Ranking websites is not an exact science as there tend to be a multitude of approaches one can take. However, there are certain methods, which work better than others. SEO requires attention to detail and many are impatient in this regard. Building an online powerhouse, which ranks with ease, is not as difficult as one might assume. As long as you are patient and remain positive, the results will come.

This article is going to assess some of the most critical components of ranking online.

Build Meaningful Backlinks (Quality Over Quantity)

In the past, the term ‘backlinks’ was associated with spam. Those who were able to build rubbish backlinks (as many as possible) were winning and ranking. Is that the case any longer? No.

In fact, those who are spamming, continue to be penalized by the major search engines. Don’t even try it!

Building a meaningful backlink is about cultivating a relationship in your niche and growing with patience.

Contact 5-10 websites within your niche and see whether they are willing to exchange backlinks for content. You will be surprised as to how many are willing to do so. These are backlinks which will last and are going to push you to the top.

SEO Plug-Ins Matter

Begin with a simple download. Install “WordPress SEO By Yoast”.

This is one of the most valuable plug-ins you are going to find with regards to ranking a site. It will streamline the process for you and ensure minor details are not being overlooked.

This is a plug-in used by some of the biggest sites in the world and it works like a charm.

Why consider something different when this is working for others?

Learn to use it correctly and play around with the plug-in. In no time, you will also get a hang of it and that is when the fun begins.

Do Your Research! Seems like a simple suggestion doesn’t it? Surely, anyone with a bit of common sense is going to do their keyword research right?!

Wrong! Most individuals refuse to do the right amount of keyword research and get caught out.

There is also the right way of doing keyword research and the wrong way. The right way is to assess the intricacies of each keyword and the competition your site will face in ranking it.

A generalized look at a keyword’s popularity is going to yield useless information. It would be akin to judging a book by its cover.

Assess the overall value of a keyword beyond how many times it is searched per month. Look at potential long-tail keywords (3+ words long) in association with this broad keyword you are researching. Those keywords will be far easier to rank for in most cases.

Considering 93% of all web traffic is generated through search engines, it is pertinent to focus on building an SEO powerhouse. Without doing this, you are losing out on a significant amount of traffic. A commitment to excellence is paramount for those who wish to progress down a path of success. There are many who refuse to spend time on ranking their site and continue to go around in circles wondering what has gone wrong.

Your own powerhouse of a website waits as long as you are ready to get started on this journey towards excellence.