5 Essentials for Ranking Higher on Google

Whether your website is new or you’ve recently lost ground in the rankings, it’s important to know how to boost your position in the SERPs. Each year brings new challenges, and 2023 is no exception. Below, we’ll explore several important ways to rank higher on Google.

1. Invest in On-Site SEO

Want to rank higher on Google? It’s time to invest in your on-site SEO. This includes optimizing your page content with highly researched keywords, but it also means taking a deeper dive into areas you might not think about. That includes image alt tags, meta tags and titles, and even the structure/optimization of your navigation menu.

2. LSI Keywords

Keywords come in many shapes and forms. You’ve got exact-match keywords, long-tail keywords, and more. One of the most overlooked types is LSI keywords. LSI stands for latent semantic indexing, and these are keywords related to the main terms you’re targeting. For instance, if you’re a credit card company, then some LSI keywords to target might include “credit score”, “interest rate”, “credit limit”, etc. Make sure you’re using LSI keywords throughout your site content.

3. Focus on Search Intent

Once upon a time, keyword-optimized content was enough to rank in Google. Today, that’s not the case. If you really want to rank higher in Google searches, you need to create content that matches search intent. For instance, someone searching for walking shoes for diabetics is not likely to be interested in general walking shoes, but in those that address diabetics’ unique needs and concerns when it comes to foot health.

4. Create the Highest Quality Content Possible

Google continues to focus on content quality. In 2022, the search giant rolled out an update that rewards content designed for humans and written by humans that actively downgrades low-quality content, especially AI-generated content. So, if you’re trying to save a buck by using thin, low-quality content (whether AI-generated or written by a human), you’re going to lose traction in the SERPs.

5. Answer Questions

Finally, make sure you’re taking advantage of long-tail, question-based keywords. Things like “How much do diabetic running shoes cost”, “How long do diabetic walking shoes last”, and “What makes diabetic walking shoes different” are good examples of these. Pepper them throughout your content and/or add them to the end as FAQs.

Ranking higher on Google requires a deep understanding of on-page, technical, and off-page SEO. Going it alone here isn’t going to give meaningful results. Instead, choose a trusted SEO partner to help you boost and then maintain your ranking over time. If you should have any questions, please contact Search SEO Chicago today!