How Your Business Website Ranks on Google

Ever wonder how your business website ranks on Google’s search engine? Most people will try searching for specific keywords thinking that it will show them accurately how Google is ranking them. Although it may seem like it would make sense, this will not provide you with correct data on how your business ranks with search engines.

Here’s why

Google search results are personalised to each individual. So when you perform a search, your results will differ from when your prospects and customers are searching for your products or services. No two people will ever get the same Google search results.

Since it is more than likely that you have visited your own website before or have performed similar searches, Google will more than likely show your website on the first few pages of your search results.

Google has been trying to improve search algorithms that define the order in which our search results appear for years. They’ve been keeping track of our every move, in order to deliver us personalised search results, which is said to enhance user experience by giving more accurate information.

What influences some of your search results

Search results are being delivered based on several factors such as:

• Your social connections. Google looks at who you’re connected with and how you interact with people on social media sites.
  
  
• Your location. Google uses your IP address to find your location.
  
  
• Your previous searches. Google keeps track of every search you perform.
  
  
• Signed-in personalisation. When you’re signed in to a Google Account with Web History, Google personalises your search experience based on what you’ve searched for and which sites you’ve visited in the past.
  
  
• Signed-out personalisation. When you’re not signed in, Google customises your search experience based on past search information linked to your browser, using a cookie. Google stores up to 180 days of signed-out search activity linked to your browser’s cookie, including queries and results you click.

How to find more accurate search engine rankings of your website

So this is probably the best way to find the most accurate search engine ranking of your site:

1. Log out of all Google services including Gmail
   
   
2. Switch to non-personalised search mode (if you have enabled Google “Search plus Your World”)
   
   
3. Go Incognito when browsing. Pages that you open and files that you download while in incognito mode aren’t recorded in your browsing or download history.

This method should give you a better idea of where you rank with search engines like Google. Remember that 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results. Ranking high with search engines is really important for your business. This is a continual process which requires some strategic planning and active participation on your part.

SOURCE: VA Simple Services