10 tips to get on page 1 of google

Written by Joe on Friday, September 3, 2010

Everyone wants to know how to get on page 1 of google

Everyone with a website knows ranking highly on search engines will greatly increase traffic to their website and most likely business as well. But how do you get to page 1? These 10 search engine optimization tips will help you get started in moving up to page 1 on google.

1. Content is king

I've said if before and from the looks of it I'll be saying it for a long time. Content is king. Search engines are looking for relevant content. Don't create a website and focus all of your energy and attention on search engines. Create a positive experience for your users and you will be rewarded with long lasting organic search results.

2. Valid website

This is not so much for search engines as it is for your users. A website full of errors, that's not cross-browser compatable will make your business look bad. An invalid website may also make it harder to crawl for search engine spiders. Check with the w3c html validator to ensure your website is error free.

3. Use relevant keywords

Use, but don't abuse. A website with the same words repeated over and over is just annoying. When it comes to keywords, there needs to be a balance. You want to ensure that search engines rank your page for the keyword you're optimizing for, but you don't want your text to seem repitive.

4. Title tags

The <title></title> element of your website is one of the most important. It tells your users and search engines what page you are on. It should be distinct and contain your keywords. Try to optimize each page title with a specific keyword or two.

5. Headings h1, h2, h

Headings are often overlooked in the big picture, but they are a simple way to let your users as well as search engines what your page is about. Your <h1></h1> should be the main topic of the web page and can be the same as the <title> of the page. As you move deeper into the page, label paragraphs with different levels of headings.

6. Search engine submission

If you don't submit your site, search engines won't find it. Google, yahoo, bing, etc. all allow you to create a profile and submit xml site maps. They also offer valuable analytic data about your website. This should be one of the first steps in search engine optimization. You can create an xml site map for free at xml-sitemaps.com.

7. Social networking

Find where your customers and potential customers are hanging out and advertise towards them. If you have many customers on linkedin, get on linked in and start interacting. If your customers on facebook, get on facebook and start interacting. If you have many customers on.. you get the point. Find your customers and talk to them. Social networking is all about building brand awareness and building trust and relationships with your customers.

8. Directory submissions

There are tons of free directory websites on the internet. A quick search on google will bring up pages and pages. Try to submit to local directories and directories related to your field. At the very least, this will help you build some inlinks and get some traffic. Onewaytextlink.com offers an impressive list of free and paid directories. Sign up and start submitting!

9. Build inlinks

Get inlinks from quality websites. This is a little more time consuming but will pay off huge. A few links from reputable websites will build a good reputation for your website and keep you moving up the ranks on google. Make sure to use your keywords for title tags, alt tags, and your link text.

10. Don't pay, go organic

In my opinion, paid advertising (unless you have a big budget) is a waste of time. Yes you will get traffic and it will make you feel good about your efforts. But when you stop paying, your traffic stops. Try to develop a useful resource for your users. Write articles or blog. Keep your content fresh and give your customers something to look forward to. It may take longer but organic search engine optimiztion will keep traffic flowing to your website.

Need help analyzing your websites search engine visisbility or optimizing your content? Contact us and we will take a look at your website and let you know how we can help.