How to Rank Higher on Google: 12 Steps That Still Work
No tricks, just the 12 steps that keep working through every Google update: from indexing and technical basics to content, local SEO, links and AI Overviews.
The short answer: Make sure Google can find and understand every important page, create the single best answer for each search your buyers make, prove real experience, earn mentions from trusted sites, and keep improving what you have. There are no shortcuts that survive Google’s updates, but these steps work every time.
Ranking higher on Google isn’t about tricks. Google has spent the last five years getting very good at spotting them, as you can see in our Google algorithm updates timeline. What works now is making your site the most useful, trustworthy result for the searches that matter to your business.
Here are the steps I’d follow for any business, in order.
1. Check that Google can find your pages
Set up Google Search Console and submit your XML sitemap. Then check the Pages report: are your key service and product pages indexed? If not, nothing else matters yet. Common culprits include a “noindex” setting left on from development, pages blocked in robots.txt, and duplicate pages competing with each other.
2. Fix the technical basics
- Speed: Aim for pages that load quickly on mobile. Compress images and cut unnecessary plugins and scripts.
- Mobile: Google ranks the mobile version of your site, so check every key page on a phone.
- Security: Use HTTPS across the whole site.
- Structure: Clear menus and sensible URLs help both people and Google.
3. Target the right searches
Pick keywords by intent, not just volume. “Emergency plumber Mandurah” brings buyers. “How do pipes work” brings students. Group related searches into topics, and give each topic one strong page instead of several thin ones.
4. Create the best answer on the page
Look at what currently ranks for your target search, then make something more useful. Answer the question early, cover what people want to know next, and use plain language. Add prices, examples, comparisons and FAQs where they help. Write for the reader first. Google rewards pages that people find genuinely satisfying.
5. Show real experience and expertise
Google looks for signals of experience, expertise, authority and trust. Show who wrote the content and why they know what they’re talking about. Use your own photos, results, case studies and customer stories. First-hand detail is very hard for competitors, or AI tools, to copy.
6. Write titles people want to click
Your page title and meta description are your ad in the search results. Put the main keyword near the start of the title, keep it under about 60 characters, and give people a reason to click: a benefit, a number or a clear promise.
7. Link your pages together
Internal links help Google understand which pages matter most and how topics connect. Link from blog posts to your service pages, and between related articles, using descriptive link text.
8. Nail your local SEO
If you serve a local area, your Google Business Profile is one of your most valuable assets. Fill in every section, pick the right categories, add real photos, post updates and keep your hours current. Make sure your business name, address and phone number match exactly across your website and directories.
9. Build a steady flow of reviews
Reviews influence local rankings and whether people choose you. Ask every happy customer, make it easy with a direct link, and reply to every review.
10. Earn links and mentions
Links from relevant, trusted websites are still a strong signal. Earn them with useful content, local partnerships, supplier and association listings, sponsorships and PR. Avoid buying links. Google’s systems neutralise them, and they can get you penalised.
11. Update what you already have
Often the fastest win is improving pages that already rank on page two. Refresh outdated facts, answer missing questions, improve the layout and add internal links. Then watch Search Console for movement.
12. Prepare for AI Overviews
Google now answers many questions with AI Overviews. To be cited in them, keep content clear, factual and well structured, with direct answers under question-style headings. We cover this in our guide on what to do about AI Overviews.
What to avoid
- Publishing lots of thin or AI-generated pages just to target keywords
- Buying links or joining link schemes
- Copying competitors’ content
- Stuffing keywords into text, titles or image names
- Chasing every algorithm rumour instead of improving your site
How long does it take?
Technical fixes from an SEO audit can show results within weeks. New content and links usually take three to six months to build momentum, longer in competitive markets. SEO compounds: the work you do now keeps paying off for years. Need leads while it builds? Google Ads in Perth can fill the gap.
Want a clear plan for your site? Our SEO service starts with what will bring you customers, not just rankings. Get a free audit and we’ll show you the quickest wins.
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About the author
Director and Lead Consultant, Anahaw Media
John Conigliaro is the Director and Lead Consultant at Anahaw Media, a Perth digital marketing agency focused on performance. A Filipino-Australian digital marketer now based in Perth, WA, with more than 15 years’ experience across Singapore and Australia, he has led agencies in Australia on technical execution and growth strategy, founded a globally recognised eCommerce brand, and managed almost 300 campaigns, from small businesses to multinational brands, including Canon, Uniqlo, Benefit Cosmetics, Asiana Airlines, Changi Recommends, APM and Golfbox. He completed an MBA and a dissertation on Digital Transformation, holds a specialisation in Computer Applications from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLSU-CSB), and is also a consumer tech critic and publisher. His mission is to use his talent and passion for digital marketing to change businesses for the better, in how they win customers and how they build their brand.
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