The best way to achieve top search rankings is by focusing on keyword research. As a search engine optimization consultant, I’ve worked with hundreds of companies that miss the important step of keyword research. Achieving top search engine rankings is largely based on the competitiveness of the keyword phrase you are trying to optimize your website for. If your competitor is in the top position with a well entrenched web site, then your chances of out ranking him may be limited.
To be successful with keyword research you must go beyond the concept of finding non-competitive keywords. After finding a keyword that doesn’t have much competition, the next step is to research the type of traffic you can expect from number one rankings with your chosen keyword. Using the Google keyword tool or other traffic estimation software is a good way to see what type of traffic can be expected. Don’t spend any time on keywords that can’t generate enough traffic to make things worthwhile.
Assuming that you have been able to find a keyword phrase that doesn’t have a great deal of competition and a sufficient amount of traffic, it’s time to look at your competition. You are competing against other web sites who currently rank in the top few positions for your chosen keyword. Visit each of these top ranked sites to determine their Google page rank, age, and the number of sites linking to them. The more inbound links they have the more difficult they will be to outrank.
After doing your keyword research and confirming your choice of keywords and keyword phrases, it’s time to concentrate on improving your web pages. Enhance your meta tags, titles, and web copy to include your keyword phrases. This helps to tell the search engines what your web site is about so it can rank your site appropriately. In addition to the on page factors, Google weighs off page factors to decide web site ranking. Off page optimization requires a sustained effort that uses new content and additional links from third party websites. The most effective strategies are the most basic. Begin with a link building program. Focus on article directories, web site directories, blogs, social bookmarking sites, and other resources where you can establish in bound links.
Your plan should include daily, weekly and monthly activities designed to attract links from authority websites consistently over time. Your goal should not be to generate thousands of inbound links quickly because Google will penalize your website. Rather, focus on steady link building. If you want to improve your organic search engine ranking, begin with keyword research. By selecting the right keywords, you’ll be able to optimize your website faster than your competitors. After choosing the right keywords, focus on integrating your chosen keywords into your web site. Then you’re ready for link building and other off page optimization tactics that significantly improve rankings.
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Tags: google, Internet marketing, Keywords, marketing, search engines, SEO, web sites
