Getting to the top of a Google search is the golden goose for many brands – indeed entire industries are dedicated to the arts of SEO and SEM.

While there's no magic bullet for getting into Google's good graces, a recent study from Searchmetrics that analysed 300,000 URLs shows some sensible ways for building a better brand presence.

Content wears the crown

Posting quality content ticks virtually every box when it comes to positive search rankings.

Most URLs with high rankings have more text links and rich media such as images and video. Having a robust internal linking structure also helps.  

Social

A strong social media presence is equally important to search placement. The study found the top URLs had the highest number of likes, shares, tweets and plus ones. 

Frequently shared content also assists in search positioning. 

Keywords

Keywords have lost some of their sway to content, yet remain important.

Keywords that are relevant to a post's title will help boost search rankings.

Coding

The way websites are designed remains important. For example, having a fast site speed, a description and relevant tags.

The study found that these factors didn't have a positive impact on ranking, however sites without these features slip down the ranking scale. 

This means these features are now prerequisites, rather than search superchargers. 

To read the full report visit searchmetrics.com. 

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