With these numbers, does it even make sense to publish new articles? Absolutely \u2014 you just have to change your approach to creating content to improve your keyword rankings.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to find out what your current rankings are, along with 11 tips to help you boost your positions.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n A keyword is a phrase you enter into a search engine to get an answer to your query. In an ideal scenario, you\u2019ll get a list of results matching your intent. Keyword ranking refers to a web page\u2019s position in those search results.<\/p>\n For example, if we Google \u201cbest content marketing tactics,\u201d HubSpot ranks first for this phrase and Outbrain second.<\/p>\n Since I started my marketing career, brands have fought to secure a spot in the top three search results \u2014 and for good reason. The number one result has an average click-through rate of 27.6%<\/a>, which is 10 times higher than a source ranked in the tenth position.<\/p>\n As the saying goes, the best place to hide a dead body is on page two of Google. Most people don\u2019t want to go through hundreds of websites to find an answer. They focus on the first page, trusting that a high-ranking site means high-quality content.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n There are two types of tools for checking keyword rankings:<\/p>\n Let\u2019s say you\u2019re starting from scratch and haven\u2019t set up Google Search Console or Google Analytics yet. In this scenario, it\u2019s easier (and faster) to run a quick ranking audit through an external tool. There are plenty to choose from on the market. Personally, I use Keysearch<\/a>.<\/p>\n That said, you can\u2019t rely solely on commercial solutions like these. Your owned rank tracking tools show you first-party information. You\u2019ll see not only your keyword positions and traffic but also your website performance.<\/p>\n Rank tracking tools let you manage your site technicalities and alert you about any site performance issues \u2014 both of which could impact your SEO ranks. You also need them to set redirects between pages and to index your web pages faster.<\/p>\n To set these accounts up, you need to follow the instructions from search engines \u2014 here\u2019s a step-by-step from Google<\/a>.<\/p>\n In this section, I\u2019m going to show you how to get an overview of your keyword rankings using external tools. Most ranking tracking tools work similarly. In this step-by-step, I\u2019ll refer to Keysearch since that\u2019s my go-to choice:<\/p>\n You sign up by filling out your details. Some companies offer free basic keyword rank tracking tools (like Ahrefs does with their webmaster tools<\/a>). Others give you a free trial or require upfront payment. In any case, setting up an account shouldn\u2019t take more than a few minutes.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019re in, you can start checking your keyword ranks in search. Different tools can call this functionality differently. In Keysearch, you click on \u201cCompetitive Analysis\u201d in the search bar, and then select \u201cOrganic keywords\u201d from the drop-down list.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Enter your URL. If you\u2019re using Keysearch like I am, you\u2019ll have two drop-down lists to choose from before you run your keyword rankings analysis. To see the highest-ranking keywords for your website at the top, select the \u201cby rank\u201d option in the first drop-down list:<\/p>\n Next, you get to decide if you want to see results for the entire domain or maybe just for a specific page. Assuming you\u2019ve never checked your rankings before, you\u2019ll want a site-wide analysis, so you select \u201centire domain.\u201d<\/p>\n Next, click on \u201cSearch\u201d and wait for the numbers to roll in.<\/p>\n For this example, I decided to check HubSpot\u2019s existing rankings. Here\u2019s what I got. Notice that there are a lot of keywords that rank first in Google:<\/p>\n They\u2019re listed in alphabetical order, so you can\u2019t say how many high-volume keywords you have at top ranking yet. You also don\u2019t know how much traffic your domain gets for these particular phrases.<\/p>\n To find the answers, click on the Volume and Traffic tabs. Here\u2019s a sorted list of keywords by their search volumes:<\/p>\n And here\u2019s a view of keywords sorted by the actual traffic your site gets:<\/p>\n You can do the exact opposite and use sorting to see which keywords get little or zero traffic. You can correlate it to the keyword\u2019s search volume and so-called difficulty score (i.e., a score that tells you how hard the competition is for each exact phrase from other publishers).<\/p>\n This is just the start of your SEO keyword rankings journey. Now that you have your current numbers, you can seek out opportunities for ranking for more phrases and, ultimately, getting more clicks.<\/p>\n Important note:<\/strong> If your website is new and doesn\u2019t have many subpages or content, you\u2019ll likely see few keywords in your results. In some cases, you might not be able to see any at all. Don\u2019t worry. You\u2019re just at the start of your SEO journey. The more content and the bigger your site becomes, the more phrases you\u2019ll likely see in rank-tracking tools.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n To help you put your best foot forward, I spoke to several content and SEO specialists, asking them for advice. I\u2019ve also shared my own experiences from working on keyword rankings for clients. Here are 11 tips I recommend following.<\/p>\n Content clusters are a tactic I can swear by as someone who\u2019s implemented it across multiple projects.<\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t heard of them before, it\u2019s an approach popularized by HubSpot, which focuses on structuring content around core topics (pillar content) with related, interlinked supporting pieces. You can take a look at the image below to understand the structure:<\/p>\n Start by creating a list of keywords that revolve around the main topic. Then, create articles and a pillar guide around them. This lets search engines notice that you publish a lot of content around a topic, which positions you as a subject expert (and, ideally, boosts your content in results above other brands who don\u2019t pay much attention to the area).<\/p>\n Parker Warren<\/a>, founder and CEO of PWA Media<\/a>, also found success with this tactic. He told me that his brand uses clusters to strengthen content relevance and interlinking.<\/p>\n \u201cWe identify the main keyword that is already ranked, and then we focus on developing supporting content for the closely related topics. From these closely related topics, we then link back to our main page, signaling Google about the well-structured content and completeness of the topic\u201d, Warren shares.<\/p>\n PWA Media used this approach to help a healthcare client increase their primary keyword from position number #14 to number #3 in search in just three months. Warren says that this also increased organic traffic by 60%.<\/p>\n One factor that significantly impacts your keyword rankings is your Domain Authority (DA). The higher your DA, the better your chances of ranking in the top 10.<\/p>\n I am not saying that a lower DA makes it impossible to secure a good position. Exceptionally good content can sometimes outrank a brand with a higher DA. That said, a higher DA generally makes ranking easier.<\/p>\n The best way to improve your Domain Authority is by building backlinks. Focus on quality over quantity \u2014 a few backlinks from high-authority sites are far more valuable than dozens from low-authority ones. Also, it\u2019s worth comparing your DA against your competitors.<\/p>\n For example, if you were a freelance writer, you\u2019d have to compete with DAs as high as 80 and 90. An average DA for the phrase \u201cfreelance writing\u201d is 56, and this is the score you should aim for (initially).<\/p>\n A good tactic for boosting your keyword rankings is adding semantic phrases to your main keyword or topic.<\/p>\n Brendan Brown<\/a>, SEO expert and content strategist at Global English Editing<\/a> says he focuses on strengthening content through related terms and context. Instead of just targeting the same keyword repeatedly, he aims to improve its relevance by integrating similar terms that support the overall content.<\/p>\n Brown points to the article \u201cThe 120 Best Websites for Writers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t just focus on the main keyword ]websites for writers.\u2019 I also included related terms such as writing\/planning tools, freelance writing, and online writing platforms in a natural, helpful way. This helped Google see the page as authoritative on the subject and boosted its rankings without keyword stuffing,\u201d says Brown.<\/p>\n Schema markup (also called structured data) is a type of code that you add to your website to help search engines understand what your content is about. By clearly communicating to Google the purpose of your content, you enable it to display the right pages to your target audience, which can improve your CTR and drive more organic traffic.<\/p>\n Jakob Kapus<\/a>, chief marketing officer of Newsapi.AI<\/a>, calls this strategy \u201cData-Driven Serpentine Storytelling.\u201d It involves creating a seamless content journey using structured data to anticipate and answer follow-up queries a user might have after interacting with the main article.<\/p>\n \u201cFor instance, if an article focuses on \u2018How AI revolutionizes journalism,\u2019 we embed structured FAQ schemas that predictively address deeper questions like \u2018What are the risks of AI in journalism?\u2019 \u2026 The content flows like a story, with each section designed to capture long-tail keywords users might search for after their initial query,\u201d says Kapus.<\/p>\n Such an approach not only satisfies user intent but signals relevance and depth to search engines, helping Newsapi.AI rank higher and retain traffic.<\/p>\n At first glance, it might seem like on-site user engagement and keywords are unrelated, but that\u2019s not true. Looking at how long visitors stay on each of your landing pages and blog content can inspire plenty of keyword-related improvements.<\/p>\n Hanzel Talorete<\/a>, content manager at Get Smart Series<\/a>, told me that she analyzes several on-site behavior statistics.<\/p>\n \u201cWe analyze how readers interact with our content \u2014 what they click on, how long they stay, and what they share. We then use this data to adjust the content’s depth, clarity, and usefulness, tailoring it to meet user intent more effectively,\u201d Talorete says.<\/p>\n These learnings can also inspire new keywords worth including in each blog post.<\/p>\n Talorete says that aligning content more closely to their readers\u2019 values brinings two benefits. Firstly, it\u2019s about meeting their audience’s needs. Secondly, about signaling to search engines that these valuable pieces are worth ranking higher.<\/p>\n It\u2019s never enjoyable to see your content hidden way down in search results. The silver lining is that not all declining or plateauing keyword rankings are lost forever.<\/p>\n Chris Bajda<\/a>, managing partner at Groomsday<\/a>, recommends using tools like GSC and Ahrefs to analyze two types of keywords:<\/p>\n You should then reassess the intent behind each such keyword. \u201cHas it shifted? Ensure your content aligns with current search intent (e.g., informational, transactional),\u201d Bajda says.<\/p>\n Once you know this, you can enrich content with questions related to the topic using tools like People Also Ask or AnswerThePublic. He also recommends enriching the content<\/p>\n with updated statistics, multimedia (videos, infographics), and unique insights.<\/p>\n Bajda uses such an approach to improve keyword rankings at Groomsday.<\/p>\n \u201cFor example, our \u2018Top Wedding Gifts\u2019 article was slipping from page one, so we added fresh product recommendations, updated links, and integrated long-tail keywords. This not only revitalized the content but also increased user engagement, leading to a 20% boost in organic traffic and reclaiming our spot on the first page,\u201d Bajda says.<\/p>\n How about content or pages that became obsolete and seem hard \u2013 if not impossible \u2013 to fix? Nathan Clark<\/a>, CEO of Organix SEO Agency<\/a>, says that it\u2019s worth pulling the plug on some pages as they can harm your rankings. This is known as \u201ccontent pruning\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s effective because when you get rid of weak pages, you ensure that only quality and useful pages are left, and enhance your site\u2019s authority,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n What about keywords lost in the content deletion process? You can repurpose them in new articles or copy\/paste parts of the deleted content into other articles to create cornerstone content for your audience. This can improve rankings because you focus on providing real benefits to the users.<\/p>\n When you create a new content piece, do you remember to add internal links? If you don\u2019t then you should start immediately. Maurizio Petrone<\/a>, founder and CEO at PressHERO<\/a> says strategic internal linking is his favourite tactic for improving keyword rankings.<\/p>\n \u201cBy identifying high-authority pages on your website and linking them to the pages you want to boost, you can transfer link equity and improve their rankings,\u201d says Petrone.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how he does it step by step:<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve used this tactic to improve rankings for key pages by 2-5 positions on average, resulting in a 20-30% increase in organic traffic,\u201d adds Petrone.<\/p>\n Kacper Rafalski<\/a>, a demand generation team leader at Netguru<\/a>, follows a similar approach. He says that internal linking is often an overlooked strategy that, when done right, has a huge impact on rankings.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen results quickly \u2014 about a 15-20% boost in rankings for some of our lower-performing pages within a few weeks,\u201d adds Rafalski.<\/p>\n A lot of us marketers are guilty of focusing mainly on broad, high-volume keywords<\/a>, hoping to attract more traffic. Unfortunately, they\u2019re very competitive and as such hard to rank for. Also, as they\u2019re more generic, they have a lower conversion potential. Does it mean you should ignore them completely? Absolutely not.<\/p>\n Rather than focusing solely on broad, highly competitive terms, pinpoint and incorporate specific, niche long-tail phrases that closely match the search intentions of your audience, says Dionne Jayne Ricafort<\/a>, marketing manager at CSO Yemen<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ricafort notes that refreshing top-performing pages with detailed phrases allows the team to boost visibility for more targeted queries. They can also increases user engagement by meeting the searcher’s needs.<\/p>\n \u201cThis approach has been particularly successful in moving our rankings from the top 10 to the top 3 for several key pages,\u201d adds Ricafort.<\/p>\n If I were to give you just one piece of advice for your content, then this would be it. For each article you publish, try to include a few first-hand experiences or tips.<\/p>\n Depending on the subject you\u2019re writing about, these could come from your own knowledge of the topic or from someone from your company. You can also enrich your content with insights from external experts (as you\u2019ve probably noticed, this content is a perfect example of such an approach).<\/p>\n Google pays attention to the expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness of online content (known as EEAT). The more you can prove to readers \u2013 and search engines \u2013 that you\u2019ve written a valuable piece, the higher your chances of taking a high spot for a phrase.<\/p>\n Marketers love creating TOFU (top-of-funnel) content because it usually includes high-volume keywords. However, while this approach may drive more traffic, it often results in low conversion rates, as these keywords are too broad to attract the right audience. So, what should you do instead?<\/p>\n Alex Ugarte<\/a>, operations manager at London Office Space<\/a>, recommends shifting your focus toward mid-funnel content, targeting keywords and topics that align with the specific interests and needs of your buyer personas at this stage.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a strategic pivot that allows us to capture the attention of users who are further along in their decision-making process. By pre-emptively offering them the detailed information they’re seeking at this point in the customer journey, they\u2019re less likely to seek it out elsewhere,\u201d Ugarte says.<\/p>\n According to Ugarte, by concentrating on content that compares services with competitors, the company engaged more qualified leads and improved conversion rates.<\/p>\n![\"Download](\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/53\/447dd5f8-1426-4fb6-af75-b6e55bb759a2.png\")
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What is a keyword ranking?<\/h2>\n
![\"keyword](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keyword-rankings-2-20250225-2633238.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nWhy are keyword rankings important?<\/h3>\n
How to Check Your Keyword Ranking<\/h2>\n
\n
Step 1: Create an account.<\/h3>\n
Step 2: Go to competitive analysis and select organic keywords.<\/h3>\n
![\"checking](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keyword-rankings-3-20250225-1081026.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nStep 3: Enter your URL.<\/h3>\n
![\"checking](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keyword-rankings-4-20250225-962753.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"checking](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keyword-rankings-5-20250225-316749.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nStep 3: Analyze your results and use sorting for more context.<\/h3>\n
![\"checking](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keyword-rankings-6-20250225-1734885.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"checking](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keyword-rankings-7-20250225-2280651.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"keyword](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keyword-rankings-8-20250225-5209017.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nHow to Improve Keyword Rankings<\/h2>\n
Create topic clusters.<\/h3>\n
![\"keyword](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keyword-rankings-9-20250225-8688082.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nWork on your DA.<\/h3>\n
![\"keyword](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keyword-rankings-10-20250225-3541354.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nUse semantic keywords.<\/h3>\n
Use Schema markup.<\/h3>\n
Look into user engagement metrics.<\/h3>\n
Identify underperforming content and update or remove it.<\/h3>\n
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Use internal links.<\/h3>\n
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Integrate long-tail keywords into your already high-performing content.<\/h3>\n
Include expert insights.<\/h3>\n
Focus on MOFU content.<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/track.hubspot.com\/__ptq.gif?a=53&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fkeyword-rankings&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&bvt=rss\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"