How to Get to the Top of a Google Search
It’s a tale as old as time (as long as you only go back to the 1990’s). You’ve made a fantastic website, you’ve published it expecting big results, and… nothing.
With more than 202 million live websites on the internet, it’s no longer enough to simply put your website out there and hope for the best. You need to take an active role in making sure your website is visible and noticed by the right people.
But there lies the question: How do you get your website noticed?
Well, you came to the right place to find out. As a trusted creative studio, we have experience in getting websites seen by millions of users within 12 months.
Want to know how we did it? The answer lies in striking the balance between three key aspects – online visibility, brand awareness and user engagement.
Online Visibility
At its most basic level, online visibility refers to how easily your page can be found on search engines like Google.
Website visibility is much more than bragging rights. It’s about securing a prime spot on the first page of search engines – essentially the digital version of a bustling high street.
The more visible your website is, the more organic traffic it’s likely to attract. More traffic means an increase in conversions and sales for your business.
Brand Awareness
Brand awareness is all about making sure your target audience knows who you are, what you do and why they should choose you over the competition.
This can be achieved through various marketing strategies, including social media campaigns, influencer marketing, content marketing, and SEO optimisation.
The more people know about your brand and associate it with quality and value, the higher the chances of them actively searching for your company for their needs.
User Engagement
A website that intuitively encourages users to explore and interact with it results in high user engagement. This engagement typically means that the quality of content on your website is of a high quality – which in turn builds trust with new users.
Search engines also value websites with high user engagement as this indicates that users are being provided with a positive user experience. This can result in high search engine rankings.
Case Study: How We Put Our Client In Front Of 3.36 Million Users
One of our clients reached out to Inc Studio back in 2022 looking for an SEO strategy and a website update that would get their business noticed and create more leads.
After speaking with their team, it was clear that we needed to create a strategy that would build brand awareness, foster user engagement and improve their online visibility on competitive search engine results pages (SERPs).
We started our strategy by mapping out a search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy that would get our client’s website seen on industry-related SERPs.
From here, we started making headway on creating high-quality content, improving the website structure and technical performance, and refining user experience across the whole website.
Within 12 months, we had strategically placed our client in front of over 3 million users.
Admittedly, that’s a very brief overview of how we got our client’s website noticed.
Want to know more? Below is our tried and tested step-by-step guide on how you can get your website seen by the right audience.
How to Get Your Website Noticed: Step-by-Step Guide
Now that the basics of online visibility, brand awareness and user engagement are clear, it’s time to dive into the deep end.
Below are our 19 actionable tips on how to get your website noticed in 2025. Let’s dive into it.
1) Submit Your Website To Google
Assuming you already have your website domain secured and website hosting in place, the first step to getting noticed online is to submit your website to Google. By submitting your website, you’re essentially telling Google that your website exists and should be included in search results.
Google Search Console provides a simple and free way to do this. Once submitted, make sure your website is easy to crawl by having a clean and organised structure with proper meta tags and alt text for images. This will help search engines understand the content on your website and index it more effectively.
2) Make Your Website Easy To Crawl
Search engines use web crawlers to discover and index content on the internet.
The easier it is for these crawlers to navigate your website, the more likely they are to rank it higher in search results. The higher your website ranks, the more visible it becomes.
To make your website easy to crawl, make sure to:
- All pages have a clear hierarchy and internal links between them
- Keywords are strategically used in titles, headings, and meta descriptions.
- A sitemap has been created that lists all pages on your website for crawlers to reference.
3) Find The Perfect Keywords
When you think of SEO, the first thing you probably think of are keywords, right? Well, it’s for a good reason.
While they’re not the be-all and end-all of SEO, keywords still play an essential role in getting your website noticed.
To find the perfect keywords for your website, you need to consider the search volume, ranking difficulty, and relevance to your business. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Moz can help you with this.
However, in competitive fields, it can be challenging to rank for popular keywords – even if you’re an industry leader with a high domain authority.
That’s where long-tail keywords come in.
Long-tail keywords are specific and often longer search phrases with less competition within your niche.
By targeting these keywords, you stand a better chance of ranking higher and driving more targeted traffic to your site.
When researching keywords, you must consider:
- Search volume: How often is the keyword searched for?
- Competition: How many other websites are also targeting this keyword and how hard would it be to rank given the current condition of your website?
- Relevance: Is the keyword relevant to your content and target audience?
- Search Intent: What purpose does the user have when entering this keyword? Are they looking to buy something, learn more, or find a specific product or service?
- Audience: Who are you targeting with your keywords? Make sure they align with the demographics and interests of your target audience.
Pro Keyword Tip:
Don’t be afraid to use a mix of short and long-tail keywords in your content. This can help diversify your strategy and improve your chances of ranking for multiple terms.
4) Create Quality Content Targeting Keywords
Now you have your keywords, it’s time to create quality content that targets them.
Remember, the quality of your content is crucial in building user engagement and trust with search engines. So make sure your content is well-written, informative, and relevant to the keywords you’re targeting.
It’s easy to get trapped in the mindset of thinking your content needs to be optimised for search engines. That’s true, it does, but above all else: your content needs to be useful.
Content that provides no value to a user will struggle to reach the first page of Google.
Similarly, a page that’s over-optimised will also struggle to climb the ranks. Google is getting smarter every day and can recognise when a website is trying to manipulate its algorithm.
5) Write Compelling Page Titles
What’s the point in writing great content if nobody reads it? That’s why you need to write page titles that stand out and make users want to click through.
Page titles are the first impression a user has of your content, so they need to be compelling, relevant and accurately represent what the page is about.
To write an effective page title, you should:
- Use compelling adjectives
- Include targeted keywords
- Keep it under 60 characters.
6) Refine Metadata
Metadata is the information that appears under your page title in search results. It includes a brief description of what users can expect to find on your webpage.
Similar to page titles, metadata should be compelling, relevant, and include targeted keywords. It’s an opportunity to give users a brief overview of your content and entice them to click through.
Although Google rewrites more than 60% of meta descriptions, it’s still important to include them and optimise them for maximum click-through rate (CTR).
Keep these tips in mind when creating titles and metadata:
- Make sure both accurately describe the content on the page engagingly and uniquely.
- Include numbers and statistics where applicable (e.g. “10 ways to improve your SEO”).
- Use action-oriented language (e.g. “Discover”, “Learn”, “Find out”).
Pro Metadata Tip:
A/B testing your page titles and meta descriptions can help you determine which ones are most effective for driving traffic to your site. Be sure to review and update them regularly as well.
7) Optimise For Mobile
Everybody uses mobile for search and you need to be optimised for it.
Google now considers mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor because most users are accessing the internet on their phones.
This change in the algorithm highlights the importance of having a mobile-friendly website. To optimise your site for mobile, make sure to:
- Use responsive design that adjusts your website layout based on the device it’s being viewed on.
- Limit the use of pop-ups and interstitial ads that can hinder the user experience on mobile devices.
- Make sure your website loads quickly, as slow loading times can significantly impact mobile users.
8) Prioritise UX
Responsive design and an excellent mobile experience bleed into a wider aspect of SEO – user experience (UX).
Google considers a website’s UX when ranking it in search results. This means that factors like site speed, mobile-friendliness, and ease of navigation all play a role in your SEO efforts.
This shift in the algorithm has led some critics to argue that content is no longer king, with UX playing a more crucial part in getting your website noticed.
A well-designed and user-friendly website can improve engagement, reduce bounce rates, and increase conversions.
To prioritise UX on your site, make sure to prioritise:
- Simplicity in Design: Aim for a layout that’s easy on the eyes; avoid clutter and focus on delivering a straightforward message.
- Clear Navigation: Make it as easy as possible for visitors to find their way around your site; a good sign is if they can get where they want to be in just a few clicks.
- Fast Loading Times: If a page takes more than three seconds to load, more than 50% of users will abandon your page and go elsewhere, leading to a higher bounce rate. Ensure pages load swiftly to keep your audience from turning away in frustration.
- Engaging Content: Keep content relevant and updated to persuade visitors to come back time and time again.
- Mobile-Friendliness: As mentioned earlier, a mobile-friendly site is crucial for both user experience and SEO. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to see if your site meets the criteria.
- Broken Links: Broken links can negatively affect your website’s crawlability and user experience. Regularly checking for broken links and fixing them can help improve your site’s overall health.
9) Prove You’re A Local Business
Google My Business is a powerful tool for any business looking to get noticed online.
If you don’t know what it is, Google My Business is a free and easy-to-use tool to help businesses manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps.
It’s an excellent way to let people know you are a local business, which can boost your visibility in search results.
That’s not to mention other search engines have their equivalent platform, such as Bing Places.
When creating a Google My Business listing, make sure to:
- Provide accurate and up-to-date information about your business – NAP (name, address, phone number).
- Choose relevant categories that accurately describe what your business does.
- Regularly post updates about your business, such as promotions or events.
- Encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business page – we’ll touch on this in more detail later on.
10) Find Relevant Online Directories
Off-page SEO is often the most overlooked aspect of search engine optimisation.
This pillar of SEO involves building backlinks to your site from other reputable websites, which signals to search engines that your content is valuable and worth ranking.
A backlink is essentially an endorsement from another website, and registering for online directories is a great way to get those endorsements.
One way to get started with off-page SEO is by registering for online directories. This includes local listings, business directories, and review sites.
Try looking for some free directory listings related to your niche, which will help to improve your online visibility and get your website noticed.
11) Perfect Your Link Strategy
Link structure plays a crucial part in getting your website noticed in search results.
Search engines value websites with a strong internal link structure, as it shows that the website has a logical hierarchy and makes it easier for users to navigate.
Similarly, external links from other reputable websites can also improve your rankings, as it signals to search engines that your content is valuable and worth linking to.
We already touched on one way to increase external links to your site – online directories.
But that’s not the only way. Guest blogging, asking for reviews, and social media outreach can all help to build your link structure.
When perfecting your website’s link strategy, make sure to:
- Include relevant and natural anchor text when linking internally or externally – avoid overusing keywords, as this can appear spammy to search engines.
- Regularly check for broken links and fix them promptly.
- Avoid buying backlinks or participating in link schemes – these practices are against Google’s guidelines and can result in penalties for your website.
12) Optimised URL Structure
Your URL structure may not seem like it plays a significant role in getting your website seen, but it significantly helps to improve your site’s crawlability and user experience.
A well-optimised URL should be short, descriptive, and easy to read. It should also include relevant keywords where necessary.
This applies to both the main domain and any subfolders or pages within your website.
For example, if you run an online pet store and have a page for cat accessories, a good URL structure would be: `www.example.com/pet-store/cat-accessories`
Compare this to a random string of numbers and letters that don’t accurately describe the page’s content – which one do you think search engines will value more?
We even have the data to prove it. Last year, we changed the URL structure on one of our client’s websites and saw their site receive a 267% increase in traffic in just seven months.
Check out our case study to read more about it.
13) Work With Influencers
When we say work with influencers we don’t mean Instagram models or reality stars. We’re talking about other business owners and industry experts within your niche.
Collaborating with these individuals to create content, guest post on each other’s websites, or share each other’s content helps get your business seen in places where your target audience is already consuming information.
Not only does this help expand your reach and build backlinks, but it also positions you as an authority within your industry and can drive highly targeted traffic to your website.
Working with influencers helps get your website seen because:
- You’re leveraging their existing audience and network.
- Search engines value backlinks from reputable websites, such as industry experts or influencers within your niche.
- Collaborating with others in your industry can lead to new and valuable content opportunities, such as webinars, podcasts, or joint blog posts.
14) Image Optimisation
Images are an effective tool for engaging users and breaking up large blocks of text. But they also present an opportunity for SEO.
Optimised, high-quality images with alt text can help search engines understand the context of your images and improve your website’s visibility in image search results.
They can also improve the user experience, making your site more appealing and easier to navigate.
When optimising images, consider:
- Use high-quality images that are relevant to the content on the page.
- Using descriptive file names – avoid using vague terms like “image1.jpg”
- Compressing images to reduce load time.
- Including alt text that accurately describes the image and includes relevant keywords.
Remember, while images are essential for SEO, be careful not to overdo it. Too many large images can slow down your site’s load time and negatively impact your website’s performance.
15) Run A Google Ads Campaign
The power of organic digital marketing shouldn’t be ignored. But sometimes, a little push can go a long way, especially if you’re in a highly competitive industry.
A Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ad campaign (such as on Google Ads or Meta Ads) allows businesses to propel their website and products in front of their desired audience quickly.
Unlike organic strategies that grow traction over time, PPC can offer quick results, with your ads placed prominently where potential customers are already looking.
However, it’s crucial to remember that PPC isn’t a magic wand; if your website isn’t up to scratch, then your campaign may not yield the desired results.
That’s why, it’s essential to lay a solid foundation with organic marketing efforts such as SEO, content marketing and intuitive UX/UI web design before launching into a PPC campaign.
16) Prioritise Great Customer Service & Get Reviews
Encouraging satisfied customers to share their experiences through online reviews on platforms like Google Reviews and TrustPilot can have a significant positive impact on your digital presence.
Not only do these personal testimonials boost your brand awareness and online visibility, but they also cement consumer trust, as potential customers often seek out and value peer recommendations.
What’s more, a healthy collection of reviews improves local SEO, as search engines tend to favour businesses with higher ratings and more reviews, placing them prominently in local search results.
Just think of online reviews as word-of-mouth in the digital age – each one can act as a powerful advocate for your brand.
Regularly monitor the reviews, both good and bad, making sure to reply to each and every one in a professional and timely manner.
Remember, even negative reviews present opportunities for customer service recovery and show potential customers that your business values feedback and takes steps to address any issues.
17) Utilise Social Media
Social media can be a powerful tool for getting your website seen by a wider audience.
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn allow you to share your content with your followers and engage with potential customers in real time.
Not only does this help drive traffic to your website, but it also provides opportunities for backlinks and builds social proof for your business.
The exciting part (or frustrating, depending on who you ask) about social media is that what works for one industry may not work for another. This means that you can experiment and express yourself online in a way that resonates with your target audience.
When utilising social media, consider:
- Which platforms are most relevant to your target audience?
- What types of content perform best on each platform?
- How can you engage and build relationships with potential customers through social media?
Remember, consistency is key on social media. Post regularly and engage with your followers to see the best results.
18) Make Shareable Content
Content that can be shared across various channels efficiently reaches a wider audience and gets noticed online.
Content creation goes far beyond writing SEO blog posts. It can include creating informative videos, designing infographics and developing shareable images.
It’s all about strategically placing your content where it can make a real impact.
The content you create should resonate with your brand and be the trigger that starts a quality conversation with potential customers.
By diversifying your content, you can target different types of users and engage with them on the platforms they are most active on.
This approach also allows you to repurpose old content in new ways, giving it new life and reaching a larger audience. In turn, this helps get your business seen online.
19) Always Promote Your Website When Relevant
Whether it’s on an email signature, business card, or bio on social media, always promote your website when relevant.
Including your website link in these areas can help drive traffic to your site and create a seamless experience for potential customers who are interested in learning more about your business.
After all, having that link could be the difference between someone becoming a customer or moving on to another company.
Improve Your Google SEO and Increase Website Traffic
As you might’ve guessed by now, getting your website noticed is a time-consuming process that can take months to show any significant results.
That’s why many businesses choose to hire a creative agency that specialises in SEO and digital marketing, such as Inc Studio.
This way, your business can experience organic growth all while focusing on what you do best – running your business.
Our specialists can provide your website with the best strategies and techniques to improve its online presence, fusing our unique ideas and expertise to provide higher rankings and more traffic.
Learn more about how Inc Studio can elevate your business and get your website noticed.
Contact us today to let us know about your business and we’ll get back to you shortly.