How to Improve Website Ranking for Free

Getting your website to rank higher on search engines can feel like a battle. With search algorithms constantly changing, it can seem overwhelming to keep up. But here's the good news—you don't need a big budget to make improvements. There are plenty of free ways to boost your website's SEO and improve your rankings. Whether you're a small business owner or a marketer looking to get more visibility, these strategies will help.

Let's dive into how you can improve your website’s ranking for free.

Leverage Google Search Console and Analytics

If you're not using Google Search Console and Google Analytics already, you're missing out on some powerful (and free) tools to boost your rankings. These platforms are essential for understanding how your website is performing and identifying areas for improvement.

Setting Up Google Search Console

Google Search Console helps you monitor your site’s performance, check for indexing issues, and track your keyword rankings. Setting it up is simple—just verify your website, and you're good to go.

Once it's running, pay attention to:

• Search Queries: See what keywords are driving traffic to your site.
• Index Coverage: Identify and fix any errors stopping your pages from being indexed properly.
• Mobile Usability: Make sure your site performs well on mobile, as Google prioritises mobile-first indexing.

Using Google Analytics for Insights

With Google Analytics, you can monitor how users are interacting with your site. Track important metrics like bounce rate, session duration, and user behaviour to understand where you can make improvements. The combination of these tools helps you take targeted action to boost your rankings.

Optimise Your On-Page SEO

On-page SEO is one of the most effective ways to improve your rankings without spending a dollar. It involves optimising the content and structure of your website to make it more attractive to search engines.

Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Every page on your website should have a unique title tag and meta description. These are what appear in search engine results and play a critical role in attracting clicks. Use relevant keywords, keep them concise, and ensure they’re compelling enough to drive traffic to your site.

Header Tags (H1, H2, H3)

Structure your content using header tags to break up text and signal to search engines what’s important. The H1 tag should represent the main topic of your page, while H2 and H3 tags can be used for subtopics. This helps Google understand your content better and improve user experience.

Internal Linking

Linking to other relevant pages on your website can improve user experience and search engine crawlability. For example, if you're writing a blog about social media marketing, link to another page on your site discussing SEO. Internal links keep users on your site longer and help search engines index more of your content.

Image Optimisation

Search engines can’t read images, but they can read alt text. Make sure every image on your site includes descriptive alt text that incorporates relevant keywords. This not only helps with SEO but also improves accessibility for users who rely on screen readers.

Create High-Quality, Relevant Content

You’ve probably heard it before—content is king. Creating valuable, relevant content is one of the most powerful ways to improve your website’s ranking. Search engines like Google prioritise websites that regularly provide useful information to their audience.

Focus on Long-Tail Keywords

Rather than targeting highly competitive, short-tail keywords, focus on long-tail keywords—those three- or four-word phrases that are more specific and less competitive. Free tools like AnswerThePublic, Ubersuggest and Google Keyword Planner can help you find long-tail keywords relevant to your business.

Blog Regularly

Blogging is a great way to consistently add fresh content to your site. Not only does it help you target more keywords, but it also positions your website as a resource in your industry. Share helpful insights, how-tos, or industry trends that your audience will find valuable. Over time, this builds authority and trust with both users and search engines.

Improve Website Speed

Website speed is a crucial ranking factor. Google wants to provide the best possible experience for its users, so slow-loading websites often get pushed down the search results. Luckily, there are free ways to improve your website’s speed.

Free Tools to Use

Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTMetrix can help you analyse your site’s performance and provide recommendations for improvement. These platforms will highlight issues like slow-loading images, unoptimised code, or the need for browser caching.

Simple Fixes

• Compress Images: Use free image compression tools to reduce the file size of your images without compromising quality.
• Minimise CSS and JavaScript Files: Clean up your website’s code by minimising unnecessary elements.
• Enable Browser Caching: This allows returning visitors to load your site faster by storing certain files on their browser.

Build High-Quality Backlinks

Backlinks, or links from other websites to yours, signal to Google that your content is trustworthy and authoritative. The more quality backlinks you have, the better your site will rank.

Guest Posting

Offer to write guest posts for industry-relevant blogs. Many websites are happy to publish quality content in exchange for a link back to your site. This not only builds your credibility but also drives referral traffic.

Directory Listings

Submit your website to local and industry-specific directories. Many of these are free and provide valuable backlinks. Make sure you’re listed in Google My Business and other online directories like Yelp or Yellow Pages.

Broken Link Building

Use tools like Check My Links or Broken Link Checker to find broken links on relevant websites. Reach out to the website owner and suggest your content as a replacement—this is a win-win scenario for both parties.

Focus on Mobile-Friendliness

With Google’s mobile-first indexing strategy, mobile usability has become a critical ranking factor. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you're likely to struggle in the search results.

Test Your Mobile Friendliness

Google offers a free Mobile-Friendly Test tool. Simply enter your website’s URL, and it will show you any issues impacting mobile usability.

Basic Mobile Optimisation Tips

• Responsive Design: Ensure your site adapts to different screen sizes and orientations.
• Optimise Touch Elements: Make sure buttons and links are large enough for mobile users to tap easily.
• Speed on Mobile: Follow the same speed optimisation tips mentioned earlier but ensure they’re tailored for mobile performance.

Leverage Social Media for SEO Benefits

While social media isn’t a direct ranking factor, it can indirectly help improve your SEO. When people share your content, it increases visibility and the likelihood of earning backlinks from other sites.

Promote Content on Social Media

Share your blog posts, infographics, and valuable content across platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. The more people engage with your content, the more likely it is to be seen by new audiences—and linked to by other sites.

Engage with Industry Influencers

Interact with influencers and thought leaders in your industry. Building relationships can lead to guest posting opportunities or backlinks to your site.

Improve User Experience (UX)

A website that provides a great user experience (UX) will see lower bounce rates and longer session times—both factors that Google considers when ranking websites.

Simple UX Improvements

• Easy Navigation: Make sure users can easily find what they're looking for without having to dig through multiple layers of pages.
• Readable Fonts and Layouts: Use clear, readable fonts and avoid overcrowding your pages with too much text or media.
• Clear Calls to Action (CTAs): Ensure your CTAs are easy to spot and compelling enough to drive conversions.

Final Thoughts

Improving your website’s ranking doesn’t have to be expensive. By leveraging free tools and implementing smart SEO strategies, you can enhance your site’s visibility and performance in search engines. Start by focusing on the basics like on-page SEO, creating valuable content, and optimising for mobile and speed. Over time, these small changes can lead to big results. Don’t wait - start boosting your rankings today without spending a cent!

If you're ready to take your SEO to the next level but aren't sure where to start, I'm here to help. At MJH Digital, I offer free website audits that will give you insights into your current SEO performance and show you where improvements can be made. Whether you need help with technical SEO, content strategies, or backlink building, I'm ready to assist. Get in touch with Matthew Hellmich today, schedule a call and start improving your website’s ranking with expert guidance!