If you are a business that prioritizes ranking well on Google, you may have come across instances where your competitor looks better and takes up more space on Google’s highly coveted search engine results page (SERP). While this can be frustrating, it’s important to understand exactly why. In this blog, we’ll break down some of the possible reasons your competitors look better in Google Search as well as some tips on how to better leverage Google’s SERP features.
What is a SERP?
Before we get into why your competitors seem to be beating you at the Google Search game, let’s first go over what exactly a SERP is.
As stated above, SERP stands for the Search Engine Results Page. As the name implies, it is a page that displays a list of web pages that the Google algorithm has determined are most relevant to a query. The results will typically include a page title, brief description, and URL.
In the olden days, Google’s SERP used to only contain organic search listings and a few paid advertisements, but as the search engine has evolved, the SERP has become a far more complex system. Today’s SERP is typically filled with ads, GBP listings, rich snippets, People Also Ask, and more.
Read our blog, Anatomy of the SERP, to learn more.
6 Reasons why your competitors look better in the SERP
If your competitor looks better in the SERP, it is most likely because they are leveraging the following:
1. They have a featured snippet
In the world of SEO, featured snippets are goldmines. Unfortunately, however, they have become increasingly difficult to obtain. In case you don’t know what a featured snippet is, it’s basically a highlighted snippet of information that appears at the top of the SERP. Its main purpose is to provide a quick and concise answer to a query so that a user doesn’t have to click on a website link.
There are several types of featured snippets but the most common ones include:
- Paragraph snippets
- List snippets
- Table featured snippets
- Video featured snippets
Read our blog, What are Featured Snippets?, to learn more.
How to leverage featured snippets
First, in order to have a chance of obtaining a featured snippet, you’ll probably need to at least rank in the top 5 results of the SERP. If you are ranking well for that query, some ways you can optimize for a featured snippet include:
- Using schema markup
- Answering questions within the first few sentences on a page
- Add a “what is” heading
- Using an “Is” sentence structure
- Fully defining the topic
- Matching the featured snippet format
- Not using your brand name
- Not using first-person language
2. They have written custom page titles and meta descriptions
Many businesses fail to write custom page titles or meta descriptions on their websites, which is a missed opportunity to create attention-grabbing copy. If your competitor’s page titles and meta descriptions appear to be more enticing in the SERP, try writing your own custom meta tags.
How to leverage meta titles
- Aim for a length of 60 characters
- Make it unique
- Don’t keyword-stuff
- Include your brand name
- Ensure it closely matches the page’s H1
How to leverage meta descriptions
- Aim for a length of 150-160 characters
- Make it unique
- Don’t keyword-stuff
- Include a short call to action such as “Shop Now”, “Contact Us”, or “Learn More”
- Provide an accurate summary of the page’s content
Read our blog to learn more about writing meta titles and descriptions.
3. They have high-quality content
The quality of your content is one of the most important ranking factors on Google. But, how do you determine the quality of your content?
Google’s algorithm uses a helpful guideline called E-E-A-T, which stands for:
- Experience: does the content demonstrate that it was produced with some degree of experience?
- Expertise: was the content written by someone who has real-world experience on this topic?
- Authority: do others recognize you as the go-to authority on this topic?
- Trust: does the content show experience, expertise, or authority? i.e. Is this source trustworthy enough to show to users in the SERP?
If your competitor is ranking higher than you and is obtaining more SERP features than you, it is likely because their content is providing better quality and more valuable content for a particular search query.
Further reading: Google Adds an ‘E’ to its E-E-A-T Quality Guidelines.
How to leverage E-E-A-T
To leverage E-E-A-T, you’ll need to conduct a thorough content audit that uses the E-E-A-T guidelines to determine if your content needs improvement. Ensure that you are reviewing your content from a people-first perspective rather than a search engine-first mentality.
4. The length of their content is appropriate to the search query
While there isn’t a set length of content that guarantees you better rankings, it’s important to pay attention to the length of the content that is outranking yours as well as determine what the appropriate length might be for that particular search query. For example, for educational queries, longer pieces of content tend to generate more high-quality backlinks and therefore better rankings. That said, long-form content still needs to be high-quality (not filler), so if you don’t think it’s possible to expand a page with content that will provide added value to searchers, it’s best to look at other ways to optimize your content.
How to leverage your content’s length
If your competitor’s content is much longer than yours, ask yourself if there are additional, high-quality sections you can add to the page that you may be missing. If your competitor’s content is a lot shorter, perhaps you have too much information or filler content that Google has determined isn’t providing enough value to searchers.
5. They have an optimized Google Business Profile listing
Google Business Profile (GBP) listings are another great opportunity to take up more space on Google’s SERP. These listings typically appear on the left-hand side of the search results, and are a great way to prominently show off your business. If your competitor’s GBP is showing up for queries you’d like to rank for, it’s likely because they have taken the time to optimize their listing.
Further reading: The Ultimate Google Business Profile Guide
How to leverage GBP
- Claim and verify your GBP listing – businesses that have claimed their GBPs are more likely to show in local search results.
- Completely fill out your profile – at the very least make sure your GBP listing has an address or service area, phone number, appropriate business category, and attributes.
- Encourage customers to write reviews – high-quality, positive reviews can greatly improve your business’s visibility in the SERP while also encouraging potential customers to visit your business.
- Post regularly – GBP has a posting feature where you can post business updates, offers, and events.
6. They are paying for search ads
Depending on the search query, paid ads will usually appear above organic listings, making them an extremely valuable piece of real estate, as users typically will only pay attention to top results. If you would like to show up in the top search results and outrank your competitors immediately, then you need to consider investing in Google Ads.
How to leverage Google Ads
- Create a PPC landing page that demonstrates your unique selling point and has a clear call to action
- Write compelling ad copy that is both relevant and attention-grabbing
- Manage your account on a frequent basis, this is not an ad platform where you can just set and forget
- Set an appropriate budget because the more competitive the keywords you bid on, the more money it’s going to cost you.
- Conduct A/B testing to determine what ad combinations and messaging resonate the most with your target audience
- Pay attention to RSA ad strength as this is a good indicator of how well your search ads will perform
- Only bid on keywords with high, commercial intent
Final Thoughts
In summary, there are various reasons why your competitors may look better on Google Search. To ensure that you are able to compete in the SERP, you’ll need to (at the very least) make sure you are:
- Optimizing for featured snippets where available
- Writing custom page titles and meta descriptions on your most important pages
- Creating high-quality content that meets E-E-A-T guidelines
- Ensuring that your content’s length is appropriate to the keywords you are targeting
- Optimizing and updating your GBP listing
- Investing in Google Search Ads
If you’re sick of your competitors looking better in the SERP but don’t have the resources to develop and implement a digital marketing strategy, get in touch with the team at Ontario SEO today.
