Have you ever wondered how search engines rank hundreds of thousands of sites? All these sites have seemingly almost similar content. Today, the internet is flooded with sites offering information. In fact, there are more answers than questions in the online space. A click on any topic, in a search engine, will almost spontaneously, yield tons of responses and suggestions.
You want your site to rank high, and so does a few thousands of others. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is what you need to fathom in order to beat the competition and make it on the first page, and eventually the first top-three. These crucial questions and answers will guide you on how to get the best approach to monitoring and improving your SEO ranking.
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Contents
Does good content always equal high ranking?
Since hundreds of thousands of sites are competing hard to make it top ten, your good content may stand out. However, many have as good content as you, and still, some more have even better. Search engines thrive on superior content plus endorsements as backlinks by authoritative domains. You must, therefore, combine contents and backlinks to improve your ranking. There is no way you can succeed with either alone. To successfully do this, you need an accurate rank tracker so that you can track your rank immediately you start optimizing your site.
Does the length of an article really matter in SEO?
The more words in an article, the better. A 3000 words article has more say and more to offer than a 200 words article. It will thus rank higher. However, avoid fluff: you must aim straight to the concrete and precise answers to the question or inquiry made by the visitor of your site. Unnecessary words will bore and scare away your visitors. Search engines do not prefer them. It is therefore not just the length of an article, but rather the pregnancy of ideas therein.
How long does it take to improve ranking?
Just like how a child grows, your results will not be realized overnight. You need patience and persistence. Do not get tired of gathering good backlinks. Remember you are in competition. Furthermore, just like one child may grow faster than the other; your ranking will vary from content to content and from site to site. The most important thing is that your SEO ranking is improving, and building up momentum. With time and endurance, you will eventually be there.
Why has my rank decreased of late?
Google algorithm is never perpetual. Its updates are periodical and unpredictable. The most recent one may have affected your ranking. You can also investigate if Google is punishing you for failing to adhere to set rules. You also need to check if you have lost a good chunk of backlinks. This can really diminish your authority. Your competitor can also overtake you by improving their SEO. Remember to spy on their backlinks by using monitor backlinks. Some aggressive competitors can send you faulty backlinks to drag you down.
Is page link tool still a factor in SEO metrics?
No, Google stopped updating PageRank toolbar some two years ago. By the look of things, they are not going to update again. PageRank tool is therefore not a good barometer to measure your rank.
Are all links useful for SEO?
Although all links can be helpful, not all of them add value to SEO. Only backlinks count in optimization. Dofollow links drive search engines. No-to-follow links are good as they expose your business though. There is no need then to disavow them. Links are like recommendations. Watch out for backlinks from penalized sites otherwise search engine may consider you also a culprit.
Conclusion
Even before you invest in a third-party to improve your SEO, understand how a search engine works. Chose well researched and contrite content. It is prudent to let your ranking improve gradually instead of buying backlinks which can even harm your ranking. When your ranking decreases, investigate and never grow tired of improving, bearing in mind that your competitors never tire. With these, you will master SEO; hence your ranking will remain high.