OutrankCompetitors38

Just because you're working with a lower marketing budget than usual, doesn't mean you can't still outrank your competitors on Google. Today, we're going to show you how, no matter what kind of ad spend you're working with. 

But first, let's talk about what we mean by outranking your competitors on Google. To do this, we need to understand the type of search content we see on Google. 

Understanding Google search results

There are a few different types of content you see on Google: paid search results, organic search results, and local search results. 

Paid search results

These are the results that show up thanks to paid ad campaigns, or pay-per-click-advertising (PPC). Paid search results show up at the top of Google search results before organic results. When you create paid ad campaigns, it involves targeting a certain audience so these results show up to the right users. 

Pay-per-click offers unique opportunities to expand your customer base at an accelerated speed and connect with specific users looking for businesses like yours. 

Because PPC marketing allows you to reach users at a crucial time (when they're specifically searching to spend on a product or service) PPC advertising is a highly effective way to gain their business directly and immediately.

Organic search results

This is where SEO (search engine optimization) really comes in. Organic search results are those that appear on a Search Engine Results Page (SERP) after someone types a word or phrase into the Google search box. Google ranks the results according to their relevance to the search terms and certain other factors.

By increasing rankings online and in your general area, more people are likely to visit your website and convert into paying customers.

Local search results

Local search results are what come up when someone is looking for a business or service near them. For example, you might search "marketing companies near me," and if you live in Stuart, Fl., a list of marketing companies in Stuart, Fl. would show up in your local search results. 

Unfortunately, the importance of showing up in local search results is often underestimated or overlooked altogether. We share statistics and more information about the importance of local SEO in this post. 

Ultimately, you don't want your competitors to show up before you, no matter what kind of search results we're talking about. 

Here's how to make sure that doesn't happen. 

How to outrank your competitors on Google

Depending on the type of search results you're focusing on, there are different ways to outrank your competitors on Google. But the best approach is to focus on all three types of search results to cover all your bases. 

Google Adwords

To outrank your competitors on Google Adwords, there are a few different factors to consider for your search engine marketing (SEM) success:

• Budget: Your daily budget for ads, your overall campaign budget, cost-per-click (CPC), cost-per-lead
• Targeting: Who your ads are meant to target, including their location and other demographics
• Written content: This includes SEO keywords, negative keywords, web copy, and ad copy 

If your marketing budget has been cut, you can still make the most of paid search (we can help!) as well as make use of other strategies to boost your traffic and business.  

That includes organic search results. When done well, you don't necessarily need to spend a dollar on paid search because you've optimized your keywords, contents, and links. By the way, you won't want to miss our 7 fundamentals that every link building strategy needs. 

Boosting organic search results

That's right: to boost your rankings in organic search results, you need to focus on SEO and creating great content.

That means:

• Regularly posting new blog content
• Acquiring high-quality backlinks to your site (here are some creative ways to do this)
• Updating your website copy, product descriptions, headings, etc. so they're SEO optimized

Boost local search results

Now, what about boosting your local search results so you can outrank your competitors on Google this way? There are a few different ways to do this. And again, most of them can be done without spending a dime. 

• Create a Google My Business account so you can add a location for your business that can show up in local search results
• Use a local phone number and make sure your business address is listed on your website
• Embed Google Maps with your location on your website's contact us page
• Add photos to your listing to catch visitors' eyes
• Encourage customers to leave reviews

Want to dive deeper into how to outrank your competitors in local search results? We've got a more in-depth how to guide right here.

What about social media?

Google search results are one way to boost your traffic and results. But the importance of social media can't be understated either. And one of the wonderful things about social media is there are several ways to use it to your advantage without spending money on it.

The first thing to consider is whether you have a social media presence to begin with. If not, it's time to create your accounts! Make sure you include your location and a link to your website. You'll also need to regularly check your messages on these accounts so you're not missing out on potential business.

Next, you also need to make sure you're posting engaging content on your social media accounts. That way, people are more likely to share, like, and follow which can ultimately increase your web presence, website traffic and business in general. Here are some tips for being more engaging in your social media posts. 

We can help you outrank your competitors on Google

No matter your business goals or budget, Blue Water Marketing can help you outrank your competitors on Google. We're also here to help with web design, Facebook ads, and all of your other digital marketing efforts.

Get in touch with us today and we'll get started!