If your page is stuck on page two, this list tells you what to fix and in what order. The first three are the highest-leverage changes for the lowest effort.
Quick wins (1–4)
1. Match the search intent
The single most common reason a page won't rank: it doesn't answer the question Google thinks the keyword is asking. If the top 10 are all listicles and you wrote a how-to, Google probably won't consider you relevant. Look at the top 5 SERP results — what format, length, and angle do they share? Match it.
2. Fix your title tag and meta description
Your title tag is the strongest on-page ranking signal. Lead with the target keyword. Keep it under 60 characters so it doesn't get truncated. Use our SERP preview tool to check.
3. Add the keyword to your H1 and first 100 words
Sounds basic — most pages still get it wrong. The H1 should match your title closely. The keyword (or a close variant) should appear naturally in the first paragraph.
4. Speed up the page
Run our site audit to see your performance score. Low-hanging fruit: compress hero images, defer third-party scripts, remove unused plugins. Aim for 90+ on mobile.
Mid-effort (5–8)
5. Improve content depth
Look at the top-ranking page's word count and section coverage. If they have 12 H2 sections and you have 4, you're likely missing critical sub-topics. Add the missing sections rather than padding existing ones.
6. Add internal links from your high-authority pages
Find pages on your site that already rank well or have backlinks. Add a contextual internal link from those pages to the page you're trying to rank. This is one of the most underused on-page tactics.
7. Optimise images
Descriptive file names, descriptive alt text, modern formats (WebP/AVIF), and properly sized dimensions. Large unoptimised images are still the #1 cause of poor mobile speed.
8. Build out related pages
Google ranks topics, not just pages. If you only have one page about "X", you're a beginner on that topic. Add 3–5 related pages that link to your money page — it signals topical authority.
Higher-effort (9–12)
9. Earn quality backlinks
Forget link directories and PBNs — those don't work and risk penalties. The links that matter are editorial mentions from real sites in your niche. Easiest paths: digital PR (newsworthy stat or commentary), guest posting on relevant trade publications, building tools or resources others reference.
10. Update old content
Pages that ranked years ago often slip because the content is stale. Identify pages that used to rank in the top 10 and have dropped — refresh facts, add new sections, update screenshots, republish with a current date. Often delivers a ranking lift within weeks.
11. Add structured data (schema markup)
Schema doesn't directly improve rankings, but it can earn you rich results (star ratings, FAQ accordions, sitelinks) which dramatically increase click-through rate. Higher CTR = stronger ranking signal.
12. Build out your local presence (if you serve a local market)
Local rankings are a separate algorithm. If you're a Cornwall plumber, you need an optimised Google Business Profile, citations on UK directories, location-specific landing pages, and Google reviews. Without these, no amount of on-page SEO will get you into the local pack.
What NOT to do
- Keyword stuffing. Using your keyword 47 times tanks your readability and Google ignores it.
- Buying links. Detected and penalised. Costly mistakes are common here.
- Daily content publishing. Quantity without quality dilutes your topical authority.
- Chasing every algorithm tweet. Most algorithm rumours don't apply to small business sites.
How to track progress
Check rankings weekly using our free rank checker. Don't panic at single-position movements — look at the trend over 4–8 weeks. Real ranking improvements take 3–6 months for competitive keywords; quick wins on long-tail terms can land in 2–4 weeks.
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