If this resonates with you, know that you’re not alone. Each of us has experienced times when we’ve put our heart and soul (and perhaps some caffeine) into crafting an outstanding blog post, just to see it get lost on page 10 of Google’s search results.
Why doesn’t your blog rank well? More importantly, what can you do to improve this situation?
This article will guide you through the primary causes of why your blog might not be ranking well and, even more crucially, provide solutions for addressing these issues.
1. Employ Suitable Key Phrases
To start with, consider the importance of keywords. While crafting excellent content may seem sufficient for ranking high on Google, this isn’t entirely true. The key point is that Google must understand what your blog post covers. How do they determine this? Through analyzing your choice of keywords. This process goes beyond simply picking arbitrary terms related to your topic; instead, Google uses advanced algorithms capable of detecting incorrect keyword selections.
I discovered this through experience. Once, I authored an article titled “Why Small Businesses Should Utilize Social Media.” Although the information was strong, I neglected to conduct thorough keyword research. I incorporated expressions that seemed appropriate to me but did not align with what individuals were actually looking up online. Consequently, my piece failed to gain traction. A swift verification using resources such as
SEMrush
It turned out that the phrase “social media” for small businesses was searched much more frequently, indicating that this is the kata kunciI should have focused on instead. A valuable lesson has been learned here.
To resolve this issue, conduct thorough kata kunciresearch. You can utilize tools such as Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner, and Ubersuggest to discover the most sought-after and pertinent keywords for your subject matter.
2. Dive Deep When Composing
Google’s algorithms aren’t just about keywords; they evaluate the depth of your content. If your blog post is too short, say, 300 words or less, it’s not giving Google enough information to rank it appropriately.
Google prefers longer, in-depth content because it tends to be more comprehensive and valuable to readers. When someone searches for something, they want more than just a quick answer; they want detailed, insightful content that covers the topic entirely.
Recalling my initial days as a writer, I felt thrilled to produce around 400-word pieces. However, after several weeks, I noticed that my articles weren’t appearing on the first page of search engine results when I looked them up. A brief investigation revealed that leading articles typically exceeded 1,500 words, brimming with comprehensive details, practical advice, and relevant examples. My short contributions seemed like mere appetizers next to those substantial main courses.
In order to address this issue, strive for each blog post to contain at least 1,500 words. However, prioritize producing high-quality material over merely meeting the word limit; ensure comprehensive coverage of the subject matter. Organize your writing using subtitles to segment the text effectively, incorporate pertinent data, and offer insightful observations to benefit your audience. Also, remember not to neglect previous entries—update them as necessary since Google favors current content, and appending recent details could enhance their visibility significantly. Furthermore, leverage tools such as
SurferSEO
Can assist you in determining the usual word counts for your blogs relative to those of your competitors.
3. Do Not Ignore The Power of Backlinks
Did you know that Google’s love language is backlinks? These are links from other websites that point to your content. Google uses backlinks as a signal that your content is trustworthy and authoritative. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more likely Google is to push your content up the search results. In other words, backlinks are one of Google’s top-ranking factors.
I once paid little attention to backlinks until I observed that leading blogs often boasted scores—or even hundreds—of these links directing towards their pages. It dawned on me then that acquiring backlinks held equal importance with crafting excellent content. Consequently, a buddy suggested I begin establishing high-quality backlinks through networking with influential figures in my field, contributing articles for others’ sites, and appearing in expert panels. To my surprise, this strategy led to an impressive surge in traffic—a 40% increase within mere months.
According to
Ahrefs SEO Statistics
There is a positive relationship between the number of websites linking to a page and its search traffic; pages receiving more backlinks tend to have higher rankings compared to those with fewer or no links.
4. Your Website’s Load Time Shouldn’t Be as Slow as a Snail On Holiday
Nobody enjoys waiting around for a webpage to load, including Google. Should your situs web be sluggish, Google will not prioritize it highly in search rankings. The velocity of a page is officially recognized as a determining element. Google aims to offer users the most satisfactory experience, which a delayed site fails to accomplish.
According to
, 53% of mobile users will abandon a situs web if loading time exceeds 3 seconds. Therefore, ensuring rapid loading speed is not only significant for search engine optimization but also essential for retaining visitors on your webpage.
I previously worked with a client who had a website that loaded, on average, in about 11 seconds. To diagnose the problem, I utilized Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool and discovered numerous issues such as oversized images, redundant scripts, and various other elements hindering the loading time. After making adjustments—like optimizing the image sizes and implementing browser caching—the bounce rate decreased by approximately 15% within one week, and the site began improving its search engine rankings.
I suggest utilizing tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights and
GTMetrix
To assess your website’s performance speed, proceed with optimization for all elements causing delays. A quicker site enhances user satisfaction and improves search engine placement.
5. Engage Your Audience
Google doesn’t solely consider the number of visitors to your situs web; it also evaluates how those visitors engage with your material. Should users quickly leave your site within mere seconds, Google may conclude that your content lacks value. Let’s be honest—nobody enjoys reading dull articles. Therefore, Google aims to promote content that captivates readers and maintains their interest.
It’s a frequent error that individuals frequently commit while authoring a blog post. Authors and bloggers generally concentrate on cramming their pieces with valuable content; however, they neglect to infuse these writings with an appealing persona or captivating style. Should you fall into this category, expect a substantial number of visitors to quickly leave your page and linger for only brief periods.
What should you do?
You ought to incorporate more humor, narrative elements, and personal anecdotes into your postings. By doing so, you’ll see a notable enhancement in the page’s reading duration.
Be sure to use a warm and inviting tone, share some engaging tales, and throw in thought-provoking questions to keep your audience hooked. After all, the longer visitors stick around on your page, the higher Google will likely place your content. Actually,
HubSpot
discovered that 75% of individuals do not look beyond the initial page of search outcomes; hence, your material needs to be engaging enough to encourage further reading.
6. Ensure Your Blog Is Mobile-Ready
In our current masa, mobile traffic has become colossal. More than half of all worldwide web traffic originates from mobile devices, and Google recognizes this fact. Therefore, being mobile-friendly is currently an important ranking criterion. Should your blog lack mobile optimization, you could be losing access to a significant portion of potential visitors.
I discovered this issue when examining a blog’s performance on mobile devices. While the website appeared well-designed on desktops, it performed poorly on mobile phones. Images were truncated, buttons were too tiny to tap easily, and the text was hard to read. Once I recommended optimizing the site for mobile users, both their traffic volume and search engine rankings saw significant improvement.
I suggest utilizing Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to assess your website’s performance on mobile devices. Next, make sure your site is responsive so it adjusts seamlessly to various screen sizes. Failing to do this can result in losing significant traffic and negatively impacting your search engine ranking.
Conclusion: Is SEO Rankings a Long-Term Race or a Short Burst?
There isn’t a secret recipe for getting your blog to appear on the first page of Google search results. However, you can maximize your chances of success by concentrating on relevant keywords, creating comprehensive and top-notch content, acquiring backlinks, improving website loading times, and interacting with your readers.
It requires time, effort, and some planning. However, believe me, the outcomes make it worthwhile. Therefore, do not feel disheartened if your blog has not ranked yet. Search engine optimization is a long race, not a short dash.
Through perseverance and a bit of adjustment, you’ll find your hard work pays dividends. Once this occurs, you’ll rise to the pinnacle of Google’s search results, and your audience will express their gratitude!
Chidinma Enemanna serves as an SEO Content Specialist and Brand Specialist at Moniepoint Inc.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.
Syndigate.informasi
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