Accomplishing top position in Google search results pages is a typical aspiration for every online website. Some established brands and authoritative websites that have adopted efficient digital marketing strategies rank well in search results, whereas others are still scrambling to make their websites SEO friendly. Yet, many websites that have reached good positions in search results fail to maintain consistency and their rankings fall down to lower levels. There could be many reasons for drop in rankings including algorithm changes and revamping of the website. Regardless of the reasons, there are some common strategies that every website should follow to safeguard its position in search result pages.
Frequently update the site with quality content
One of the factors that Google algorithm considers while ranking websites is content freshness and quality. To keep websites alive it is necessary to update them often with valuable information which is beneficial to the users. Sites that cannot offer both content quality and content freshness remain low in rankings because they are treated as low quality websites. Even a highly ranked website might gradually drop its position in search results if it is not frequently updated with articles, and new web pages. Sometimes, websites & blogs update content frequently but hardly notice any impact on their rankings. That means they are not creating the right kind of content. For quality content websites need to focus on user experience. Readers find it more interesting if the information is adorned with images and videos instead of plain text content. This will not only enhance user engagement with the website, but also improves Search Engine Ranking .
Maintain good website speed across multiple devices
The page speed remains one of the important ranking factors in Google algorithm because it is indicator of positive user experience with the website. Users will less likely visit those websites that have slow loading speeds. While hosting and design remain as deciding factors for loading time, the device that has been used to access the website also plays an important role. Especially, websites that work normally in desktops may become slow in mobiles & tabs because of non-mobile friendly design. With Google making responsive design as a criteria of search engine ranking algorithm, many sites are updating themselves to mobile friendly approach to improve their positions in search result pages. If a website is not consistent in loading quickly across multiple devices, the users may lose interest in visiting such slow websites. Due to high bounce rates, which indicate low visitor engagement, the site may also drop its rankings in Google search results.
Keep link gaining practices natural
While content is a big contributor for Google rankings, links also play an important role in determining its position in search results. Having relevant and contextual links adds credibility to the website. Many websites make mistake by focusing on gaining more quantity of links rather than quality of their backlinks. Avoid excessively optimizing the anchor text and gaining too many links too fast because its unnatural and it may get flagged by the Google algorithm. Focus on gaining links from relevant and trusted domains that carry real value.
Maintain consistent social presence
Having social profiles will not only add credibility to the websites but also help in establishing strong brand presence online. Also, to grow number of social connections through networks is not an easy task because users will follow the posts only if they find it useful and interesting. Google values those websites that are visible and share content on social media channels. If users find the content helpful they link to it and eventually there is a possibility of getting social media presence for that website.