How to Improve Website Ranking on Google? Step by Step Guide

Want your site to actually show up when people search on Google? You’re not alone. Every website owner at some point asks the same thing: how to improve website ranking on Google? 

Whether you’re running a blog, an online store, or a service-based site, ranking higher in Google search results means more visitors, more leads, and more revenue.

But here’s the truth: there’s no one-size-fits-all trick. 

Google’s ranking system is smarter than ever, measuring everything from technical SEO health, content quality, backlink profile, to user experience signals like click-through rate and bounce rate. 

If your site is lagging behind, it’s probably because one or more of these ranking signals isn’t firing.

This guide breaks down exactly how to improve your website ranking on Google, step by step. From running a complete SEO audit to writing content that ranks, optimizing for featured snippets, and building high-authority backlinks, I’ve got every corner covered. 

No fluff, just real strategies that work in 2025.

What Determines Google Website Rankings Today?

Let’s clear something up, Google isn’t ranking pages randomly. There’s a method to the madness, and it’s called the algorithm. 

If you want better website ranking, you’ve got to understand what Google cares about first.

Search engine optimization (SEO) revolves around key factors that influence where your site shows up on the search engine results pages (SERP). These include:

• Page speed – Slow load times? Visitors bounce, rankings drop.
• Click-through rate (CTR) – If users don’t click your listing, Google thinks your content’s weak.
• Bounce rate – When visitors land and leave quickly, it signals poor content or relevance.
• Mobile-friendliness – Google uses mobile-first indexing, so if your site isn’t responsive, you’re in trouble.
• Relevance and quality – You need content that matches search intent, not just stuffed with keywords.
• Backlinks – Still one of the strongest signals. More quality links = more trust.
• User experience – Clean design, easy navigation, and helpful content all send the right signals.

The Google algorithm evolves constantly, but the goal stays the same: deliver the best content for the query. 

So, improving your SEO isn’t about gaming the system, it’s about proving your site deserves to rank.

Key On-Page and Off-Page Ranking Factors

Want to improve your website ranking on Google? 

You’ve got to focus on both what’s on your site (on-page) and what points to your site (off-page). It’s a two-lane road to better rankings.

On-page ranking factors include things like:

• Meta tags – Clear titles and compelling descriptions help search engines understand your page.
• Site structure – A logical layout boosts crawlability and internal linking power.
• Content quality – Original, useful, and detailed content keeps readers and Google happy.

Off-page ranking factors carry just as much weight:

• Backlinks – The more reputable sites that link to you, the more authority you gain.
• Domain authority – This score reflects how much trust and power your website holds based on your backlink profile.

Think of on-page SEO as the polish, and off-page as the reputation. You need both to stand out in a crowded SERP.

Role of Search Intent and User Experience (UX)

Google doesn’t just rank keywords, it ranks usefulness. If your content doesn’t satisfy the reader’s search intent, you’re toast.

Search intent means the reason behind a query. Are users looking to learn, buy, compare, or find something specific? Your page needs to match that goal. If it doesn’t, they’ll bounce, and Google will notice.

User experience (UX) is another major ranking factor. If your design feels clunky, navigation confuses visitors, or pages take forever to load, users won’t stay. And when CTR drops and engagement tanks, rankings slip.

UI (user interface) plays a supporting role here. A clean, responsive layout makes browsing feel smooth, especially on mobile.

When you nail audience targeting, optimize for intent, and create a friction-free experience, you’ll see better results, not just in rankings but conversions too.

Step 1 – Conduct a Website SEO Audit First

Before you start tweaking keywords or building backlinks, stop for a second.

Ask yourself: What’s actually holding your site back from ranking? 

That’s where an SEO audit steps in, it’s your roadmap, your health check, your diagnostic scan of everything search engines care about.

A complete website audit covers four essential areas:

• Technical SEO audit – This digs into crawl errors, broken links, indexability issues, slow-loading pages, mobile usability, and site structure. You can uncover all of this using top SEO audit tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console.
• Content audit – Here, you’re reviewing your existing pages to assess content quality, keyword gaps, duplicate issues, and thin content. It’s about figuring out which pages need updating, merging, or deletion.
• Backlink audit – Got spammy links pointing to your site? Or important links pointing to 404s? This audit helps you clean your link profile and preserve domain authority.

When done right, an SEO audit gives you crystal-clear performance metrics, reveals ranking blockers, and sets the stage for smarter optimization. You’ll fix what’s broken before amplifying what works.

Technical SEO Checks to Fix Immediately

Think of your website as a machine, if the gears grind or the oil runs low, nothing runs smoothly. That’s why your technical SEO needs a check-up first. 

These aren’t flashy fixes, but they’re the foundation of your Google visibility.

Here’s what to fix right away:

• HTTPS over HTTP – Sites without a secure connection lose ranking points and user trust.
• robots.txt and sitemap – Double-check your robots.txt file isn’t blocking key pages. Your sitemap should be submitted in Google Search Console and kept up-to-date.
• Mobile page speed – If your mobile pages take forever to load, your rankings will sink. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to fix loading times.
• Crawl budget waste – Avoid letting Googlebot crawl useless pages (tags, filters, junk URLs). Clean up crawl paths to focus bot energy on what matters.

When your technical foundation is solid, everything else, keywords, backlinks, and content, has room to thrive.

Content Gaps, Duplicate Pages, and Link Health

Content without strategy is just noise. Here’s where most sites fail silently: duplicate content, missing links, and thin pages with zero value.

Fix these fast:

• Content duplication – Pages with identical or near-identical copy confuse search engines. Either merge, redirect, or rewrite.
• Thin content – If a page has 50 words and zero usefulness, kill it or bulk it up.
• Broken links – Use tools to scan and repair links that lead nowhere, these harm user experience and SEO.
• Anchor text – Fix mismatched or spammy anchor text. It’s crucial for internal linking and SEO clarity.
• Content gaps – Your competitors might cover topics you missed. Run a gap analysis to find out what questions your site fails to answer.

Keep content strong, links healthy, and structure tight. That’s the blueprint for a winning site.

Step 2 – Write Content That Ranks

So you’ve fixed the backend stuff, now it’s time to tackle the part that users actually see: your content. 

If you’re asking how to improve website ranking on Google, one surefire answer is to write content that ranks. That means producing material that both readers and search engines love.

First, your content should solve a problem clearly and completely. Don’t fluff. Don’t ramble. Use semantic SEO to cover related terms, entities, and questions people actually ask. 

Think “topic coverage” over “keyword stuffing.”

Next, focus on EEAT – Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trust. 

Google looks at who is writing. Is your content authored by a real expert? Are there credentials? External references? Testimonials? Even small details like author bios and updated timestamps matter.

Here’s the checklist for content that performs:

• Answer search intent directly (informational, transactional, etc.)
• Use semantic terms and related queries.
• Add internal links for flow and contextual relevance.
• Break up content using H2s, H3s, and bullets.
• Include visuals and charts when relevant.
• Always focus on content quality over length.

Whether you’re writing a blog or a landing page, this step makes or breaks your Google visibility.

Identify User Intent Before Writing

Before you even write the first sentence, stop and ask: What does my audience really want from this search? 

That’s user intent, and ignoring it is a fast track to page two (or worse). If you’re wondering how to improve website ranking on Google, this is a non-negotiable step.

Every search falls into one of these categories:

• Informational (learn something)
• Navigational (go somewhere)
• Transactional (buy or convert)

Your job? Match the keyword relevance to the right content format. 

For example, if someone searches “best trekking shoes for Nepal”, don’t give them a blog about hiking trails. Give a list. Maybe a comparison table. Maybe reviews.

Use content mapping to align the right content types (guides, FAQs, landing pages) with the right queries. That’s how you earn trust, and clicks.

Want a cheat sheet? Identify user intent to guide every content plan.

Follow Keyword Research and Placement Best Practices

Now that you’ve locked in user intent, let’s talk keywords. If you’re not using solid keyword research for content writing, you’re basically flying blind. 

Good keyword strategy isn’t just finding what people search, it’s knowing why and how often they do.

Start with high-intent long-tail keywords. They have lower competition and clearer focus. Mix in primary phrases with LSI keywords. 

Tools like Google Search Console or even autocomplete give great ideas.

Where should you place them?

• Title and H1 (naturally)
• Meta description
• First 100 words
• Headers (H2s, H3s)
• Image alt text
• Internal links

But don’t overdo it. No one wants a “keyword soup.” Keep it natural. Keep it relevant.

Learn how to write content that ranks

Step 3 – Optimize On-Page SEO Like a Pro

Want to improve website ranking without burning through your budget? Start with what you can control, on-page SEO. 

This is where you turn good content into high-ranking pages by tweaking the stuff that search engines read behind the scenes.

It begins with title tags. Make them punchy, relevant, and keyword-rich (but not spammy). Each page should have a unique one that clearly says, “This is what the page is about.”

Then come header tags, H1, H2, H3. Think of these like road signs guiding both your reader and Googlebot. Keep them logical, structured, and keyword-aligned. 

Your H1 is your headline, your H2s break sections, and H3s dig into the details.

Next up: alt text. This is gold for both image SEO and accessibility. Describe images in plain, clear language using relevant keywords where it makes sense.

Want rich results in Google? Add schema markup to highlight things like reviews, FAQs, or products. It gives context to your content and boosts your visibility in SERPs.

Finally, strengthen your site’s architecture using internal linking. This spreads link equity, keeps users engaged longer, and helps Google crawl deeper.

Schema, Structured Data, and Rich Snippets

Want to stand out in Google’s search results? 

That’s where schema markup steps in. It’s a special type of structured data added to your site’s code that helps search engines “understand” your content better.

Think of it as labeling your content with name tags. For example, if you’re writing a recipe, schema tells Google which part is the ingredients list, the cooking time, and so on. 

This increases your chance of getting rich results, like star ratings, FAQs, or event cards, directly in the SERP.

Use tools like schema.org to add the right content markup. It doesn’t just improve visibility, it builds trust. 

Users are more likely to click when your result shows added details, and Google gets more confident about your page’s purpose.

Structured content = better indexing + more engagement. It’s a win-win.

Use Internal Linking to Build Authority Silos

Think of your website like a city. Each blog post or service page is a building. Without roads (aka links), visitors ,and search engines, won’t know how to get around. 

That’s why internal linking matters.

Strategically placing links between related content creates authority silos. 

This helps Google understand your content hierarchy, passes link equity, and keeps visitors exploring more pages. It’s great for semantic SEO, too, because it strengthens topical relevance across your site.

Want to boost topical authority? Link newer posts to pillar pages, use descriptive anchor text, and avoid orphan pages.

Internal links = stronger crawlability, more time on site, and better rankings.

Step 4 – Strengthen Your Site’s Technical Foundation

You can write amazing content and build the best links, but if your website loads like it’s stuck in 2010, or worse, if it’s not secure, Google won’t rank it high. 

That’s where technical SEO comes in. It’s the engine room of your site. Without it running smoothly, the whole ship slows down.

Start by ensuring your site runs on HTTPS, Google has openly said secure sites get a ranking bump. 

Next, tackle website speed. If your site takes more than a few seconds to load, users bounce, and so does your SEO.

Focus on Core Web Vitals. These are Google’s way of measuring user experience: loading speed, interaction readiness, and visual stability. 

If you’re failing here, you’re losing both visitors and rankings.

Also, don’t ignore mobile-friendliness. Over half of traffic comes from phones now. If your site breaks on mobile, it’s a big red flag.

Finally, boost performance with image optimization, compress large files, use proper formats, and add lazy loading so images load only when needed. Speed, stability, and responsiveness matter more than ever.

When your technical foundation is strong, everything else, rankings, traffic, conversions, stands taller.

Boost Page Speed and Mobile Experience

Imagine walking into a store, but the door takes five seconds to open. Would you stay? Probably not, and neither will your website visitors if your pages are slow. 

Page speed isn’t just about convenience anymore, it’s a Google ranking factor, and slow load times directly hurt Core Web Vitals scores.

To speed things up, start by reducing unnecessary scripts and plugins. Use browser caching and content delivery networks (CDNs) to serve assets faster. 

Evaluate load times using tools like PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse, Google loves numbers, and so should you.

Then comes mobile optimization. Your site must look and work great on all screen sizes. Use responsive design, large, readable fonts, and ensure buttons are easy to tap. 

Check your mobile usability report in Google Search Console regularly, issues here are deal-breakers for rankings.

Users expect speed and comfort. Google expects it too. Deliver both, and your rankings will thank you.

Optimize Images Without Sacrificing Quality

Heavy images are like ankle weights on a sprinter. They slow everything down. 

But removing visuals isn’t the answer, instead, optimize images to boost performance without wrecking quality.

Start by compressing images using tools like TinyPNG or WebP converters. These formats reduce size drastically with little visual loss. 

Then, apply responsive design so images adapt fluidly to various screens, desktop, tablet, or phone.

Next, use alt text for every image. It’s not just for accessibility, it gives search engines context, improving SEO. Plus, well-written alt tags can help your images appear in Google Image Search, adding another organic traffic channel.

Lazy load images so they appear only when users scroll down. Less content loading up-front equals faster page performance.

In short: smart image handling means faster pages, better UX, and a shot at higher rankings.

Step 5 – Build High-Authority Backlinks

Backlinks are like digital endorsements. When reputable websites link to your content, search engines see it as a vote of confidence. 

The more high-quality endorsements you get, the more likely Google boosts your pages up the rankings.

To improve your website ranking, your backlink profile needs quality, not just quantity. Focus on link building techniques that earn links naturally through value. 

For instance, publish original research, create shareable infographics, or contribute thought-provoking blog posts to industry sites through guest posting. 

These links don’t just lift rankings, they drive referral traffic too.

Don’t overlook niche-specific platforms like forums or community Q&A sections. Also, consider gaining editorial citations from sources like Wikipedia by contributing fact-based content with proper references. 

And always audit your existing links, remove or disavow low-quality ones that could drag your site down.

Think of backlinks as bridges from other sites to yours. The stronger and more trusted those bridges, the more traffic (and authority) you get flowing in.

Guest Posting, Content Promotion, and Outreach

Want to earn quality backlinks without begging for them? 

Guest posting works like a charm when done right. You write helpful, relevant content for another site, and in return, you earn a backlink to your own. 

But here’s the trick, it has to be niche-relevant. Publishing a hiking guide on a fashion blog won’t do you any good.

Pair guest posting with a solid content promotion plan. Share your top content across platforms, use email outreach to build relationships with editors, and always offer value first. Don’t just ask for a backlink, show them why your page is worth referencing.

Consistency is key. Set weekly outreach goals and track where your best backlinks come from. Once you know what works, double down.

Get Social Signals and Brand Mentions

Backlinks aren’t the only way to tell Google your site matters. Social signals, likes, shares, mentions, act like word-of-mouth in the digital space.

The more engagement your content gets across social platforms, the more trusted it appears.

Google may not officially count these signals in its algorithm, but the ripple effect is real. Good engagement boosts visibility, brings in more traffic, and increases your chances of earning natural links. That’s digital PR in action.

Also, monitor brand mentions. Even unlinked mentions can build authority if they come from reputable sites. 

Use tools like Google Alerts or BrandMentions to keep tabs.

Think of this like getting your name in the room before you walk in. The more people talk about your site, even without linking, the more trustworthy it becomes.

Step 6 – Optimize for Search Features (Snippets & Voice)

Want to steal clicks without even ranking #1? 

That’s what optimizing for featured snippets and voice search optimization can do for you. These search features occupy premium real estate, position zero, and they’re designed to answer queries quickly, clearly, and conversationally.

To show up in answer boxes, structure your content with questions and direct answers. Use bullet points, tables, or definitions. 

For example, answering “What is EEAT in SEO?” in under 40 words in a well-structured <h2> or <h3> section gives you a shot at being featured.

Then there’s voice search. With voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant on the rise, your content has to sound natural. 

Think full-sentence queries and answers. Use long-tail keywords, focus on conversational tone, and answer questions people actually ask.

Here’s the key: if your content reads like a helpful answer in a conversation, it’s probably optimized for voice.

Format Content for Featured Snippets

Want to land that sweet position zero? Then you’ve gotta format your content like Google loves it: clean, clear, and structured.

Here’s the trick,  Google doesn’t always need the longest article; it needs the best snippet. That means giving fast, direct answers using:

• Lists: Perfect for steps or rankings (e.g., “5 ways to improve website ranking”).
• Tables: Great for comparisons, pricing, or feature breakdowns (like “SEO plugin features”).
• Definitions: Crisp 1–2 sentence explanations work best (e.g., “A sitemap is an XML file that helps search engines crawl a website”).
• How-tos: Break it down with “Step 1, Step 2…” formatting for instructional content.

Use <h2> and <h3> to wrap questions, then answer them immediately. Avoid fluff. Stay to the point. If your answer fits in 40–60 words, you’re golden.

Add Voice-Friendly Keywords and Structures

Now let’s make your content talk, literally. For voice search optimization, think how people speak, not how they type.

Someone typing might search:
“SEO ranking factors 2025”
But someone asking might say:
“Hey Google, what helps a website rank higher on Google?”

To win voice queries:

• Use conversational phrases: Start with who, what, how, where, when, and why. Keep it casual. Think questions like “How can I improve my site speed?”
• Prioritize schema markup: Use structured data to help search engines understand your content. Add schema types like FAQPage, HowTo, or Article.
• Ensure mobile readability: Voice search is mostly mobile. Use short paragraphs, large fonts, and easy scrolling. Also, page speed matters, a slow site kills voice visibility.
• Answer early, elaborate later: Lead with the answer. Then build context and value underneath it.

Voice optimization isn’t just technical, it’s intuitive writing.

Step 7 – Track, Analyze, and Update Regularly

So you’ve published, optimized, and built links, awesome! But here’s the deal: ranking isn’t set-and-forget. If you want to increase the ranking of your website, you’ve got to keep an eye on performance and adapt fast.

Start with the basics, Google Analytics and Google Search Console. These tools show how people find and interact with your site, which pages pull traffic, and what needs work. 

Got a blog post ranking on page 2? Maybe a few tweaks and internal links push it to the top.

Next, update stale content. If you’re still mentioning 2022 stats in 2025, you’re signaling that your content might be outdated. 

That hurts click-through rate (CTR) and trust. Refresh text, add new data, and maybe change the title tag for a better hook.

Don’t forget your site structure and technical health. Over time, broken links appear, speed drops, or schema errors pop up. Run monthly audits using SEO tools to stay sharp.

SEO isn’t magic. It’s maintenance. Consistent monitoring keeps your site healthy, competitive, and rising in search.

Measure What’s Working and What’s Not

If you’re serious about ranking higher, you’ve got to know what’s pulling weight and what’s just dead weight. 

That’s where bounce rate, CTR (click-through rate), and ranking drops come into play.

Start with bounce rate. If visitors land and leave right away, something’s off, maybe the page loads slow, or the content just doesn’t hit the mark. 

Next, CTR tells you if your title and meta description are pulling in clicks. A low CTR on a high-ranking page? Time to write a more clickable title.

Then watch for sudden ranking drops. That’s often a red flag, could be an algorithm update, or maybe a technical issue like pages being deindexed. 

Use Google Search Console to pinpoint which keywords lost ground.

Track these regularly. Set benchmarks. Improve what’s underperforming and double down on what’s working.

Freshen Content and Improve UX Signals

Old content is like stale bread, no one wants it. Google agrees. Update frequency plays a big role in SEO, especially on high-competition queries. 

So go back to your older pages, add fresh info, update links, rework intros, make them feel brand new.

At the same time, don’t ignore how people use your site. Clean, readable UI matters. Are buttons working? Is your text easy to scan? 

Use heatmaps or click tracking tools to monitor engagement metrics like scroll depth or click patterns.

Make every update with your reader in mind. Google’s watching those UX signals, and so are your visitors.

Final Thoughts – Start Improving Your Google Rankings Today

Improving your website ranking on Google isn’t rocket science, but it does take consistency, strategy, and a clear understanding of what works. 

From fixing technical issues to writing content that actually ranks, every step builds your digital reputation. Whether you’re running a blog, selling products, or offering services, strong rankings drive results.

Remember, SEO isn’t a one-time job. It’s ongoing. Algorithms shift, competitors step up, and user behavior evolves. 

That’s why smart marketers track, update, and refine constantly.

If your site’s buried on page two or beyond, don’t stress. Help is one click away.

Struggling to rank? Get a custom SEO plan with SEOwithBipin I’ll audit, optimize, and elevate your visibility. 

Explore my SEO services to fix what’s holding you back.

Start today. The top of Google isn’t reserved for big brands, it’s for those who do SEO right.

FAQs – Improve Website Ranking on Google