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My page ranks #2 on Google, however...

by Bulldozer
9 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hi, I have a page that is SEO optimized for a keyword.
The keyword is actually two words, let's say that it's red tomatoes.
My on page SEO is as perfect as it can get (at least according to the general SEO "rules").

I submitted my page to Google and gave it several days to get well indexed in Big G and the other search engines.

Then I did a bunch of Google searches to see how my page does for the keyword red tomatoes.
Doing that, I used different browsers and did the searches from different locations, (i.e. - from different IPs).
  • The results:
When I type in "red tomatoes" (as an exact phrase, in quotes), I rank at #2 on Google.
Cool, huh?

However, if I type in red tomatoes (without the quotes), my page is not even in the Top 100.

I thought that when your keyword is ranking well as a phrase (in quotes), it should rank equally as well when it's without the quotes. Because after all, it's the same combination of words, aligned in the same order, and Google should look for it the same way no matter if this word combo is being searched for with or without the quotes.

However, results show that this is not the case.

I have my own theory why this happens but I want to hear what other people who have more SEO experience than me have to say about it.

So, what is your take on this?
Why do you think my page gets ranked #2 for the keyword as a phrase but at the same does not get ranked at all as a regular combo of words?
#google #page #ranks
  • Profile picture of the author JamesGw
    Have you checked that webhistory is off?
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    Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Techniques | Precision SEO
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  • Profile picture of the author Bulldozer
    ^ Webhistory?
    You mean the web history in my Google account?
    Yes, it is off and empty.

    Plus I did the test searches from many different browsers, on many different PCs, located at many different places (my office, my friend's office, a public Internet cafeteria, my mom's laptop at her place).
    All of those browsers were not even logged in Google and did not have Google accounts.

    Still, the results were the same - my keyword only ranks as a phrase.
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  • Profile picture of the author abhibh
    Do you have EXACT keyword domain ?
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    • Profile picture of the author Bulldozer
      Originally Posted by abhibh View Post

      Do you have EXACT keyword domain ?
      My site's domain name has nothing to do with the keyword, so I guess not.

      I am optimizing a WordPress post/page and yes, the slug of that post (which I guess counts as a part of the URL) does heve the two key words in it.
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  • Profile picture of the author JSProjects
    I thought that when your keyword is ranking well as a phrase (in quotes), it should rank equally as well when it's without the quotes. Because after all, it's the same combination of words, aligned in the same order, and Google should look for it the same way no matter if this word combo is being searched for with or without the quotes.
    This hasn't been true in my own experience. You'll find that in a lot of instances, new sites will rank well for the keywords you're targeting in quotes. But without quotes? Not so much.

    Though I think it shows that your on-page SEO is good. Now you need to start throwing some backlinks at it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bulldozer
      Originally Posted by JSProjects View Post

      This hasn't been true in my own experience. You'll find that in a lot of instances, new sites will rank well for the keywords you're targeting in quotes. But without quotes? Not so much.

      Though I think it shows that your on-page SEO is good. Now you need to start throwing some backlinks at it.
      Yeah, I'm just trying to figure it out.

      My own theory is that I am ranking #2 for the keyword itself (this is why I'm #2 when I search for it as an exact phrase).

      Problem is that Google does NOT rank pages based on keywords only.
      Keywords are just one of the many factors that contribute for your Google ranking. And probably not the most important one of them all!

      You can optimize your page for a keyword all you want - this will not get you anywhere, unless, you have the other SEO factors working in your favor too.

      So, even though my on page SEO is excellent and my keyword ranks great as an exact phrase in quotes, my positioning in Google for the keyword without quotes is not good, because the other SEO factors are missing.
      For example: I only have 10 back links to that page.

      Again, this is just MY THEORY and I am a SEO newbie, not a SEO expert.

      So keep posting your opinions, folks.
      I'd appreciate advise from people who are actual SEO experts.

      -
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  • Profile picture of the author Homer Lasa Hood
    When you are searching with quotes, you are actually searching for the real competition for that keyword.. And searching without keywords shows your real ranking on SERPs with the keyword you are using.

    Plus, the keyword "red tomatoes" is not two words but considered as one keyword phrase. (Just need to correct what you are saying) You have to build stronger backlinks to your website to rank well on Google, as well as try to make a supporting blog for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Barry Unruh
    You are missing a very important element here. In one search you are competing against 1,520,000 websites, in the other search it is 44,000,000 websites.

    While you may want to say "it is the backlinks", it is not just the backlinks to those 1,520,000 sites, but may be the backlinks to some of those 44,000,000 websites which have been heavily backlinked, have high PR, massive link diversity, a high domain age, are listed on Yahoo and DMOZ, have high PR backlinks, have .EDU and .GOV backlinks...and the list continues. While their site may not be heavily optimized for "red tomatoes" their backlinks may...
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    • Profile picture of the author danr62
      Searching in quotes is rarely an accurate picture of where you will rank without the quotes.

      The only thing searching in quotes will do is give you a slightly better idea of how many pages are targeting your keyphrase.

      Sure, if you rank #1 for your term with quotes, it should in theory be easier to rank without the quotes, but there are also so many off page factors to consider that it will only give you a general idea.

      Here's another search you can do that will tell you more about who's actively targeting your keyword phrase

      "keyword" intitle:"keyword" inurl:"keyword" inanchor:"keyword"

      You can also remove the quotes from the above to go a bit broader.

      However, this again is a general indicator that is only a bit more accurate than just using quotes. To really see the competition, check the backlinks, PR, domain age, and other factors of your competition.

      I like to use Market Samurai for this.
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