The formula for getting to page 1 of a search engine is deceptively simple. Ready? Here it is:
Rank = Content + Links
Sounds easy doesn’t it? If it’s that simple, why isn’t everyone landing on the first page for their keywords? As with most things that seem simple on the surface, the devil is in the details. So let’s look at the formula in a little more detail. We’ll start with the first part of the formula: content.
What makes good content?
Good content is:
- Relevant
- Rich in keywords
- Updated regularly
- Properly formatted
Let’s look at each of those points in detail.
Good content is relevant
First and foremost good web content is relevant to your visitors. Sso if you have a site about plumbing you probably shouldn’t have information about the latest concert on your website. Why? Because the concert isn’t relevant to your clients. On the other hand, information about different plumbing fixtures, how to build a better shower, or how to make sure your water softener is doing its job would all be great ideas for a plumber’s website.
Good content is rich in keywords
Good content contains relevant keywords. You can say the same thing in many different ways, but if you use the specific phrases and words your prospects use, you will be more likely to get people coming to your site from a search engine.
Good content is updated regularly
You shouldn’t just put information out on your website and forget about it. Search engines like to see a steady dose of fresh content on the site. The more regularly and frequently you update your site, the more often the search engines will come calling. Google’s Matt Cutts suggests adding a new page of content every day.
Good content is properly formatted
Formatting your content the right way can make the difference between your site showing up on page one and not showing up at all. That’s because search engines primarily understand text. They can’t tell the difference between a good photo and a bad photo, but they can get some information about the photo from its filename and some other specially-formatted text.
What is Content?
So what is content? When the Web was first created content typically meant text. But today content could mean:
- text
- pictures
- video
- podcasts
- documents
What are links?
Now that we’ve covered content, let’s talk about links. A link is simply a hyperlink from one page on a website to another page on a website. In their simplest forms, there are two kinds of links:
- Internal links: A link from one section of a website to another section of the same website, typically to a different page.
- External (inbound) links: An inbound link is a link that comes from a page on one website and points to a page on a different website.
Why are links important?
In some ways links are like a popularity contest. The more links you have into your website better your rank is going to be. Links are also like road signs for search engines, pointing the way to relevant content.
Summary
So that’s a quick overview of the page rank formula:
Rank = content + links
If you regularly publish relevant, well-formatted content and get links pointing to your content, your search rankings and your traffic will increase.
