How to Get on Page 1 of Google With These 7 Tips

In the words of Ricky Bobby, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.”

With users rarely visiting the second page of search results, it’s critical to rank on the first page of Google. That’s why we’ve compiled our tips for how to get your website on the first page of Google.

Why does the first page of Google matter?

The first page of Google — and getting your website on it — matters because few users visit beyond the first page of search results. In fact, the first page of search results receives 95% of the traffic.

So, if you can get on page one of Google, you can get:

• More brand visibility
• More organic traffic
• More leads and/or sales

How to get on page 1 of Google

Learn how to get on page 1 of Google now:

1. Do SEO audits

Regular SEO audits (think monthly or quarterly) can help surface SEO issues or opportunities. For example, you can use SEO audits to resolve 404 errors on your website, which can affect rankings.

Free SEO audit tools include Screaming Frog, as well as SEO.com.

2. Target long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are a phenomenon for search engine optimization (SEO).

Although they get less traffic, they often yield higher conversion rates for businesses. Searchers looking for a general topic often receive an answer and click away, while someone with a very specific search is often ready to take action.

For example, “men’s basketball shoes” is a general keyword, while “Nike’s best basketball sneakers” is a long-tail keyword. Although more people may search for the general option, the individuals browsing for the long tail keyword probably want to buy the shoes.

Use long-tail keywords to reach (and convert) your audience.

3. Follow SEO best practices

Getting on the first page of Google requires following SEO best practices, like:

• Making your content crawlable and indexable
• Using your target keyword in your title tag and meta description
• Formatting your content so it’s easy-to-skim, like with bulleted lists
• Enhancing your content with schema markup
• Improving your user experience (UX), like by compressing images

For more SEO best practices, use our SEO checklist!

4. Produce helpful content

Crawling, indexing, and ranking the web requires a tremendous amount of resources, which is one reason Google has emphasized the importance of helpful content. If you want to get your website first on Google, then be useful.

You can produce helpful content by:

• Sharing anecdotes, like how your business does XYZ
• Highlighting author experience or credentials to demonstrate E-E-A-T
• Providing multimedia, like graphics or videos, to improve understanding

When you provide unique value, your content stands out from other content in the search engine results pages (SERPs). You also stand out to users by demonstrating that you know this topic — and can help them.

5. Develop shareable resources

Your backlink profile is one of Google’s most significant ranking factors.

Google uses backlinks similar to citations in academic papers — to understand the reputation and trust of a website. If you receive backlinks from reputable sites in your sector, that indicates to Google trust.

Building backlinks isn’t easy, but there are some proven strategies, like:

• Outreaching sites with broken links where your content is a relevant replacement
• Developing interactive tools, like a calculator, quiz, or game, relevant to your industry
• Producing first-party data via studies or polls

6. Claim Google My Business

Note: If your business doesn’t have a physical location, skip this tactic!

Google Business Profile is one of the most powerful tools for local businesses to rank on Google. Begin by creating a Google My Business account. You’ll need to claim your location and verify your listing.

Optimizing your Google Business Profile allows you to appear in Google Maps for localized searches, like ‘gluten-free bakery near me’. It’s key that you provide all the necessary data, including your phone number, address, hours, photos, and more. 

Besides Google Business Profile, your organization can also create localized content on your website. This content can target localized searches with longer buyer journeys, like ‘renovation company las vegas nv’.

7. Advertise with Google Ads

Note: Advertising with Google Ads will not improve your organic rankings.

If your business requires immediate visibility on Google, consider advertising with Google Ads. With a well-optimized ad, your business can appear on page one of Google and reach your target market. A Google Ads agency can assist if you need professional help.

Get on page 1 of Google with SEO experts

Getting on page 1 of Google doesn’t happen overnight — and doesn’t happen without some practice. Whether you’re new to SEO or too busy to optimize, the SEO experts at WebFX (the team behind SEO.com) can help.

Learn more about our custom SEO services now or request a custom quote!