Are you struggling to rank for high competition keywords? Well, you’re not alone. Many businesses and websites face the same problem, especially when the competition is fierce. However don’t get frustrated. There are ways to overcome these big costs and still rank high in search engine results pages (SERPs).
First, let’s define what high competition keywords are. These are keywords or phrases that many businesses or websites are targeting, making it difficult to rank for them. For example, if you’re running a sports equipment business, ranking for the keyword “sports equipment” will be challenging as there are many other businesses targeting the same keyword.
Now, let’s talk about some strategies you can use to overcome these high costs and rank higher in SERPs.
The primary key tactics
Are you sure your meta descriptions are correct?
One key rule to keep in mind is to always prioritize your targeted keywords by placing them right at the beginning of your sentences. Why, you ask? Well, search engines tend to give more weight to the first few words, so by leading with your keywords, you’re signaling their importance to both users and search algorithms. This simple tweak can significantly boost your chances of ranking higher and attracting more organic traffic.
For example, the overuse of phrases like “how to” and “the best” at the start of your meta description. While these might seem tempting to include, they can actually do more harm than good. Search engines have become smarter in understanding context, and users are looking for specific answers. So instead of starting with generic phrases, focus on addressing the core intent behind the search query. If your title is “how to cook like pro”, and your competitor’s title is “cook like a pro how to”, be sure that you will finish second in the “cook like a pro” keyword race.
Another crucial point is to avoid stuffing your meta descriptions with commas between keywords. Instead, aim for a smooth and natural flow that conveys meaning. Remember, your meta description is like a brief summary of your webpage, and you want it to entice users to click through. So, take the time to create a compelling narrative that engages readers to explore further. By focusing on a simple structure and meaningful content, you’re not only ensuring a better user experience but also signaling to search engines that your page offers valuable information.
Long-tail keywords
If the competition is huge, and you are a new player in the market, you’ll have to use some other tools for the first period. One of the most effective ways to rank for high competition keywords is to target long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are longer phrases that are more specific and less competitive than broad keywords. For example, instead of targeting the keyword “sports equipment,” you can target a long-tail keyword like “best sports equipment for beginners and pros”. Please notive that now, not only have we captured the keyword “sports equipment”, but we additionaly have targeted those who search for “sports equipment for beginners” and “sports equipment for pros”. And be sure that for the keyphrase related to beginners, you’ll get some serious rankings.
Long-tail keywords have several advantages. First, they are more specific, which means that people searching for these keywords are more likely to be interested in what you offer. Second, they are less competitive, which means that you have a higher chance of ranking for them. Finally, long-tail keywords are often cheaper than broad keywords, which means that you can save money on advertising costs.
Discover trending queries with similar phrases
Another strategy to overcome high competition keywords is to discover trending queries with similar phrases. This means finding keywords that have a similar meaning or are related to your target keyword. For example, if your target keyword is “sports equipment,” you can find related keywords like “athletic gear,” “sports gear,” or “fitness equipment.”
By targeting related keywords, you can still reach your target audience without directly competing with your competitors for the same keyword. Furthermore, by targeting trending queries, you can take advantage of current events or topics that people are searching for, which can help you rank higher in SERPs.
Improve your page speed experience score
Most of the competition in high traffic keywords are companies that have been ranking high for years before your decision to get involved. So the only way to get a place in the top rankings, is by delivering a higher quality website, or at least, a better page experience that the competition. Check the PageSpeed Insights score and general website score in Web Dev. Accessibility and development practices which are being checked by web dev play a vital role in the improvement of a website’s ranking. Then, check your scores for the pages you want to rank for. If your scores are lower, do not expect to improve your average position anytime soon.
Even if it seems irrelative, improving your page quality plays a major role in rankings for high traffic keywords. If you can achieve better page scores than the top competitors, you will see your rankings increasing overtime.
The secondary tactics (that you’ve probably already heard of)
Optimize your website texts content
Creating high-quality content is essential for ranking high in SERPs, especially for high competition keywords. Search engines like Google prioritize websites that provide valuable and relative content to their users’ query. By creating high-quality content which includes the keywords you are trying to rank for, you can increase your website’s authority and relevance. This will lead to higher ranking for your target keywords. So this is why you must follow your preferred SEO plugin’s guidelines when writting your articles or adding text to pages. Be sure you have a proper keyword density (how often the keywords appear in your text) and correct headings.
When creating content, make sure it’s relevant to your target audience and provides value to them. Use keywords naturally and avoid keyword stuffing, which can hurt your website’s rankings. Also, make sure your content is well-researched, well-written, and easy to read. Breaking long sentenses into smaller ones will make your texts more human-readable and higher valued by search engine crawlers.
Build high-quality backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your website. They are an essential factor in ranking high in SERPs, especially for high competition keywords. Search engines consider backlinks as a vote of confidence in your website’s authority and relevance. By building high-quality backlinks, you can increase your website’s authority and improve your rankings for your target keywords.
When building backlinks, focus on quality over quantity. Avoid spammy backlinks or links from low-quality websites, as they can hurt your website’s rankings. Instead, focus on building backlinks from high-authority websites that are relevant to your niche. This is a key factor – backlinks from websites that contain the keywords to their texts also will value much higher than irrelative websites. So even if your backlinks are only online directory listings, be sure to leave a complete description for your services, including the keywords you want to rank for.
Use social media
Social media is a powerful tool for promoting your website and reaching your target audience. By using social media, you can increase your website’s visibility, drive traffic to your website, and improve your rankings in SERPs. Social media can also help you engage with your audience and build brand awareness.
When using social media, make sure you use relevant hashtags and keywords in your posts. Try to use different variations for hashtags for the the same keywords, and use those that perform the best. When uploading posts in your accounts, try to include at least a small paragraph containing your preferred keywords.
Monitor your competitors closely
Finally, it’s essential to monitor your competitors and their strategies for targeting high competition keywords. By analyzing your competitors’ strategies, you can identify gaps in the market and find new opportunities to target keywords that they’re not targeting. You can also learn from their successes and failures and use this information to improve your own strategies.
When monitoring your competitors, focus on their content, backlinks, social media, and advertising strategies. Identify their strengths and weaknesses and use this information to improve your own strategies.
In conclusion, ranking for high competition keywords can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. By using these strategies, you can overcome the big costs and still rank high in SERPs. Target long-tail keywords, discover trending queries with similar phrases, create high-quality content, build high-quality backlinks, use social media, use paid advertising, and monitor your competitors. With these strategies, you can improve your website’s rankings and drive more traffic to your website.