Getting on the 1st page of Google in 2016

People rarely bother to click through to the next page of results. In fact, here’s a few figures to have a think about. 75% of people never go past the first page of search result. But don’t think that the paid adverts are swaying this number. Eye tracking studies show that we focus on the organic results, and some of the adverts are ignored by 3 quarters of the people in the study. There is not one way that Google recommends to get on the front page. There are hundreds of hints and tips that SEO and other marketers will use to tweak the search results, but there is one key point where it all starts. Create stuff your target market wants to view. Think of the web like a media store, and Google the shop assistant. A customer walks in and asks for a particular book, magazine, or video and the shop assistant goes off to find the best possible product in the store. This is Googles aim; the idea is that when someone searches for something the algorithm finds the best possible match for them. This may sound painfully simple, but there is an art to the creation of great content. Step 1. Keep it on topic. Nothing will make a customer, and Google turn away, faster than something that they didn’t come to look at. Make sure that topic draws in your target market. Step 2. Make sure it’s correct. Factually, grammatically, how it’s situated. An incorrect article, or a badly spelled opening paragraph can get customers leaving as fast as they came, and Google records this. Step 3. Forget less is more, more is more, and it still might not be enough. You need to be updating your page as often as possible. Added to that a well-researched, in-depth article that offers real value to the customer will keep them reading. A customer that stays on your page and interacts shows Google that your site is the one to offer to the next customer. In 2016 the reader wants long form content, rather than soundbites. Step 4. Get it out there via other channels. Yes, you are looking for good results from Google, but if you have traffic from other sources this is a form of social proof to the computers that are choosing who next to show to the searcher. Getting on the front page is no easy task, and don’t be ashamed to ask for help. We’ve looked at just the first step in becoming visible online. Investing in your online presence is as important as your location and shop front for many businesses.

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