Why Your Competitors Rank Higher on Google and How to Fix It
In today’s digital world, businesses are competing for visibility on Google, which is the number one search engine used globally. The higher your website ranks on Google, the more likely your business is to be discovered by potential customers. So, it’s frustrating when your competitors appear higher than you in the search results, despite your best efforts. But why does this happen? What are they doing right that you may be missing? And most importantly, how can you fix it?
There are several factors that influence a website’s ranking on Google. While the algorithm that determines these rankings is complex and constantly changing, we can break down some of the most common reasons your competitors are outranking you. These factors include Google Business Profile optimization, local backlinks, stronger reviews, NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) consistency, location pages, and more. In this article, we’ll explore these factors and offer actionable tips to help you improve your Google ranking.
1. Google Business Profile Optimization
One of the most significant factors influencing local rankings is how well your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is optimized. When potential customers search for your business on Google, your Google Business Profile will appear on the right-hand side of the search results, providing important information like your address, phone number, website, business hours, and customer reviews. If your competitors’ profiles are better optimized, they are likely to appear higher in local searches.
How to Fix It:
- Complete Your Profile: Ensure that all the information on your Google Business Profile is accurate and up-to-date. This includes your business name, address, phone number, website, business hours, and category.
- Add Photos and Videos: Include high-quality photos and videos of your business, products, or services. Businesses with photos receive 42% more requests for directions and 35% more click-throughs to their websites.
- Encourage Reviews: Google ranks businesses with higher ratings and more reviews higher in local search results. Encourage your satisfied customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile.
2. More Local Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your site. Google sees backlinks as a vote of confidence, indicating that your site is trustworthy and valuable. Local backlinks, specifically those from businesses, organizations, or websites in your area, are especially important for local SEO. If your competitors have more high-quality local backlinks, they are likely to outrank you in local search results.
How to Fix It:
- Build Local Partnerships: Reach out to local businesses, newspapers, blogs, and organizations to build relationships and earn backlinks. Offer to contribute guest posts, sponsor local events, or collaborate on community projects.
- Get Listed in Local Directories: Submit your business to relevant local directories, such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and other regional business listings. These directories often provide backlinks that can improve your SEO.
- Create Local Content: Produce content that resonates with your local audience, such as blog posts about local events, news, or community initiatives. This can naturally attract local backlinks from other websites.
3. Stronger Reviews
Customer reviews are one of the most influential ranking factors for local SEO. Google places a high value on user-generated content, such as reviews, because it provides social proof of your business’s quality and trustworthiness. If your competitors have more reviews and stronger ratings, they will have an advantage in local search rankings.
How to Fix It:
- Develop a Review Generation Strategy: Create a process to regularly request reviews from your customers. Make it easy for them to leave feedback by providing direct links to your Google Business Profile or other review platforms.
- Respond to Reviews: Engage with your customers by responding to their reviews, whether they are positive or negative. A timely, respectful response shows that you value customer feedback and helps build trust with potential customers.
- Incorporate Reviews into Your Website: Display customer reviews on your website, especially on landing pages and product/service pages. This can help improve your site’s credibility and user experience, which in turn can boost your rankings.
4. NAP Consistency
NAP consistency refers to the accuracy and uniformity of your business’s Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) across all online directories and listings. If your NAP information is inconsistent, Google may struggle to understand your business’s location and legitimacy, negatively impacting your rankings. If your competitors have consistent NAP information across the web, they may have an edge over you in local search results.
How to Fix It:
- Audit Your Listings: Check your business’s listings on all major directories and ensure that your NAP information is consistent. This includes your Google Business Profile, Yelp, Yellow Pages, Facebook, and any other local listings.
- Update Incorrect Listings: If you find any discrepancies in your NAP information, correct them immediately. You can also use tools like Moz Local or Yext to track and manage your business’s listings across the web.
- Avoid Duplicate Listings: Make sure you don’t have multiple listings for the same business on Google or other platforms. Duplicate listings can confuse search engines and hurt your rankings.
5. Optimizing Location Pages
If you have multiple locations, it’s important to create dedicated location pages on your website. These pages should provide detailed information about each location, such as the address, phone number, hours of operation, and unique content specific to that location. If your competitors have well-optimized location pages, they are likely to rank higher for location-based searches.
How to Fix It:
- Create Location-Specific Pages: If your business operates in multiple areas, create separate pages for each location with unique, relevant content. This will help Google associate your business with each specific area and improve local search visibility.
- Use Local Keywords: Include local keywords (e.g., city or neighborhood names) in the content, titles, and meta descriptions of your location pages. This will help Google understand the geographic focus of each page.
- Optimize for Mobile: Many users search for local businesses on mobile devices, so it’s essential that your location pages are mobile-friendly. Ensure that the pages load quickly and provide a smooth user experience on smartphones and tablets.
6. Lack of On-Page SEO Optimization
Even though local SEO factors like Google Business Profile and reviews are critical, on-page SEO still plays an important role in your rankings. On-page SEO refers to the elements within your website that help search engines understand its content and relevance. These include the use of relevant keywords, meta tags, title tags, and header tags. If your competitors have better on-page SEO than you, it’s likely that they will outrank you on Google.
How to Fix It:
- Optimize Title Tags and Meta Descriptions: Ensure that each page of your website has a unique, keyword-rich title tag and meta description. These elements are what appear in search results, so they should accurately describe the content of each page.
- Use Relevant Keywords: Conduct keyword research to identify the terms your potential customers are searching for and incorporate them naturally into your content. Avoid keyword stuffing, but ensure that your website includes relevant keywords.
- Improve User Experience: Google values websites that offer a positive user experience. Ensure that your site is easy to navigate, fast-loading, and mobile-friendly.
7. Technical SEO Issues
Technical SEO issues, such as slow loading speeds, broken links, or improper use of structured data, can also affect your rankings. If your website has technical issues that make it difficult for Google to crawl and index your pages, you could be losing out to competitors who have better-optimized websites.
How to Fix It:
- Improve Site Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site’s speed and identify areas for improvement. Consider optimizing images, reducing the number of HTTP requests, and leveraging browser caching to speed up your site.
- Fix Broken Links: Regularly check for broken links on your website and fix or remove them. Broken links can negatively impact your site’s credibility and user experience.
- Use Structured Data: Implement structured data (schema markup) on your website to help Google understand the content of your pages. This can improve how your pages appear in search results, especially for local searches.
Case Study: Local Bakery Outranked by Competitors
Background:
A local bakery in Austin, Texas, called “Sweet Treats Bakery,” had been serving the community for over five years. Despite offering high-quality products, great customer service, and being in a popular location, the bakery noticed that its competitors were consistently ranking higher in local search results. The bakery was barely appearing on the first page of Google’s search results for relevant keywords like “best bakery in Austin” or “cupcakes near me.”
Challenges:
Sweet Treats Bakery had several challenges that were hindering its Google rankings:
- Its Google Business Profile wasn’t fully optimized. While the profile was listed, it lacked essential information like photos, videos, and an accurate business description.
- The bakery’s website had limited local backlinks. While it had a few listings in larger directories, there was little connection to the local Austin community.
- Customer reviews were sparse, and the bakery hadn’t developed a strategy to actively request or manage reviews.
- There were inconsistencies in the bakery’s NAP information across directories.
- The bakery had no location-specific pages on its website.
Solution:
Sweet Treats Bakery implemented a series of changes to improve its Google rankings:
- Google Business Profile Optimization: They completed their profile by adding high-quality photos, videos, and a thorough business description. They also encouraged customers to leave reviews.
- Local Backlinks: The bakery reached out to local blogs, food reviewers, and nearby businesses to build backlinks. They sponsored a local charity event and earned mentions and links from local news outlets.
- NAP Consistency: They audited all their business listings and ensured that the bakery’s NAP information was consistent across all directories.
- Review Generation Strategy: They implemented a review request strategy by sending follow-up emails to customers asking them to leave reviews on Google and Yelp.
- Location Pages: They created a blog that featured local events, and they optimized their website with specific Austin-related keywords.
Results:
Within three months, Sweet Treats Bakery’s Google ranking for key local search terms improved significantly. They moved up to the first page for several keywords, and their Google Business Profile began to generate more traffic. Additionally, they saw a 40% increase in website traffic and a noticeable boost in foot traffic to their bakery. Competitors who once outranked them were no longer as prominent in local search results.