One of the biggest questions business owners ask is, "What does Google want to see to rank at the top?"
This post will review key techniques to help your website rank on Google search.
Let's start with this; Google likes when you use all of their free products; this includes Google My Business listing, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and more.
When you want to impress Google and set up your business properly from the start, I will give you an idea of what that includes.
1st. Create your business listing in Google My Business. You must verify this listing for Google to trust the information. Learn how to do this by reading the post about Google My Business listings.
2nd. SEO Tags. On your website, you need to set up your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for Google to understand what keywords are used to describe your business. There are several opportunities on your website to show Google the keywords you want to rank for.
3rd. Consistency is key. Google will not trust you if they discover something different about your business elsewhere. Verify all your business listings on the web, and ensure all your information is accurate and up to date.
4th. Don't let it get stale. If you do not update your website or your listings with new content, Google assumes you have gone out of business or could be outdated.
5th. User engagement. Google can access the user traffic data from your Analytics account and monitor how your visitors enjoy your website. If you find they are not engaging, consider changing your website to be more appealing.
6th. Mobile friendly. If you have not gotten with the times and made your website mobile-friendly, you will not see an improvement in your SEO ranking until you do.
These are just a few things to consider when improving your Google search ranking.
For more details on what Google is looking for to improve your ranking, read Google's 200 Ranking Factors, The Complete List (2023) by Ananyaa Venkat.