How to Rank High in Search Engine Results

The first place people search when looking for an answer is the Internet. “Google it” has become part of our everyday vernacular. Billions of people go online every day looking for answers to their questions.

The two main search engines are Google and Bing. (Bing is the merger of MSN and Yahoo.) Google has dominated the search business due to the algorithms they use to ensure the end user finds the answers they are looking for. Time will tell if Bing will be competitive with Google.

Ranking high in search engines is an art. Ten percent of ranking is data, but 90% is insight. The insight comes from understanding the difference between keywords and queries. Keywords are the words the end user types into the search engine. A query is the question behind the keyword, the intent behind the keyword. The query is what the end user is actually asking and looking for. Understanding the query is the first key to ranking high in the search engines.

The second thing needed to get on the first page of search is to understand what it takes to get on the first page. Generally achieving a high rank in search is based on 3 criteria: competition, relevancy, and content.

Competition is basically popularity. The more popular (talked about, linked to, and click on) your ad or offer is, the more competitive you are. Relevancy is based on how well your offer matches the keywords. Your ad should include the keyword, or be as close as possible to the keyword being searched on. Finally, your content should address the question being asked. Your goal is to answer the query as directly as possible. You want the end user to say “Yes, this is the answer I’m looking for.” If you can master these three criteria, the higher rank you can achieve in search.
The best positions (ranks) in search are those above the fold. The fold is the bottom of a web page you can see on your computer screen. Everything you can see on your computer screen without having to scroll down is “above the fold.” Everything below your screen (where you have to scroll down) is call “below the fold.”Being above the fold is your goal. Why? The most relevant ads or offers are typically above the fold. Many users want to find answers immediately; it’s human nature, and they would rather find the answer “above the fold” than have to scroll down to see if their question is answered below. This is why relevancy is so important in your ad or offer.
Mastering the art of search is not impossible. It’s just take practice and time. Take the time to think about what the end user is really asking (the query) and how your offer answers their question (relevance and content). Be persistence and consistent. Work through the learning curve and you’ll find yourself with a high rank in the search engines.
Happy Business Building,