The best way to achieve top search rankings is by focusing on keyword research. As a search engine optimization consultant, I’ve worked with hundreds of companies that miss the important step of keyword research. Achieving number one rankings is largely based on the competitiveness of the keyword phrase you are trying to optimize your website for. If your competitor is in the top spot with a well entrenched web site, then your chances of out ranking him may be limited.

The first step is finding a keyword that isn’t all that competitive. Once you do, the next step is to make sure that the keyword you have selected gets enough traffic. Don’t overlook this very critical aspect of keyword research. I worked with a company that was proud of their number one rankings. When I did some research to discover the type of traffic they could expect, I found less than one hundred searches per month on the keyword they selected. Even with top rankings, they would never see the traffic anticipated.

Assuming that you have been able to find a search phrase that doesn’t have a great deal of competition and generates enough traffic, it’s time to look at your competition. You are competing against other web sites who currently rank in the top few positions for your chosen keyword. Visit each of these top ranked sites to determine their Google page rank, age, and the number of sites linking to them. The more inbound links they have the more difficult they will be to outrank.

After doing your keyword research and confirming your choice of keywords and keyword phrases, it’s time to concentrate on improving your web pages. Enhance your meta tags, titles, and web copy to include your keyword phrases. This helps to tell the search engines what your web site is about so it can rank your site appropriately. In addition to the on page factors, Google weighs off page factors to determine web site ranking. Off page optimization requires a sustained effort that uses original content and additional links from third party websites. The most effective strategies are the most basic. Begin with a link building plan. Focus on article directories, web site directories, blogs, social bookmarking sites, and other resources where you can establish in bound links.

When focusing on link building, you should plan to implement link building strategies on a regular basis. Focus on getting authority links from sites within your given niche. You should also be focused on sites that have an established age, Google PR, and other authority attributes. When attracting in bound links, do so in a manner that is slow and steady. Building links too quickly can have a negative impact on your web site as search engines may believe you are arbitrarily building links. Once you have determined the right keywords and have taken care of your on-page optimization strategies it’s time to focus on off page strategies to improve web site rankings.

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