Introduction

Achieving a top 20 ranking on Google SERP (Search Engine Results Pages) is a significant milestone for any website. Many believe that backlinks are essential for high rankings, but it's possible to achieve this without relying on backlinks.

In this guide, we'll discuss how to rank in the top 20 using effective keyword research and on-page SEO strategies to optimize search engine positioning.

Whether you're building your first website or looking for new SEO tactics, this guide will provide valuable insights to help you succeed.

Beginners often overlook it. But, it can make or break your success on Google:

Keyword Research.

Learn how to rank higher on Google and I'll show you how I quickly reached Google's Top 20 in just 48 hours—no backlinks needed!

Well, that was probably the worst advice I read early on in my journey of building an online business.

I didn't know better for a while, and I can only tell you that I wish someone had told me early on what I'll let you know today.

If you want your blog posts or articles to appear at the top of Google's Search Engine Results Page (SERP), conducting keyword research is essential. There is just no way around it.

It means finding terms or phrases your target audience uses to find information online.

Simply put, you need to know what Google is looking for and use the same words in your content.

Doing so makes your content more likely to appear at the top of the search results.

2 - Understanding Google SERP and Ranking Factors

What is Google SERP?

Google SERP (Search Engine Results Pages) is the page displayed by Google when a user searches for a specific query. Learning how to show up in Google search and accomplish to rank in the top 20 positions on Google SERP can drive traffic to your website, enhancing visibility and credibility.

Key Ranking Factors

Google uses numerous sets of factors to determine search rankings, including content quality, relevance, user experience, and more. Understanding these factors is crucial for optimizing your website to rank higher without relying on backlinks.

3 - The Importance of Keyword Research

Why Keyword Research Matters

Keyword research is the cornerstone of a successful SEO strategy. It helps you to understand what terms your target audience uses and how to tailor your content to meet their needs.

Keywords influence search rankings by signaling to search engines what your content is about and how relevant it is to user queries.

Effective search engine positioning is crucial for increasing your website's visibility and attracting more organic traffic.

Types of Keywords

Short-tail Keywords: General and broad terms (e.g., "SEO tips").
Long-tail Keywords: More specific phrases with lower competition (e.g., "how to rank in Google SERP without backlinks").
Commercial, Informational, and Navigational Keywords: Keywords can indicate user intent, such as searching for information, finding a specific site, or making a purchase.

How to Conduct Effective Keyword Research

Tools for Keyword Research

Several tools can support you in finding the best keywords for your content, just to name a few, including:

Beginner Tools:

Google Keyword Planner: Ideal for discovering keyword ideas and search volumes.
Mangools: ideal Beginner tool to start keyword research as it offers a free version of the tool. However, the daily keyword research is limited in the free version. But it's a great way to get started. See more information further below in this guide.
Moz: somewhere between beginner level and the advanced tools below, in terms of features offered and pricing.

Advanced Tools: (Budget $100+ monthly)

Semrush and Ahrefs: Provide in-depth keyword analysis, position tracking, and competitor insights.

Identifying Target Keywords

To rank in the top 20 without backlinks, focus on finding keywords with low competition and high search volume.

Long-tail keywords are especially valuable because they typically face less competition and are more aligned with user intent.

Analyzing Competitors

Competitor analysis helps identify gaps in their strategies that you can exploit. Use tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to analyze the keywords competitors are ranking for and find opportunities to rank for similar terms with less competition.

4 - Optimizing Your Website for Keywords

On-Page SEO Techniques

On-page SEO focuses on optimizing individual web pages to achieve higher rankings and draw in more relevant traffic.

Key techniques include:

Title Tags and Meta Descriptions: Ensure they include your target keywords and are compelling to encourage clicks.
Header Tags (H1, H2, H3): Use these to structure your content and include keywords naturally.
Content Optimization: Maintain an optimal keyword density (around 1-2%) and ensure your content is relevant and valuable to your audience.

Content Creation Strategies

Create high-quality, engaging content, which is critical for SEO success.

Focus on:

Originality: Avoid duplicate content and provide unique insights.
Multimedia: Enhance your content with images, videos, and infographics to improve user engagement and experience.On-page SEO focuses on optimizing individual web pages to achieve higher rankings and draw in more relevant traffic.

5 - Enhancing User Experience and Engagement

Website Design and Layout

A clean, user-friendly design improves user experience and can positively impact your rankings. Make sure your website is easy to navigate and mobile-optimized, as mobile-friendliness is a significant ranking factor.

Improving Page Load Speed

Page load speed affects user experience and SEO. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to analyze and improve your website's load times.

Engagement Metrics

Google factors in user engagement metrics like bounce rate and dwell time in its ranking algorithm.

Provide valuable content and clear navigation to reduce bounce rate and create engaging and informative content to increase dwell time.

Leveraging Local SEO (if applicable)

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO concentrates on optimizing your website to appear in local search results. It's crucial for businesses targeting specific geographic areas.

Optimizing for Local Search

Google My Business: It's helpful to set up and optimize your Google My Business profile to show up in local search results.
Local Keywords: Incorporate local keywords and create content that addresses local issues or interests.

Monitoring and Adjusting Your Strategy on a regular basis.

Tracking Your Progress

Make it a priority to regularly track keyword ranking and website traffic by using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

This data helps you understand what's working and where you need to adjust your strategy.

Making Data-Driven Adjustments

Examine your performance data to pinpoint areas for improvement. Continually optimize your content and on-page SEO based on this analysis to maintain and improve your rankings.

6 - Understanding Keyword Difficulty (KD)

Keyword Difficulty (KD) measures how hard it is to rank for a particular keyword in SEO. It tells you how easy or difficult it will be for your website to appear in search results for that keyword.

Factors like competition, search volume, and other metrics are considered when calculating KD.

Very Easy (0-14): These are low-hanging fruits, perfect for beginners.
Easy (15-29): Still manageable, ideal for new websites.

Possible (30-44): Can be targeted with good content strategy.

And so forth.

8 - Examples from My Personal Experience

I want to share some examples from my experience to illustrate a point. I recently wrote a product review on one of my other websites and used specific keywords with an Easy KD range.

Within 16 hours of publishing the blog post, I achieved the results seen below. However, if you'd like to have any chance at all for a high ranking, immediately after publishing the blog post, I asked Google to index it with Google Search Console.

Results:

I started ranking at position #24 on Google SERP with one keyword within 16 hrs
Keyword phrase "where can I buy golden revive plus"
and position #19 with another keyword within 48 hrs.
Keyword phrase "golden revive plus ingredients"

See Examples 1 and 2 below.

I didn't have any backlinks but could rank well thanks to finding promising keywords during my research. You also don't just want to rely on one keyword.

You want to identify several keywords that you place strategically throughout your blog/article.

The screenshot below shows the Google search ranking on Google Chrome. Firefox, which I also use, doesn't count through and rank the searches. Chrome is great for that purpose when you have a free SEO Chrome Extension from Ahrefs for example.

Remember to ignore the blogs and articles posted on top of the search labeled "Sponsored." These are paid ads, and we are talking about organic results.

You don't have to pay for them, but you need to earn them with a quality blog or article.

Example 1: Here, I use the keyword phrase, also known as a longtail keyword, "where can I buy golden revive plus".

Brief explanation of longtail keyword:

Let's remember this again, as this is really important for your success: A longtail keyword is a longer and more specific phrase you can use when searching online. It can be less competitive and easier to rank than shorter, more general keywords.

Longtail keywords often target a niche audience. They can bring more targeted traffic to your website.

For example, instead of searching for "shoes," someone might search for "best running shoes for beginners," which is a longtail keyword.

Below is Example 2 with the keyword phrase "golden revive plus ingredients".

This keyword phrase helped the blog post to appear in the top 20.

But of course, this is a dynamic process, and your ranking can go up or down 5, 10, or more within days or weeks.

9 - How Can You Get Started

If you're new to content writing and blogging, look for keywords with a Very Easy or Easy KD.

There are several SEO tools that can help you find these keywords and provide you with updated keyword data, which is important for ranking high in Google searches.

Some of these tools are a good fit for beginners, and you don't have to spend too much on them. Other tools, like Semrush and Ahrefs, cost $100+ per month. But, they offer many features that are most valuable if you already have some SEO experience.

When I started blogging, I used an SEO tool that was perfect for beginners. It didn't cost me anything to play around with keyword research and get a feel for it. The only downside of the free version is the limitation of 5 keywords you can research daily.

But you can upgrade anytime if your need for keyword research increases. Even if you upgrade, it will only cost about a fifth of what you would pay for Semrush or Ahrefs. They are great tools, but you overpay. Many of the features Semrush and Ahrefs offer are not needed when building your first website.

I used that free tool several years ago and just logged back in this week. I was amazed that this company offers a free version without expiration.

If you want to become familiar with keyword research, I recommend this tool, which won't cost you anything. No credit card is required to get an account.

As I said, you are limited to 5 keywords per day. But, it's a great chance to learn keyword research.

Note: Other tools offer a 14-day free trial, and then you need to upgrade to continue using them.

Here is a screenshot example what this free tool offers. Showing keyword difficulty results for the keyword phrase "niche selection secrets".

TIP: Ideally you want to find keywords with KD below 15 (Very Easy) or at least below 30 (15-29, Easy).

Let's Take a Look at a Few More Examples:

Let's say you have or plan to build a travel website and offer your readers information about Santorini, a beautiful island in Greece.

You will make it much harder for yourself if you target the keyword "santorini" or "visit santorini" in a blog post. These are more competitive keywords than, for example, "santorini hidden gems", which has an easy KD.

Tip: Pick your battles wisely!

Here is another screenshot example what this free tool offers. Showing keyword difficulty results for the keyword phrase "santorini hidden gems".

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Achieving Top 20 in 48 Hours: The Secrets of Rapid Google Ranking