How do you get to the first page of Google?

For those trying to attract organic traffic, Google is omnipotent. It scans the web, determining which pages are most useful and relevant to users on almost any topic.

We don't just trust Google's results, we rely on them.

With such immense power and influence, getting your small business to the first page of Google may seem unrealistic. However, it is this power that Google wields that allows small and local businesses to rank high in search results - for free, more than ever!

It's clear that a Google first page is a worthwhile (if not important) goal for any business, but let's look at its specific benefits first, as this can help you prioritise your business strategy.

Why is the first page of Google important?

Google search results are becoming more robust with knowledge panels, answer fields, expandable related questions, local results, and more. With so many ways to stand out, working to achieve top rankings is well worth the effort, especially since traffic and click rankings drop precipitously as one moves down the search results.

How do you get to the first page of Google?

The first page of Google captures the majority of traffic, but did you know that there are significant differences in CTR rates for the best and worst results? One study shows the following CTR rates by position on Google:

First result: click-through rate 36.4%.

Second result: 12.5% click-through rate.

Third result: click-through rate 9.5%.

CTR continues to drop, down to 2.2% for the 10th result (usually a maximum of 10 normal results per page, and even less now with local results, ads, reply boxes and other new features. If you're not at the top of Google search results, you're missing out on a lot of clicks.

Getting ranked number one on Google can get you into the favoured snippet, giving your business immediate exposure and boosting your authority.

Another study found that the top result on Google captures 33% of search traffic. The closer your site gets to the top appearing on Google, the better your presence on the search network and brand authority will be.

How does a first page ranking benefit your business?

It is important to understand the different goals that getting a high ranking on Google can help your business achieve.

Make your visibility better

Let's say you own a brick-and-mortar building. If you had a choice between locating your business on the main road through town or in a quiet side street, which one would you choose? The main road, of course.

With 167 billion searches a month, getting on the first page of Google is like starting your business on the busiest street in town. The more people see your website, the greater your brand recognition. The more consumers are familiar with your brand, the more receptive they will be to conversion actions.

Attract more potential customers

What if you had to choose between the main street of a diverse city or a city of ideal customers? There are as many Google front pages as there are search queries. Your goal is to get on the first page for queries that your ideal clients fulfil. By doing so, you will be discovered by your consumers. These people are the most likely to turn into potential customers for your business.

Increase engagement

Google's search engine results page alone allows consumers to recognise, compare and interact with your business before they even click on your results.

Increase website traffic

Snippets and answer boxes can't provide very much information. While the search engine results page itself can sometimes provide all the information a person needs, there are still a number of queries that inevitably lead people to a website. Don't forget that it often takes several interactions with a business before a person converts into a customer, so interaction with your website is very important.

Staying on the first page of Google not only dramatically increases traffic to your website; not being on the first page of Google is a huge disadvantage. In fact, the first page of Google captures at least 71% of web traffic (some sources say as much as 92%), and the second page is far from second: it drops to 6% of website clicks. This dramatic drop in web traffic is an indication of how important Google's first page is.

Raise the authority of your industry

To get on Google's first page, you need to regularly create high quality content that Google recognises fulfils the needs of its searchers. It takes time, but the increased traffic and resulting credibility is worth the investment.

In addition, writing regularly about your industry and business will require you to keep up to date with what your target audience wants to know, as well as the latest updates in your industry. Appearing on the first page of Google is important because it helps develop and maintain a solid knowledge base that your business can stand firmly on.

Gain trust

Google's algorithm is designed to recognise spam, suspicious and low-quality content. If you consistently appear on the first page of Google, it means Google recognises you as a trusted source of information and consumers trust the companies Google trusts.

Expand your audience

As mentioned above, in order to get on the first page of Google, you need to create high-quality, evergreen content. This type of content is the gift that keeps on giving; it can be repurposed and shared across a variety of marketing channels, including social media, email, and paid advertising.

Your content-focused efforts to get on the first page of Google will provide you with more content and more opportunities to engage with your target audience, attract leads, and retain attention.