your SEO.
Are you ready for SEO?
We can help! SEO (search engine optimisation) is complex and ever changing, but we like to make it as transparent as possible.
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