Tips To Improve Google Search Ranking (You Won't Believe #3)

I would like to tell you that it is not dead. With just one update, your content goes down, and you start whining about SEO being dead. It is just that the requirements have evolved. If you want to be a winner, you have to go beyond basics. So, without wasting a word, let’s begin with the tips that can improve your Google search ranking.

Tip #1 – Work On Content Depth And Quality Beyond Keywords

Google’s search algorithm is getting increasingly sophisticated, prioritizing quality and user experience over simple keyword stuffing. You say AI content gets rejected, but I would say only the content that lacks value, helpfulness, and uniqueness gets unindexed. It doesn’t matter how you produce it. 

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The point of this tip is to tell you that Google is looking for content that follows the formula of N-E-E-A-T: Notability, Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These guidelines dictate how Google assesses the quality of information presented on the web.

In a recent Google Search Quality Rater Guidelines update, N-E-E-A-T was emphasized as an important factor in determining search rankings. This means that content must not only be informative but also demonstrate that it comes from a credible and notable source.

Providing in-depth, insightful, and original content is key. A study by Neil Patel found that longer-form content (articles exceeding 3,000 words) tends to rank higher in search results and attract more backlinks. Moreover, research from Google shows that users spend more time on pages with high-quality, informative content, which signals to Google that the page is valuable and relevant.

Beyond rankings, high-quality content directly impacts business outcomes. A study by Demand Metric revealed that businesses that prioritize high-quality content experience a 5x increase in leads compared to those that don’t. 

Furthermore, satisfied customers are more likely to become repeat customers and brand advocates, leading to increased customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

For example, HubSpot is known for its extensive blog and comprehensive marketing resources. It demonstrates N-E-E-A-T through its team of experienced marketing professionals, in-depth research, and data-driven insights.

Another great example is SEMrush, an SEO software company that provides in-depth guides, webinars, and blog posts featuring contributions from industry experts and data-backed research.

I have dug into their content and noticed that these brands are incorporating N-E-E-A-T by adding author bios, expert citations, and user testimonials. At the same time, you kept on whining about keyword stuffing!

Tip #2 – Look Beyond Basic On-Page Optimization

Don’t just work on the on-page SEO factor; shed some light on your technical SEO. Keyword placement and meta descriptions are important, but your page speed, mobile-first optimization, schema markup, HTTPS, crawlability, and indexability are also important factors for ranking. 

If your page loads slowly, then forget about getting ranked on search results because no one will wait for your page to fully recover from the curse of an infinite loading loop. They will simply go back and click on any other website. I always tell my client to keep a check on their Core Web Vitals and fix any issues identified right away. 

Also, Google prioritizes user experience, and slow-loading pages leads to high bounce rates and frustrated visitors. According to Google, a one-second delay in page load time can result in a 7% reduction in conversions. Studies have shown that even a slight delay can significantly impact user engagement and negatively affect search rankings.

At the same time, your website should be able to load properly on a mobile device. The majority of people use mobile phones for searching, and if your website fails to load or, let’s say, half of the page is hidden, or the menu section is hidden because it was built for desktops. Right then and there, you lose a visitor. 

Google’s mobile-first indexing means that the mobile version of your website is primarily used for ranking. It has a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes and offers a consistent and enjoyable user experience across all devices.

Next comes the schema markup, which is a type of structured data that provides search engines with crucial information about your website’s content. For example, using Schema Markup for product pages can include details like price, availability, and customer reviews. This enriched information will bring higher click-through rates (CTRs) and improved visibility in Google’s search results. 

HTTPS is your website’s security protocol, and Google favors HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) websites. HTTPS encrypts data transmitted between the website and the user’s browser. Lastly comes the crawlability and indexability of your website where search engines. That’s why you rely on bots (crawlers) to discover and index your website’s pages.

Tip #3 – Improve Your Search Ranking With User Intent & Search Behavior

I have been telling all my clients that intent and search behavior matter a lot. If you want to rank in the top 10 of Google,  follow this tip religiously. This is where it gets screwed up because if you don’t understand the intent of the search and user behavior, you won’t be able to give them what they want. 

User intent is not just keywords for you to play. It is for you to give them a solution to what they need. Are they seeking information (informational intent), looking to make a purchase (transactional intent), or trying to navigate to a specific website (navigational intent)? Tailoring your content to match these specific intents is crucial. 

For example, if someone searches “best pizza near me,” they likely have transactional intent. Your content should focus on local pizza places, menus, reviews, and online ordering options.

Small keywords will only give you a generic overview, but long-tail keywords will help you understand the exact intent of what they want. So, I always use small keywords as seed words and then get the long tail variation of them to rank. 

For instance, instead of targeting “shoes,” focus on “women’s red running shoes size 8.” These long-tail keywords often have lower competition and higher conversion rates as they attract highly targeted traffic. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs can help you identify relevant long-tail keywords with high search volume and low competition.

Voice search is rapidly gaining popularity, with studies showing that over half of all searches are now voice-based. This has significant implications for SEO. Voice search queries tend to be more conversational and question-based. 

Optimize your content by answering common voice search questions directly within your content. For example, instead of “best restaurants in New York,” consider “What are the top-rated Italian restaurants in Manhattan?”

Appearing as a featured snippet (that concise answer box at the top of Google search results) can significantly increase visibility and traffic. To optimize for featured snippets, focus on providing concise, direct answers to common questions. Use headings, bullet points, and numbered lists to make your content easily scannable.

Summing Up 

These are just a few tricks that you must have up on your sleeves when doing SEO for your website. However, if you don’t want to get into the technicalities of 2025’s SEO, leave the matter in the hands of an expert. Emerging Software is a leading digital marketing agency that offers result-oriented SEO services. You will notice your website is getting traffic from all types of digital platforms.