What Do Search Engines Really, Really, Really Want?
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What search engines want is entirely different from what many site owners believe. Moreover, many site owners are unwilling to do, learn, or make the necessary effort to gain desired results.
I am always asked how to improve rankings and reach the top of Google. These are the same questions I’ve been asked for almost three decades. Almost three decades? Yup. And guess what? My answer hasn’t changed all that much.
The big-time changes, which are more like additional considerations, have been the addition of social media and mobile. And the fact that most markets are saturated.
Are you up to the search engine challenge?
First things first. It is challenging, if not impossible, for new sites to secure above-the-fold, top-of-page rankings on Google. Or even most established sites, for that matter. This is especially true considering that Google now fills those slots with AI results and paid advertising.
Think about this… What will make your website better than those that have owned those spots for years? And what are you willing to do to accomplish that?
Having a website is not a set-and-forget proposition. “Working” on your website is never-ending and requires time, effort, and money to keep it competitive.
So, how do I get search engine rankings?
Here are just a few things to start with…
By applying the above, your rankings will improve — over time. There are no tricks, submission engines, software, or workarounds to avoid what you need to do.
Nor will long lists of keywords to be “added somewhere” provide great rankings. (Are you keyword-stuffing your tags?) Instead, keyword phrases should be used only logically and prudently throughout your site, in an informative and relevant context.
FREE: Find new keywords for your market…
Search Engine Ranking Shortcuts?
There are none. I’ve lost count of the number of clients over the years who threw good money after bad at some gimmick, “guru,” or “solution” that only served to cater to what they didn’t want to embrace and then provided negligible results—under the guise of fast, easy, and tremendous results!
Don’t work it, and you won’t earn it!
Most of these “solutions” do not include the following:
- Quality, properly optimized content.
- New, fresh content is added consistently.
- One-way inbound links from trusted sites.
“SEO” is what it is; we have no control over that. All we can control is how we manage our websites when armed with search engine guidelines. Unfortunately, there are no silver bullets, magic pills, scripts, or programs that negate the need to understand the work required to achieve the desired rankings you and millions of others want.
What do search engines want?
They aim to provide the most accurate and relevant results for the search queries they receive. As a result, you can read precisely what Bing, Google, and Yahoo! expect from your site:
Even if you follow the above to a “T,” that still will not guarantee top rankings; other variables, such as Expertise, Authority, and Trust, come into play.
Yes, I know. Sometimes, search engines perform better on some queries than on others. However, technology is a never-ending work in progress, as should your website.
Some search engines are better and more transparent than others, while others are more focused on ad revenue. Each has a right to decide their business model — just as you do. However, one thing is clear: your business model should not depend solely on free (organic) search engine rankings.
Search engines want the good stuff—so give it to them.
At your service,
