Answering the question “why is my site not ranking?” can involve hundreds of elements. However, there are 2 main tracks to SEO (Search Engine Optimization), (1) Onsite Optimization and (2) Offsite Optimization.
Onsite Optimization involves dozens of on-page elements including:
- Keyword Research
- Having unique keyword rich page titles.
- Unique page descriptions.
- Content-rich, text rich content well represented by the unique keywords for each page.
There are dozens more onsite elements. All of this is important; however, doing all onsite optimization perfectly rarely results in page 1 rankings for competitive keywords. It is just the essential foundation.
Your website also requires the constant implementation of new content, anchored by the addition of a dynamic site map on the site itself. The content should mainly be textual content but also should include images, videos, podcasts, animation all optimized so that the search engine spiders properly index the content. Textual content includes articles, blog posts and press releases. The dynamic site map submits the new, updated sitemap every time content is changed or edited to the each of the major search engines. This fosters rapid indexing of the new pages to your site and prompts search engine crawling. For the most part, increasing the rate of search engine crawling is positive for SEO purposes.
Even the addition of a dynamic site map with a steady stream of content does not make a major difference because all of these “onsite techniques” do not by themselves generate one quality backlink – an inbound link to your website. This is where Off-site Optimization comes into play. You need to promote your new content targeting many thousands of potential websites that are likely to be interested in either publishing your content or simply linking to your content already indexed on your web page(s). Content syndication to article sites, publishing sites, social media and social bookmarking sites is the major results-oriented process towards generating the highest quality and quantity of backlinks.
You can’t syndicate unless you have something to syndicate … CONTENT. This is the most common deficiency we at Optimum7 see when clients find us and share their website with us. Writing articles every week, posting to your blog every day, recording a podcast or video regularly is the essential raw material you need to generate backlinks and successfully promote your website.
If you do all of the above (few do) and you still don’t see yourself ranking for your top terms, you will need to review the competitive stats of those who are already on the first page of Google. How many backlinks do they have? How many do you have? What is your link velocity? i.e. are you increasing your backlinks at a significantly higher rate than your page 1 competition? If so, you are on the right track and keep going. If not you have to increase your content creation rate and ultimately your syndication rate; this is the only way to increase your link velocity in a meaningful way.
You also have to be patient. SEO takes time; significant time. It can take several months and in the most competitive situations (mortgage, real estate, insurance, etc) it can more than 24 months to significantly rank for your most important keywords.
You also need to review critically your keyword research. Few recognize that over 60% of searches involve 3 or more keywords. If all your keywords are 1 or 2 keywords, you are missing most of your market and missing keyword phrases that are usually much easier / faster to rank for.
As you can begin to see there are many factors involved to understand why your website is not ranking. You can get a website analysis performed by a Professional SEO Company or full service Internet Marketing Company. However, remember, ultimately it’s all about content, syndicating content to generate high levels of backlinks.
Search for “Internet Marketing Servicess” or “Internet Marketing Company” on Google if you can’t do these things yourself (again, few can).
Contact us if this sounds like you and we’d be glad to help. The initial consultation involves no obligation.
