A higher average position in Google Search Console means your website is ranking closer to the top of search results, increasing visibility and attracting more traffic. Improving this metric isn’t about gimmicks or shortcuts—it’s about optimizing your content, technical SEO, and user experience to meet search engine and user expectations. Every page’s rank is influenced by multiple factors, and honing in on these factors is key to boosting your position.
Focus on High-Impact Keywords
Improving rankings for the keywords that matter most starts with prioritization. Review your Google Search Console data to identify queries where your site ranks on the second or third page. These are the low-hanging opportunities that can often see quick gains with the right tweaks.
A client in the home improvement niche had several blog posts hovering around positions 11 to 15 for high-value keywords. Optimizing on-page elements like title tags, headings, and internal links helped push those pages into the top 10, where they started driving significantly more traffic. Sometimes, a few targeted adjustments can make all the difference.
Update and Optimize Existing Content
Older content often underperforms because it lacks relevance or detail. Regularly updating posts with new statistics, fresh examples, and better formatting keeps them competitive. Search engines favor content that’s both up-to-date and comprehensive, rewarding it with better rankings.
A digital marketing blog I worked with had several posts that were once top performers but had fallen to page two over time. Adding updated data, new visuals, and reorganizing the content into a more user-friendly layout helped those articles regain their top positions. This practice also improved click-through rates as the updated meta descriptions better aligned with current search intent.
Improve Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
Your title tags and meta descriptions are your first chance to grab attention in search results. A weak title or irrelevant meta description can lead to low click-through rates, which in turn hurts your rankings. Make sure titles are clear, keyword-rich, and enticing enough to encourage clicks.
A fitness website saw mediocre performance for its workout guides despite ranking decently for key terms. Adding action-driven phrases like “The Ultimate Guide to” and highlighting benefits in the meta descriptions (“Burn Fat Fast with These Proven Workouts”) immediately improved click-through rates. Rankings climbed as Google recognized higher engagement on those pages.
Optimize for Search Intent
Ranking well means meeting user expectations. If a page doesn’t align with what searchers are looking for, it will struggle to gain traction, even with strong keywords. Google rewards content that directly addresses the intent behind a query, whether it’s informational, transactional, or navigational.
A real estate website I optimized struggled to rank for queries like “best neighborhoods in Chicago.” Their initial content was too sales-focused, pushing users to contact agents instead of offering valuable information. Creating a detailed guide that broke down neighborhoods, amenities, and average home prices better matched user intent and quickly improved rankings.
Use Structured Data for Enhanced Results
Structured data, or schema markup, can increase your visibility by enabling rich results. Rich results like star ratings, FAQs, and images stand out in search results, driving higher click-through rates and signaling engagement to Google.
An e-commerce client added product schema to their category pages, which allowed star ratings and pricing information to display in search results. Click-through rates improved significantly, and rankings followed suit as Google recognized the relevance and usefulness of the pages.
Build High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks remain one of the most important ranking factors. Earning links from authoritative websites signals to Google that your content is trustworthy and valuable. Focus on natural link-building strategies like guest blogging, partnerships, and creating shareable content that earns links organically.
A B2B SaaS client gained backlinks by publishing original research about trends in their industry. The report was cited by multiple publications, resulting in a 35% increase in referring domains and improved rankings across their target keywords. Quality matters more than quantity here, so prioritize relevant and authoritative sites.
Improve Page Load Times
Page speed is a ranking factor that directly affects user experience. Slow-loading pages drive users away and hurt engagement metrics, making it less likely for your content to rank well. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix can help identify issues slowing down your site.
An online retailer had product pages that took over five seconds to load, causing high bounce rates and poor rankings. Compressing images, reducing server response times, and implementing lazy loading brought the average load time down to two seconds, improving their search positions and conversions.
Use Internal Linking Strategically
Internal links help distribute authority across your site while guiding users to relevant content. Linking from high-performing pages to those that need a boost can improve rankings for underperforming content.
A travel blog had strong rankings for broad terms like “top destinations in Europe” but struggled with city-specific guides. Adding internal links from their high-ranking pages to the city guides boosted their visibility, as Google identified these pages as more interconnected and authoritative.
Monitor Click-Through Rates and Engagement
Click-through rates and on-page engagement metrics like time on page and bounce rate influence how Google evaluates your content. Poor performance in these areas indicates to Google that your page isn’t meeting user expectations, which can hurt rankings.
Analyzing Google Search Console data for a fashion website revealed pages with low CTRs despite decent rankings. Revamping meta descriptions and adding FAQ schema improved engagement, as users found the content more appealing and useful. Rankings gradually improved as Google responded to better user interactions.
Optimize for Mobile Users
With mobile-first indexing, Google prioritizes mobile versions of websites when ranking pages. A responsive design, fast load times, and easy navigation are critical to maintaining visibility in search results.
A health and wellness website I worked with saw a 15% traffic drop due to poor mobile usability. Simplifying the navigation, increasing font sizes, and ensuring buttons were thumb-friendly led to better engagement from mobile users and a recovery in rankings.
Focus on Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are less competitive and often bring in higher-quality traffic. Optimizing for these phrases can improve rankings while driving targeted visitors who are more likely to convert.
An online coaching business shifted their focus to long-tail keywords like “online life coach for stress management” instead of generic terms like “life coach.” These specific phrases attracted more qualified leads and helped them dominate smaller, less competitive niches.
Regularly Monitor and Refine Your Strategy
SEO is not a one-time effort. Continuous tracking and adaptation are necessary to maintain and improve your rankings. Google Search Console provides invaluable data on your performance, showing which keywords drive traffic, where you rank, and how engagement compares across pages.
A client in the education sector reviewed their Search Console data monthly and discovered new opportunities for targeting specific queries related to their courses. Adding content to address these queries kept their pages fresh and relevant, ensuring consistent ranking improvements over time.
Staying Ahead with Data-Driven Adjustments
A higher average position in Google Search Console isn’t achieved overnight, but steady improvements in content relevance, technical performance, and user engagement can move the needle. By focusing on what searchers need and refining your strategy as trends evolve, your pages will climb the ranks and generate better results.
