In an increasingly competitive marketplace, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) are the three words on everyone’s lips right now. Great SEO means a higher ranking on Google and excellent visibility on that particular search engine. The more visible you are, the more people will see you, and what you do. The more people who see what you do, the more likely they are to buy from you.

Of course, you’re not the only one vying for a top spot on the Google search engine. Your competitors are at it too, and in some cases, they might be doing it better than you. If your rivals are outranking you, you’ll probably want to know whey. We asked one of the leading digital marketing agencies in Auckland for their opinion. As an online marketing company with an impressive track record, their answers carry a lot of weight.

Refining your Search Engine Optimisation strategy is the foundation of a great ranking. While this might be seen as an obvious answer given that SEO is at the core of a higher ranking, the agency believes that many businesses rely too much on their in-house marketing teams to manage this hugely important aspect. Without a working knowledge of constantly updated Google algorithms, these marketers fall back on keywords, little realising that SEO is a broader-based process than it used to be. This crude strategy, with its over-dependence on keywords, automatically ranks the company lower than one that has engaged a digital agency and employed a multi-faceted SEO strategy as a result.

Another reason why some businesses are more visible on search pages than others is they’re smarter in using online reviews. Referrals and testimonials from existing customers are some of the best ways to boost visibility; Google reviews, in particular, have a huge impact on building social trust, as well as a site’s ranking in local search results.

Links are another area where some companies steal a march on others in the ranking game. Links to a website can indicate whether the site is actually relevant to a specific search query. This particular algorithm is updated frequently but for all that, the vast majority of SEO specialists will say that links remain a highly valuable resource. As with anything to do with Search Engine Optimisation these days, it’s quality rather than quantity that counts when it comes to link building. Too many links without a quality one that attains a high Domain Authority score will see your website being flagged as a spam-heavy one.

Finally, the social media presence of your site can also affect how it fares in search results. For example, a business’s Facebook page is often found within organic search results as Google considers popular social pages to be just like top quality websites. As far as Google is concerned, if a social page shows value in line with their current algorithms, it will be shown in the search results. With this in mind, it’s best to optimise social pages with keywords, fill them up with worthy content, and obtain excellent reviews as part of your social strategy.

In-house marketing teams struggle with SEO in the digital era, and it shows in low rankings on search engine pages. And that, according to our Auckland marketing agency, is one more reason why some businesses are better than others at achieving higher rankings. Those companies that let the experts handle their digital marketing will always enjoy greater visibility than the ones who do it themselves and are still trying to figure it all out.

Francisco Butler