What’s all the fuss about ranking your business/website higher on Google (or Bing, Yahoo, etc)? Why are business owners throwing in their hard-earned money on SEO and PPC to show up on the top?
Are they being competitive, or does SERP matter?
Well, asking experts this question can get you a dropped jaw and a raised eyebrow. In simple words, you are asking them if the water is wet.
ofcourse IT MATTERS!
You won’t believe it that Google alone is managing over 90% of the searches, followed by Bing at 3.19%, Yandex at 1.52%, Yahoo at 1.33%, Baidu at 0.76%, and DuckDuckGo at 0.64%.
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How to Earn Those Top Rankings – A Multifaceted Strategy
Google Ads – The Other Side Of The Same Coin
SERPs are everything that SEO stands for. Not only SEO but Google Ads as well! You need to be on the top of the listings when a potential visitor searches for a product or service you offer. If you are not there, your competitor is taking away all the golden leads from you like a piece of cake.
Topping the search engines is more challenging today than it was in 2023. You have to navigate the changing algorithms and hundreds of things to direct more conversions and traffic to your website.
That’s why websites fight for user attention within search engine results pages (SERPs) confines. Understanding these complex battlegrounds is paramount for anyone who wants their website to be discovered. While a SERP might appear cluttered at first glance, it can be dissected into two main categories: organic and paid results.
Organic vs. Paid Results
Organic Results (Free But Time Taking)
These are the coveted listings that appear after you type in a search query. Websites earn their spots on these pages through search engine optimization (SEO). SEO encompasses a variety of tactics designed to make your website more relevant and trustworthy to search engines like Google. By optimizing your content and website structure, you increase your chances of ranking higher for specific keywords, ultimately propelling you toward the top positions on the SERP.
Imagine you own a landscaping company that builds stunning backyard escapes. To attract customers searching for those dream yards, you wouldn’t just showcase pictures of your work – you’d talk their language! Your website would strategically use keywords like “backyard landscaping near me” or “patio design ideas.” These are the words or phrases that potential customers use to find landscaping services in your area.
Read this article: 10 Best Landing Page Designs of 2023
You’d use these keywords throughout your website, from service pages titled “Backyard Landscaping Services in [Your City, State]” to blog posts that entice with titles like “Create Your Dream Backyard: Design Ideas for [Your State] Homes.” Even your contact section can use something like “Get a Free Quote for Your [City, State] Landscaping Project.”
By strategically using these keywords, your website becomes a magnet for search engines when people use those terms. This propels you higher in the search results, making you more visible to potential customers actively seeking landscaping services in your area. The more people who find your website, the more calls, inquiries, and ultimately, more clients you’ll have to transform backyards across the USA into beautiful escapes!
Paid Ad (The Fast Track But With a Price Tag)
These attention-grabbing sections, clearly labeled “Sponsored” or “Ads”, often appear at the top and bottom of the SERP. Businesses pay a fee to search engines like Google every time someone clicks on their ad. This creates a fast track to website traffic, allowing you to reach a wider audience immediately.
Think of it like this: Imagine your bakery just opened, and you’re eager to get customers through the door. Paid ads are like running eye-catching flyers in your neighborhood – they generate immediate awareness. However, unlike organic SEO, which offers long-term benefits, paid ads require continuous investment. Once you stop paying, your ads disappear from the SERP, potentially halting that influx of website visitors.
The Diverse Features of SERPs
While organic and paid listings are the foundation of SERPs, various features can significantly impact your website’s traffic.
Let’s explore the most common ones:
- Featured Snippets – Immediate Answers To Potential Customer’s Queries
Featured snippets are like knowledge gold bars displayed prominently at the top of the SERP. These short informational blocks directly answer users’ queries, saving them the trouble of clicking through multiple websites. Ranking for a featured snippet can be a game-changer, boosting your organic traffic significantly.
For example, if someone searches for the “best way to make sourdough bread,” a featured snippet from your bakery’s website containing a concise guide with helpful tips could be the golden ticket. Not only would it showcase your expertise, but it would also entice users to visit your website for the full recipe and explore your other offerings.
- Local Pack for Businesses
The local pack is for brick-and-mortar stores or businesses that cater to a local clientele. This feature displays three local business listings accompanied by a map for searches with local intent. Imagine someone searching for the “best pizza place near me.” The local pack would display three nearby pizzerias, including yours (hopefully!). Optimizing your website for local SEO with your address and relevant keywords is crucial to appearing in the local pack and attracting customers in your area.
- Shopping Results on the Web
For e-commerce websites, shopping results are the most desired. These product listings appear for searches related to shopping, showcasing product images, prices, and sometimes even seller ratings. Businesses must submit a product feed with detailed information about their offerings to be included in shopping results. This is a fantastic way to display your products directly on the SERP, reaching potential buyers actively looking to make a purchase.
Picked For You: 2024 Latest Guide For Google Shopping Ads
For instance, you own a brand specializing in limited-edition sneakers. To grab the attention of sneakerheads searching for the hottest kicks, you wouldn’t just showcase them on your website – you’d optimize them for online shopping searches!
By including your products in shopping results, your most eye-catching sneaker design could appear right when someone searches for “limited edition sneakers for men” or “retro running shoes for women.” The convenience of seeing your shoe with its price, high-quality photo, and potentially glowing customer reviews could be the instant “add to cart” moment they crave.
- People Also Ask – A Gateway to Addressing Customers Needs
This section is a treasure trove of related questions and answers from Google’s search results. It acts as a springboard for users to explore various aspects of their search query. Creating content that addresses these “People Also Ask” questions allows your website to capture even more organic traffic.
Here are some questions that might appear in the “People Also Ask” section for a search on “sourdough bread”:
- People Also Ask:
- What is the difference between sourdough bread and regular bread?
- How long does it take to make sourdough bread?
- Can you buy a sourdough starter?
- Where can I find sourdough bread baking classes?
- What are the health benefits of sourdough bread?
By creating informative blog posts or web pages that address these questions, your bakery’s website can become a valuable resource for potential customers. You could write a detailed post explaining sourdough bread’s unique characteristics and fermentation process compared to regular bread. You could offer a beginner’s guide on making sourdough bread at home, complete with a step-by-step breakdown and troubleshooting tips.
This strategy positions your website as an authority on sourdough bread and captures users actively researching the topic. By providing valuable content that addresses their specific needs, you increase the chances of them visiting your website and becoming customers.
How to Earn Those Top Rankings – A Multifaceted Strategy
The quest to dominate the market is a never-ending battle. The top spot is fiercely competitive, and simply throwing content out there won’t do the trick.
The following section will help you understand the workings of Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) and equip you with the knowledge and strategies to climb the rankings. We’ll cover your challenges, from paid ads to no-click searches, and provide actionable tips to craft a winning strategy.
Rank Organically Via SEO
Understanding the Competition
The SERP isn’t a level playing field. Paid advertisements often occupy prime positions, grabbing user attention before reaching organic listings. These targeted ads can make it difficult for your content to stand out, especially for high-intent transactional keywords.
Here’s where thorough keyword research comes in. You can increase your chances of organic success by identifying keywords with a lower cost-per-click (CPC).
Another hurdle to overcome is the rise of no-click searches. Informational searches are increasingly met with Google’s informative snippets and knowledge panels, providing users with the answer directly on the SERP without needing to click on any website.
While no-click searches can feel discouraging, there’s a silver lining. Ranking for featured snippets can significantly boost brand awareness, even if it doesn’t translate directly into clicks.
High-quality content is King
So, how do you overcome these obstacles and claim your place at the top of the SERPs? The answer lies in high-quality, relevant content. Google prioritizes content that aligns with user intent and provides a valuable, informative experience.
Conducting in-depth keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO strategy. By understanding what your target audience is searching for, you can tailor your content to address their specific needs and questions. This increases your chances of ranking for relevant keywords and ensures your content resonates with your target audience.
Even if you’ve crafted the most informative article online, it will only do you a little good if users scroll right past it. It would help if you optimized your listing’s appearance in the SERPs to entice clicks.
This involves crafting compelling titles and meta descriptions that accurately reflect your content and grab user attention. Think of your title and description as mini-adverts; they should be clear, concise, and informative, using relevant keywords to pique user interest.
Also Read: Google Ads Optimization – 13 Proven Tips To Improve Your ROI
Harnessing the Power of SERP Features
Remember to underestimate the power of SERP features like featured snippets and knowledge panels. While they might result in no clicks, they put your brand front and center, increasing visibility and brand awareness.
Optimizing your content for these features can significantly boost your organic traffic. For instance, structuring your content with clear headings and subheadings increases your chances of appearing in featured snippets.
Google Ads – The Other Side Of The Same Coin
While Google Ads can’t directly guarantee the pole position on a Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for organic search results, it can be a game-changer for increasing your visibility and potentially attracting more users to your website.
Let’s discuss how Google Ads helps you achieve this:
Keyword Targeting with Match Types: A Surgical Approach to User Intent
- Match Types
Imagine keywords as triggers for your ad. Google Ads offers various match types that function like filters, determining how closely a user’s search query needs to match your keyword to trigger your ad. By strategically selecting these match types, you can target searches with high purchase intent, ensuring your ad reaches people most likely to become customers.
- Broad Match
This is like casting a wide net in the sea. It captures a vast array of searches containing your keyword or even similar variations. While it maximizes reach, it can also lead to irrelevant clicks, where users might casually browse, not actively looking to buy. (Example: Keyword: “Sourdough bread,” Ad appears for: “Best ways to store bread”)
- Phrase Match
This offers more focus compared to a broad match. Your ad appears for searches containing your exact phrase or close variations in the correct order. It’s a good balance between reach and relevance. (Example: Keyword: “Buy sourdough starter,” Ad appears for: “Where to buy fresh sourdough starter near me”)
- Exact Match
This is like using a spear for targeted fishing. Your ad shows only for searches containing your exact keyword with minimal variations, offering the highest relevance but reaching a narrower audience. (Example: Keyword: “Sourdough bread bakery near me,” Ad appears for: “Search for ‘Sourdough bread bakery near me'”)
Related Article: Right Google Ads Keywords For Maximum Conversions
Quality Score and Ad Rank
- Quality Score
Google, in its infinite wisdom, assigns a quality score (from 1 to 10) to each of your keywords. This score reflects how relevant your keyword is to your ad group, the content on your landing page, and your ad’s expected click-through rate (CTR). A higher quality score translates to lower ad costs and a higher position on the SERP.
Here’s why:
Relevance Tops All
Google wants to show users ads that are highly relevant to their searches. So, your quality score boosts if your keywords closely match your ad content and landing page.
Compelling Landing Page
A well-designed landing page that resonates with your ad and offers a seamless user experience further improves your quality score. Imagine a user clicking on an ad for “freshly baked sourdough bread” and landing on a page overflowing with cake options. Not a good match, right?
- Ad Rank
This invisible metric determines your ad’s position on the SERP. It’s calculated by multiplying your bid (the maximum amount you’re willing to pay for a click) by your quality score and other factors like ad extensions (more on that later). So, a high-quality ad with a competitive bid has a greater chance of appearing at the top of the SERP.
Ad Extensions and Calls to Action (CTAs)
- Ad Extensions
Google Ads allows you to enhance your ad with additional information that can significantly improve user experience and encourage clicks. Here are some popular extensions:
- Location Extensions: Showcase your bakery’s address and phone number, allowing users to find you with a single tap.
- Sitelink Extensions: Include links to specific pages on your website, like your “Order Online” or “Sourdough Bread Menu” pages. This provides users with a clear path to take action.
- Call Extensions: Display your phone number directly within the ad, prompting users to call you with a simple click.
- Action Driven CTAs
Don’t underestimate the power of clear and robust CTAs in your ad copy. Tell users exactly what you want them to do next, whether it’s “Visit our website,” “Shop Now,” or “Order Delivery.” A strong CTA can significantly increase the likelihood of users converting after clicking on your ad.
Remember that it’s a balancing act. Google Ads operates on a bidding system. While a higher bid can increase your ad’s position, it’s crucial to maintain a strategic balance.
Analyze your return on investment (ROI). Aim for bids that target high-intent searches while keeping your campaign cost-effective. There’s no point topping the SERP if you’re burning through your
Final Thoughts
A Multifaceted Approach to SERP Success
Approach 1: SEO
SEO is constantly evolving, and the SERPs are no exception. New features and algorithms emerge regularly, so staying ahead of the curve is crucial. By consistently creating high-quality content, optimizing for user intent, and embracing the ever-changing SERPs, you can ensure your website thrives in the competitive world of organic search.
Approach 2: Google Ads
But don’t neglect the power of paid search with Google Ads! While SEO is a fantastic long-term strategy, Google Ads lets you target high-intent keywords and immediately reach your ideal audience. This translates into instant results and can give your website a significant boost in traffic while your SEO efforts mature.
Ad Labz: Your Google Ads Partner
Feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of Google Ads? Let Ad Labz, a certified Google Ads agency, help you boost your business via paid advertising. Our team of experts will craft compelling ad campaigns, meticulously target your ideal audience, and meticulously track your results to ensure you maximize your return on investment (ROI).
Get Started Today!
Don’t wait any longer to take control of your online presence. Contact Ad Labz today for a free consultation and learn how we can develop a data-driven Google Ads strategy to propel your website to the top of the SERPs and achieve long-term sustainable growth.