Unlock the Secrets to SEO: Rank #1 on Google

In this post, I’ll show you EXACTLY how to get higher rankings in Google.

In fact, this is the same process I’ve used to rank #1 in Google for “SEO checklist”:

And “link building tools”:

So if you want to rank higher in Google in 2024 and beyond, you’ll love this new guide.

What is Google Ranking?

Google’s ranking metrics are designed to sort out billions of web pages to meet search intent by offering the most relevant and useful results within the shortest time possible.

Domains acquire ranking through Google’s algorithmic process that considers different factors to evaluate the quality, relevancy, and utility of an answer to a search query.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Rank High on Google

Follow these strategies for increased Google organic rankings.

• Step #1: Improve Your On-Site SEO
• Step #2: Add LSI Keywords To Your Page
• Step #3: Monitor Your Technical SEO
• Step #4: Match Your Content to Search Intent
• Step #5: Reduce Your Bounce Rate
• Step #6: Find Even Keywords to Target
• Step #7: Publish Insanely High-Quality Content
• Step #8: Build Backlinks to Your Site
• Step #9: Track and Monitor Your Results
• Step #10: Include Meaningful Visuals
• Step #11: Make Your Information Skimmable
• Bonus Step #1: Boost Your Click-Through-Rate
• Bonus Step #2: Use Internal Linking

Step #1: Improve Your On-Site SEO

Here’s the truth:

On-Page SEO is one of the FASTEST ways to improve your Google rankings.

That’s because you can optimize your page in about 2 minutes. And start to see a rankings boost within days.

Question is:

How do you optimize your site around your target keywords?

I’ve published a video that outlines pretty much everything you need to know about on-page optimization.

But if you prefer to read, here are the most important on-page tactics to implement right now.

First, make sure that your keyword is toward the beginning of your title tag.

Here’s an example:

This is called “Frontloading” your keyword.

Why is this important?

Well, Google puts slightly more emphasis on terms that show up early in your title tag. And they put less emphasis on keywords that show up later on.

As you can see, my title tag starts off with that keyword.

Second, make your content AT LEAST 1800 words.

Our analysis of Google’s key ranking factors found that the average Google first page result contains 1,447 words.

And I can tell you from experience that longer content does tend to rank best in search engines.

For example, one keyword that we rank #1 for is: “Mobile SEO”. And this is a REALLY competitive keyword.

I’m competing against giant authority sites like Moz, Yoast… even Google!

This is why I made sure my page covered EVERYTHING anyone would possibly want to know about optimizing their site for mobile devices.

In fact, my content is 4,330 total words.

Obviously, there are times when long-form content doesn’t make sense (like for an e-commerce category page). But if you can publish long content you should publish long content.

Finally, add your keyword 2-3x on your page.

This isn’t about keyword stuffing or anything like that.

Instead, when you add relevant terms to your page, you tell Google:

“This page is about this search query!”.

Which can help you get a nice rankings boost.

For example, I recently wanted to improve my rankings for the keyword “squeeze page”.

So I sprinkled that term a handful of times on my page where it made sense.

Simple.

This leads us to our second step…

Step #2: Add LSI Keywords To Your Page

LSI keywords are an advanced on-page SEO tactic.

And they’re working GREAT right now.

So: what the heck are LSI keywords?

They’re words and phrases that are related to the topic of your page.

For example, here are some example LSI keywords for the keyword “Cold Brew Coffee”.

These LSI keywords confirm to Google that your content is actually about that topic.

And, as it turns out, covering an entire topic on a single page is KEY for ranking on the first page of Google.

How do you find and use LSI keywords on your site?

I recommend checking out a free SEO tool called LSIGraph.

All you need to do is pop your main keyword into the tool…

…and it’ll spit out a handful of LSI keywords that you can add to your page.

…and it’ll spit out a handful of LSI keywords that you can add to your page.

Nice.

Step #3: Monitor Your Technical SEO

For 90% of the websites out there, technical SEO is NOT an issue.

That said:

Even though they’re rare, technical SEO problems can really hurt your site’s SEO.

So they’re worth paying attention to.

Specifically, here are three things to keep an eye on:

The first thing I recommend is to double-check that your site is 100% optimized for mobile devices.

It’s 2022. So this probably isn’t an issue for you.

But it never hurts to check.

Fortunately, checking your site’s mobile optimization is an absolute cinch.

All you need to do is use plug a URL from your website into the Mobile-Friendly Testing tool from Google.

If you see all green, you’re set.

If not, that’s something you want to fix ASAP.

I also recommend looking to see how quickly your site loads.

It’s no secret that a site’s average loading time is a Google ranking factor.

In my experience, Page Speed isn’t a super duper important ranking factor. But it does make a difference.

So go ahead and run your site through site speed tools like WebPageTest.org or Website Checker. They are free and give you a detailed outlook to help clean up any technical issues on your domain.

It’s free and gives you a laundry list of ways you can speed things up.

Next, head over to the Search Console.

And go to “Index” → “Coverage” in the sidebar.

If Google is having trouble indexing your site, they’ll let you know here.

As you can see, I have 1 “Valid With Warnings” error.

Those are no biggie. But they’re worth fixing.

But if you see lots of red “Errors”, that’s something I recommend looking into right away.

Finally, if your site runs on WordPress, I recommend using the Yoast SEO plugin.

Will this plugin magically improve your rankings?

No.

But it can help make your WordPress site SEO-friendly out of the box.

Step #4: Match Your Content to Search Intent

“Search Intent” is the new buzzword in the world of SEO.

And for good reason.

Thanks largely to RankBrain, Google can now figure out if your site is a good fit for a specific keyword.

In other words, Google pays attention to how people interact with your website.

And if people generally get what they’re looking for from your page, you can expect your rankings to improve.

If not, Google will drop your site down a few spots.

The key in this step is to make sure your page gives a searcher EXACTLY what they’re looking for.

Let me explain how this works with a real-life example.

A few years ago I wanted to rank for the keyword “Conversion Rate Optimization”.

So we spent WEEKS working on this giant list of CRO techniques.

At first, the content did really well. It was getting a decent amount of search engine traffic every month.

But over time, Google figured out that people searching for “Conversion Rate Optimization” didn’t want a giant list of techniques.

And, as you can see from this Google Analytics screenshot, organic traffic to that page slowly declined.

So after some time, I decided to figure out what the Search Intent for “Conversion Rate Optimization” actually was.

First, I thought about what someone typing that phrase into Google is looking for.

And I realized that they probably want content that includes:

• A definition of what CRO actually is
• A description of how CRO works
• Examples of CRO in action
• Tips for getting started

Second, I looked at what was already ranking on the first page.

And I quickly noticed that pretty much every result on the first page included all the stuff that my content was missing.

(Mostly in the form of a giant beginner’s guide.)

So I completely reworked my content from scratch.

I turned that list of techniques into Conversion Rate Optimization: The Definitive Guide

Now that my page matches Search Intent, it now gets 214% more organic traffic than before.

Bottom Line? If you want to improve your Google ranking, your page needs to be a GREAT fit for what someone’s searching for.

When you do, Google will WANT to show your site to more people. Which is why giving Google what it wants is the foundation of any good SEO strategy.

Step #5: Reduce Your Bounce Rate

Our next step is to improve your site’s Bounce Rate.

Why does this matter?

Well, Google doesn’t like to see people landing on a site… and quickly bouncing back to the search results.

This is a clear sign to Google that people aren’t happy. And if users aren’t happy, you can kiss your rankings bye-bye.

Needless to say, lining up your content with Search Intent is a GREAT way to improve your bounce rate.

After all, you’re giving a searcher what they’re looking for. Why would they bounce?

Besides Search Intent, there are a handful of simple things you can do to improve your site’s bounce rate.

First, I recommend looking at your site’s “Above The Fold” section.

This is the first thing people see when they land on your site.

And in my experience, people decide to bounce or not bounce largely on what they see here.

The #1 thing you can do to improve your above the fold area is to push your content to the top. That way, Google searchers can easily find what they’re looking for.

For example, you can see that my content is at the very top of my page here.

You also want to structure your page so it’s easy for people to find what they’re looking for.

For example, you might have noticed that I added a little table of contents at the top of this page.

That way, people can jump directly to the step that they’re most interested in.

Lastly, add visuals, videos, charts, screenshots, selfies… or any form of visual content you can to your page.

This makes your content more compelling and easier to understand. Both of which can reduce your bounce rate A LOT.

For example, I add dozens of visuals to every single post.