It’s a question we get asked about a lot. In fact, we’ve already answered this question here, here and even here. But this time we’re giving you more extensive insight into why your site isn’t at the top of search engine results. Because there isn’t one single answer. If your website is struggling, and you’ve been working at it for a while, there could be a number of reasons to consider.
Maybe you haven’t given it enough time
SEO results don’t happen overnight. It takes time to research keywords, optimise the web design and create SEO-friendly content. And it takes even more time for Google to pick up on the changes you’ve made, and even longer then for Google to decide if your website updates are valuable to searchers. It can take anywhere between two to six months for your website to begin ranking on the first page of Google search results.
Your website only looks good on the surface
So, you’ve a lot of time and money into a well-designed website and it looks amazing. But Google isn’t appreciating it the way you do. What gives? You probably haven’t accounted for every SEO requirement. The following things can cause Google to penalise you:
- Insufficient content (we always recommend at least 350 words per page)
- Old, stale content (try to update your website every 2 years)
- Duplicate content
- Confusing navigation
- Too many pages targeting the same keyword
- Incomplete basics such as schema, meta data and ALT tags
You aren’t targeting the right keywords
Sure, using the keywords “social media marketing” might seem like a good idea because you run a social media marketing agency, but is it really? You see, people who are searching those keywords aren’t looking for agencies – they’re looking for information on how to do it or what it is. Things like this can cost you from ranking on the top 3 pages of Google. So, if you want to rank for a certain keyword, it might be because the keyword means something different to Google than it does to you.
You think linking is a thing of the past
Links matter a lot, and they always will. To rank well, you need to have good backlinks from a range of sources. Some should be from good sites, others from normal sites and a few that are no-follow. Don’t cheat by purchasing links or using a generator – Google will penalise you for this and remove your website from search results (another possible reason you’re not ranking).
Your competitors are doing SEO
Your business isn’t the only one that wants to rank on Google. For every blog you’re not writing and every link you’re not building, your competitor is. Those who go the extra mile with SEO are going to see greater results. SEO might seem like it’s you against Google, but it’s really you against all your competitors.
There’s a lot you must do to get the top search engine ranking. It doesn’t happen overnight, but you can get started now. Begin by making small changes, and in a few months’ time, you’ll be surprised how far they’ve gotten you.
