Before you write a single line, know your website. Who visits? What pages perform best? Which queries already bring traffic? Run a site audit (crawl errors, indexation, speed), check Google Search Console for queries and coverage issues, and map user journeys. Understanding your site’s structure, content gaps, and audience intent turns guesswork into strategy.
Want to be in Google’s top 10? Focus on intent and signals. Pick keywords where user intent matches your content—informational, transactional, or navigational. Create a single, comprehensive page that satisfies that intent better than competitors: clear headings, thorough answers, visuals, and practical takeaways. On-page basics must be flawless—title tags, meta descriptions that draw clicks, descriptive H1s, schema where relevant, and optimized images. Fast loading times and mobile-first design are non-negotiable. Earn backlinks from relevant, authoritative sites; one quality link beats dozens of low-value ones. Finally, track behavioral signals—improve dwell time and lower bounce with engaging intros, jump links, and clear calls-to-action.
To show in Google’s Local 3-Pack, optimize for local signals. Claim and fully complete your Google Business Profile: correct NAP (name, address, phone), categories, hours, and high-quality photos. Encourage consistent, genuine reviews and respond to them. Build local citations on trusted directories and add location pages with local keywords and schema (LocalBusiness, GeoCoordinates). Proximity matters, but relevance and prominence help you leap rivals. For service areas, use service-area settings and local content to demonstrate relevance.
Top rules of website SEO
Serve user intent: match content to what searchers need.
Technical health first: indexability, mobile UX, HTTPS, and speed.
High-quality content: authoritative, original, and actionable.
On-page basics: optimized titles, meta, headers, and alt text.
Internal linking: guide crawlers and distribute authority.
Backlinks: earn relevant links naturally through value.
Measurement: use Search Console, Analytics, and rank trackers to iterate.
Increase Domain Authority (DA)
Domain Authority, a third-party metric, reflects perceived authority. Boost it by consistently publishing link-worthy content: studies, infographics, original research, and in-depth guides. Promote aggressively—outreach, PR, and partnerships convert visibility into links. Clean up toxic links via disavow if necessary. Diversify link sources: niche publications, industry blogs, and strong .edu/.gov mentions where relevant. Over time, a cohesive brand and steady link growth lift DA.
Increase page rank (visibility and ranking power)
PageRank is about links and internal structure. Earn relevant backlinks to target pages and use internal links from high-traffic pages to pass authority. Reduce click-depth—make key content accessible within a few clicks. Improve on-page quality to attract natural links. Use canonical tags correctly to avoid dilution and ensure your preferred version accumulates ranking signals.
Content-first SEO is simple in idea and challenging in execution: put users first, fix fundamentals, create exceptional content, and build real relationships that bring links. Do that consistently, and your articles will both rank and convert.
