How to Get on the First Page of Google Search
There are many different ways to search for the same thing. We want to maximize your visibility and show up for as many searches as possible. Following this guide will help you do exactly that— maximize your visibility online.
Google wants to provide top-quality search results so they try to categorize the internet and determine which websites are the best search results for whatever is being searched for. They determine the best search results using robots and algorithms as it would be impossible for humans to keep track of every website in the world and where they should rank. Because robots and algorithms can’t read like humans you need to set up your website in a way that is easily understood by them. Read on to learn how.
NAP
NAP is short for the name, address, and phone number of a business. Having a consistent NAP online is extremely important if you want to appear on the first page of search results. Digital marketing expert David Mihm calls your NAP your “digital fingerprint”. Google scans the entire internet keeping track of how many times your NAP appears. The more times your NAP appears consistent on reputable websites the more likely you are to appear on the front page of Google.
WORDPRESS + YOAST
I recommend staying away from website builders like Wix and Squarespace because they make it difficult to make technical changes that are required to maximize your search visibility online.
If you can, use WordPress to build your website. WordPress dominates the internet and search results because of how Google-friendly it comes right from the beginning. If you are decent with computers you should be able to build your own website on WordPress using a drag and drop website builder like The Divi Builder.
People often hire a digital marketing agency/consultant to manage their websites. Since WordPress is by far the most widely used content management system on the internet any digital marketing agency/consultant should be very familiar with your website.
Yoast is a plug-in that helps you optimize your WordPress site so it has a better chance of appearing on the front page of Google.
HOW TO INSTALL YOAST
STEP 1 LOG INTO YOUR WORDPRESS WEBSITE
STEP 2 SCROLL OVER PLUGINS AND SELECT “ADD NEW”
STEP 3 SEARCH FOR YOAST
STEP 4 CLICK INSTALL NOW
STEP 5 CONFIGURE YOAST
PROPER SITE STRUCTURE
Good site structure helps website visitors and Google better understand and navigate your website. This means that website visitors get the information they need fast and they are far more likely to stay on your website and call you for help.
Having a good site structure means:
- Your contact info should appear in the top right of your website on every page
- Drug rehabs with multiple locations should have a page for each location
- Have an “about” page with comprehensive bios of your staff
- Include a “contact” page with an embedded Google map with a “directions” button and typed out driving directions from major airports and population areas
- Make sure name, address, and phone numbers are consistent with those found on other pages and third party websites
By using ‘About’ and ‘Contact’ pages you are leaving clear signals to Google about who you are, where you are located, and why people should trust you.
KEYWORDS AND TITLE TAGS
Title tags tell Google what your page is about and what you want it to rank for. You want to use commonly searched terms in your title tag.
If you are using Yoast + WordPress editing your title tags is simple. See below.
HOW TO CHANGE TITLE TAGS WITH YOAST
STEP 1 GO TO THE PAGE YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE TITLE OF
STEP 2 SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM AND UNDER THE YOAST SEO SECTION CLICK ‘EDIT SNIPPET’
STEP 3 DELETE EXISTING TITLE AND REPLACE WITH COMMONLY SEARCHED TERMS YOU WANT TO RANK THAT PAGE FOR
HOW TO FIND COMMONLY SEARCHED TERMS
Start by thinking about what you would search if you were looking for a rehab facility, for example.
You would probably type in some type of combination of drug rehab and the city you reside in. I usually start with something like “drug rehab Newport Beach” and plug it into one of the keyword tools (mentioned below).
This generates a list of keywords close to “drug rehab Newport Beach” with estimated search volume.
This should give you a good idea of what terms people are using when looking for drug rehabs in your area.
It’s also going to give you search terms to use in title tags and content to let Google know what you want to rank for.
GOOGLE KEYWORD PLANNER (FREE)
The Google Keyword Planner can give you a basic understanding of what keywords are getting searched for in your area. You need to have a Google Ad account and it helps to have spent money on the platform because they will give you more accurate search results.
GOOGLE SEARCH CONSOLE/GOOGLE WEBMASTER TOOLS (FREE)
If your drug rehab has been online for awhile you should have a good amount of keyword data to look at. Google Search Console contains data directly from Google about what keywords your site is ranking for, how many impressions your website gets (in other words how many times it appears in search results), and the average position.
Look for search terms you want to appear on page one for but appear on page two. In some cases including the keyword you are appearing on page two for in your title tags and content will be enough to push you to the first page. For example, if I notice a page is ranking on the second page for “drug rehab Newport Beach, CA” I can make sure I’m using “drug rehab Newport Beach, CA” in my title tags.
MOZ KEYWORD EXPLORER
Moz has one of the most impressive keyword tools on the web. The tool will give you estimated search volume, suggested keywords, frequently asked questions, links your competition has, and a free trial.
CITATIONS
Citations are mentions of your name, address, and phone number online (NAP). A common example of a citation is a Yellow Page listing. Google scans the internet looking for mentions of your website. If you have no mentions Google has nothing to cross-reference your information with and you’ll have a hard time appearing for searches. You want to have citations with the major online directories. You can find them by going to moz.com/local and running a listing check. Once you know what citations you need to build you can either manually build them or pay a service like Moz (linked above).
There are some specific drug rehab industry citations I highly recommend getting. Industry-specific directories like Rehabs.com, psychologytoday.com, and thefix.com are all very authoritative websites in the addiction industry and citations with them not only help you get on the front page of Google but will also get you leads and clients just from having the listing and allowing people to find you in those industry-specific directories.
GOOGLE MY BUSINESS
Google My Business is a free local listing that Google provides businesses. These listings are what appear in local search results. Search for “drug rehab” and look for the listings that allow you to get directions and visit websites directly from the initial search result. The GMB listing is important because it shows up very prominently on the first page of Google and gets a higher click-through rate than the rest of the page.
Google My Business is crucial for winning local searches and getting results with local SEO and is one of the biggest factors determining whether or not you appear on the first page of Google.
You need to get detailed reviews on your GMB and should also respond to the reviews you get. It shows Google and potential clients you are engaging with visitors.
You can now add posts to your GMB as you would Facebook. You will want to add posts at least once a week. I suggest starting with frequently asked questions you get from clients and their families.
Verifying your GMB is the first step if you haven’t already. If you don’t know whether your listing is verified or not just Google your business name and your GMB knowledge chart should appear. If you see a question that says “Own this business?” it means your listing is not verified. Click on that link to begin the process. Make sure you are logged into your business email account before verifying. Verifying under a business email is important in case you work with an agency or consultant and you want to easily give them access to the listing without giving them access to your personal email.
GMB Knowledge Chart
Make sure that when you are completing your GMB page you put as much information as you can. Fill out your business description, use every relevant category, and add photos and videos of your location, staff, and services.
Remember, keep your name, address, and phone number consistent (NAP), use WordPress and Yoast if you can, do your keyword research, build high-quality citations, and post frequently on your Google My Business to win local searches.
I hope you found value in this article. If you have any questions regarding online marketing for drug rehabs please reach out to us at info@maxcensus.com.
Forrest Kelly
Founder/CEO
Forrest started in sales and marketing in 2009 working for various advertising agencies around Orange County. He left his job and began consulting with treatment centers on their online marketing and providing SEO and PPC services until ultimately building his team and starting MaxCensus. His experience running online marketing campaigns for drug rehabs will be an asset for anybody looking to increase the number of admits they receive from the internet.
Forrest is a PPC master, has a soft spot for Vizslas, and believes there’s not a bad day that can’t be turned around with some Jiu-jitsu or stand-up comedy.