Google Ranking SEO: Do’s & Dont’s In 2021

Google Ranking – Just what you need!

Ranking blooming – i.e. as high as possible on page 1 of the Google search results – is the SEO dream par excellence. There are many approaches, tips, and tricks on making it to this popular position. But these don’t always work.

Because the Google algorithm changes frequently, its factors are about as secret as the recipe for Coca Cola. What is more apparent, however, is what refers you to the unpopular lower places in the ranking. Read in this post what you should not do if you want to rank well!

Keywords are like salt: a must-have in your content.

As a first point, let’s look at the large complex of ‘keywords’. Keywords are the search terms that we enter on Google. These can be simple words or word combinations (“potatoes cooking time”) or more complex formulations, so-called “long-tail keywords” (“how long must a lasagna stay in the oven”).

It is essential to optimize all of the content on your website for the most critical keywords in your industry. And there is the first no-go if you want to rank well: Keyword stuffing – the excessive use of a particular keyword on a page. Preferably even as “hidden text” with white text on a white background. That still worked in the early days of Google.

Today this method is useless. Because Google calculates the keyword density, the so-called “Keyword Density”. It describes the thickness of the keyword in touch with the entire text. If this keyword density is too high, your ranking will also deteriorate. So make sure you distribute keywords sensibly, contextually and not excessively numerous.

Also, make sure to use other keywords and synonyms in your texts! An example: A website for a dog hairdressing salon should not only contain the keyword “dog hairdresser”, but also “grooming”, “how often should I bathe my dog”, “paw care”, “claw cutting” or “dog grooming”. This network of relevant keywords helps Google to understand the context of your website better.

Well, tendrils mean thinking about the “small keywords”, too.

Another mistake that you shouldn’t make is ignoring small keywords. If you want to rank well, we advise you only to use the keywords with the most significant search volume. Because these have a decisive disadvantage: They are often already used on thousands of other websites.

The competition is sometimes huge – and that makes it challenging to rank well. So take a look at which niche keywords are right for you. If an informative article (or a well-made video) appears between countless irrelevant Amazon links to specialist books for a keyword that searched for, the searcher will be happy.

How quickly do you succumb to the temptation to use a perfect keyword on multiple pages? It can’t hurt, can it? But. A rule of thumb is one keyword per page. Anyone who uses many keywords – for example, because they run a blog – should beware of keyword cannibalism.

Main keywords used twice and three times do not rank well. In that case, it is crucial to go through the website calmly. On which pages / in which posts were the exact keywords used? Can they be exchanged? Are there alternatives? Or can the contributions be gone anyway because they are out of date and out of date?

Content and user experience: If you want to rank well, you should catch up here

We talked so much about keywords right from the start – and they are no longer the only important thing to rank well. The topics of content and user experience are becoming more and more relevant. And there, too, you should avoid some mistakes as much as possible.

An example of what you shouldn’t do: Make entire pages identical or copy content 1: 1 from other websites. This phenomenon is also known as duplicate content in the marketing world. According to Google, duplicate content of individual content elements is not a problem.

But the more details of a page exactly match another page, the more critically Google evaluates this page. And if the algorithm detects duplicate content, we can interpret it as an attempt to deceive (e.g. a copy of someone else’s landing page ), Google will worsen your ranking.

Basically, from a legal point of view, you shouldn’t steal content from other sites anyway. It can, by the way, cause you problems with copyright or intellectual property. With duplicate content, you are potentially falling in favour of Google and that of your readers. So don’t do that. Instead, rely on your content and write your texts.

Don’t link to others? – Big mistake!

And while we’re on other websites: Please don’t make a mistake here and “hoard” your readers. According to the motto, “If I link to another website now, I’ll lose it!” If you want to rank well, you will have to link!

Google idolizes links to reputable, relevant other sites and rates the linked site as profound and relevant. Of course, you don’t have to link to other pages at every point in your text. But two links to reputable websites per post explain a term (just not your main keyword!) In more detail, it has a positive effect on your ranking. Just dare!

It continues with the topic of user experience, the user experience. In May 2020, Google published a statement on the blog of its Search Central, according to which the user experience will play an essential role in the ranking in the future. For you, this means: If you want to rank well, you shouldn’t compromise on the user-friendliness of your website.

That means in plain language: Make sure that your page loads quickly and thoroughly. Pay attention to straightforward navigation and an appealing design. The background: poor user experience increases the bounce rate of your page. If you have to wait ten seconds or can’t find your way around in the side menu, you can leave your page quickly and select a different search result. Google notices this – and lets you fall in the ranking.

Mobile-first: Optimized websites rank better if they are for mobile devices.

Rank well in Google, and it is imperative to take into account Google’s “mobile-first” strategy. Because more and more people are going online with their smartphones. So don’t make the mistake of optimizing your website only for display on the computer monitor. Instead, provide your mobile users with a customized, fast-loading mobile version of your website. In this way, you improve the user experience of mobile website visitors and increase the Google ranking.

Last but not least, let’s take a quick look at your long-term strategy. It is also crucial if you want to rank well. The biggest mistake is to optimize the website only once and then sit back and relax. Because, as we already mentioned at the beginning, the Google algorithm is constantly evolving.

Therefore, always keep an eye on your online strategy; so you can react quickly to changes. In addition, to stay relevant, you should always check your published content to ensure it is up-to-date. Always keep website SEO and content up to date. Because if you stop, you lose.

Ranking well doesn’t happen overnight.

Ranking well is a topic that encompasses many different aspects and determined by new factors. So don’t be fooled by supposed experts who promise you number 1 in search results in 2 weeks. Just rely on tried and tested methods, heed the criteria mentioned above and now and then check out what Google itself has to say about the ranking factors. Experiment, try it out. And always be aware: if you want to rank well in the long term, you should bring time and patience.