Improving your Google ranking: 12 concrete levers
Is your website stuck on page two? Twelve concrete actions, ranked by priority, to climb the Google rankings and attract more customers.
By Léo Chuzel · Published on · 3 min read
Being on page two of Google is almost like being invisible: the vast majority of clicks go to the top results. The good news is that a website already appearing on page two is often just a few well-targeted actions away from page one. Here are the twelve levers we activate first, from the quickest to the longest.
Step 0: know where you stand
Before acting, you need to measure. Google Search Console tells you, for free, which queries you appear for and at what average position. Spot the queries where you’re between position 5 and position 20: those are your best opportunities.
The quick levers
1. Rewrite your title tags
The page title in Google is the first relevance signal and the first argument for winning the click. It should contain the target query, the city if your business is local, and a clear promise. Example: “Plumber in Marseille 8th — Call-out within 1 hour, free quote”.
2. Improve meta descriptions
They don’t directly influence rankings, but they do influence click-through rate. And a page that gets more clicks tends to move up.
3. One page per service and per intent
An “Our services” page that lists everything can’t rank for each service. Create a dedicated page for each important service, with complete content. It’s often the lever that unlocks the most rankings.
4. Strengthen internal linking
Link from your most visited pages and your blog articles to the pages you want to move up, with descriptive link text. It’s free and immediate.
The technical levers
5. Speed up the website
A website that’s slow on mobile is penalised and drives visitors away. Heavy images, unnecessary plugins, low-end hosting: our article on Core Web Vitals details the fixes.
6. Fix indexing
Important pages not indexed, duplicates, 404 errors, redirect chains: these invisible problems hold back the whole website. If your pages don’t appear at all, start with this checklist.
7. Add structured data
It helps Google understand who you are, where you are and what you offer. See our guide to structured data.
The content levers
8. Enrich stagnating pages
Compare your page with the top three results: what questions do they cover that you ignore? Add concrete answers: indicative prices, timelines, process, examples, FAQ. Don’t try to write longer, try to be more useful.
9. Prove your expertise
Google values experience and reliability: real photos of your work, case studies, an identified author, certifications, customer reviews. Generic, interchangeable content has less and less chance of ranking.
10. Publish regularly
A blog that answers your customers’ questions attracts qualified traffic and strengthens your service pages. One useful article a month beats ten empty ones. Start by finding the right keywords.
The authority levers
11. Get links from other websites
Links from recognised websites remain a powerful signal. For a local business, the best ones come from partners, associations and the local press. Our ideas: getting local backlinks in Marseille.
12. Work on your Google profile
For any local search, the Google map appears before the standard results. A complete Google Business Profile and regular reviews are essential.
What not to do
- Repeating a keyword excessively in your copy.
- Buying links in bulk on low-quality websites.
- Publishing dozens of near-identical pages for each city.
- Changing all your URLs without redirects during a redesign.
Want to know which of these levers will have the most impact on your website? Our SEO agency in Marseille carries out a free audit and gives you a prioritised action plan.