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Why my client's competitor ranks #1 for so many keywords with a horrible website?

by Erkan Yildiz
7 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hi all,

It drives me nuts that a mediocre local business website with not much content and not much backlink ranks #1 for so many local keywords. ( state wide - NJ )

My client's website is:
1- Around same domain age ( both .com extension )
2- Has more SEO optimized content ( I may not be targeting their #1 keywords but still )
3- Mobile optimized where competitor is not
4- Better UX
5- Similar amount of backlinks
6- Both are micro deal sites but they reference to the local business main website and our main website has good amount of citations

What am I missing? Do you think they did some black hat SEO at one point that boosted those keywords that they rank #1?

#client #competitor #horrible #keywords #ranks #website
  • Profile picture of the author strategic seo services
    Originally Posted by Erkan Yildiz View Post

    Hi all,

    It drives me nuts that a mediocre local business website with not much content and not much backlink ranks #1 for so many local keywords. ( state wide - NJ )

    My client's website is:
    1- Around same domain age ( both .com extension )
    2- Has more SEO optimized content ( I may not be targeting their #1 keywords but still )
    3- Mobile optimized where competitor is not
    4- Better UX
    5- Similar amount of backlinks
    6- Both are micro deal sites but they reference to the local business main website and our main website has good amount of citations

    What am I missing? Do you think they did some black hat SEO at one point that boosted those keywords that they rank #1?
    If they have their website listed on their Google My Business listing, and they are building high quality backlinks to that listing URL, then that could be one of the reasons why the website itself is ranking highly.
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    • Profile picture of the author KylieSweet
      Originally Posted by strategic seo services View Post

      If they have their website listed on their Google My Business listing, building high quality backlinks to that listing URL.
      Google business listing and high quality backlinks are not the basis why the client's competitor ranks for so many keywords. Most of the time its easy to say building high quality backlinks but doesn't even know how to do it ethically.
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  • Profile picture of the author dave_hermansen
    The same number of backlinks and "better content" don't really give the full picture here. Is the content on each page particularly focused on a single targeted keyword phrase? Is the page well optimized for that phrase? What are the quality and relevancy of the backlinks to the client's website vs. the ones obtained by the competitor?
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  • Profile picture of the author moneymagneto
    It depends on the PageRank of the sites it's connected to.
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  • Profile picture of the author VincentD
    Without posting your client's website and its competitor's website, it's impossible for us to diagnose.

    There are many metrics and Google look to rank a website. High quality content and backlinks are important, but page load speed, domain authority, engagement, etc... are all important as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author VincentD
    Just saw your email, look at the green signals on this Keyword SERP analysis screenshot I took from my tool and just do whatever your competitor has not done then you should be good

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