Feature Article: 
How to Predict Top Ranking in Search Engines

Okay, so it’s time to come clean. I’m obsessed with getting high rankings in Google and other search sites. Of course most of my attention is in the direction of Google’s web site because of the high number of visitors they bring in. This is not something I’d like to admit openly, because we always advise our clients not to “focus solely on high rankings but overall visibility” in the search sites, but sometimes the temptation is too great to resist. So is this a case of the consultants not listening to their own advice? Well, not quite. I like to think of it as research.

For quite some time we had high ranking in Google for our target brand keyword, “internet marketing consultants”. I liked that keyword phrase, for in the long run that was what best described our business. It was in the top ten for a while, until the November Google update and like so many it disappeared. Now, I must admit I had played around a bit with SEO “tricks” focused on that keyword previous to that update and on occasion was penalized for aggressive behavior by a drop in rankings. Better to experiment on our own site then a client’s was my reasoning.

For over a year I had paid close attention to monthly changes of not only my rankings for “internet marketing consultants, but the other top ten sites. I studied and recorded the changes very closely. I hate unsolved mysteries, and more importantly, this was a brand keyword that defined our business most appropriately. This obsession lead to some expanded research we began over six months ago to see if it was possible to predict top rankings in Google.

We have never offered our clients a ranking guarantee and continue to refuse to do so. It’s just not an honest business practice to offer something that is very much out of your direct control, but I could relate to a prospect’s frustration. Some people have been burnt by unfulfilled promises of high ranking made by other SEO firms. I knew it would satisfy the need for predictability if we could give them some idea if their target keyword had any chance of getting into the top. So we developed a Google ranking prediction model that was based on the results of our research and experience. And it works! It is now possible to provide an indication of the competitive environment for your target keyword and predict its chance to make it to the top. So what value is there in having a prediction of whether or not you will rank in the top for a given key word?

Think how frustrated you would be if you launched a Search Engine Optimization project and chose key words that had no chance of achieving high ranking within your resource and budget constraints. Think of the costs of a false start in a branding campaign that left you far behind your key competitors. On the other hand, think of how confident you would feel if you knew going into the project how you ranked against your key competitors and exactly what you needed to do to beat them. In Search Engine Marketing, ignorance is not bliss, and knowledge really is power. So, what are the steps to take to achieve the power of an accurate prediction?

The first small, but important step is to take your target keyword and look closely at the top ten competitive ranking positions. Print out each competitor’s web page and highlight the key business benefits they are messaging. Does it align with your business objectives? Is there an opportunity for you to create a differentiator? Will you be able to create a unique brand message or will you be a “me too” message? Be critical of yourself, for this insight might help you re-define your on-line presence and develop a better marketing message that can be summarized in a search term. It will also help you align your site with prospective buyers’ objectives, so when you do achieve high ranking visibility, your site will be on the way to convert visitors to buyers. But most importantly, it will enable you to develop web copy that search engines and visitors alike will find to be rich in relevant content for the target keyword.

One result of this preliminary analysis may be a slight twist to your target keyword where you have discovered some additional qualifiers, such as “luxury”, “bargain” and the list goes on. This new focus will help you develop web draw materials and web copy that support this target keyword phrase. You have now created your search brand keyword phrase and can “predict” the amount of effort it will take to reach maximum visibility in the search sites. This will help focus your energies and prevent disappointments with your SEO efforts.

So if you are like me, and wonder why your favorite brand search phrase is not in the top ten, then make a prediction. All it takes is some research, common sense observations, and leverage freely available tools. If that sounds too much to handle, just challenge us for a prediction. Our Market-Vantage Tip-sheetTM service is the safe way to get a no-risk, high-value prediction.

Previous Articles

• Predicting Ranking
• Reacting to the Google Dance
• 4C's of Internet Marketing
• Developing Trust
• Compelling Web Content
• Permission Marketing via Search
• Internet as Research Tool
• Gap between Sales & Marketing
• Budgeting for SEO
• Measuring Marketing ROI
• Building Brand
• Define Internet Marketing