The SEO Trick That Skyrocketed My Page from #50 to #1!

Summary

In this episode, Edward shares a surprising SEO breakthrough where a previously underperforming page shot from position 50 to #1 for an easy keyword. He explains how simply cloning the page to a new URL, implementing a 301 redirect, and leveraging increased topical authority helped Google reassess and rank the content. Edward highlights insights from SEO experts on the importance of content freshness, republishing, and Google’s click-through rate testing. The episode emphasizes tracking SEO changes, understanding topical authority, and using creative tactics to boost rankings for optimized pages that otherwise wouldn’t gain visibility.

Takeaways

• 😀 If a page is indexed but not ranking, refreshing content and updating the publish date can sometimes boost its ranking.
• 😀 Republishing old content as a new URL with a 301 redirect can lead to Google reassessing the page and potentially improving its ranking.
• 😀 Google prefers fresh content, and updating a page’s publish date can sometimes help push it higher in search rankings.
• 😀 Reindexing a page through Google Search Console can help, but republishing a page on a new URL may yield better results, especially for older pages with low organic traffic.
• 😀 Cloning a page and making minimal changes (like updating meta tags and adding a few sentences) can improve its ranking if combined with a new URL and 301 redirect.
• 😀 Topical authority plays a crucial role in rankings. Over time, as a website gains more authority, pages are more likely to rank higher for relevant keywords.
• 😀 The ‘click-through rate test phase’ occurs when Google evaluates how engaging a page is based on clicks and user interaction, and this can influence ranking decisions.
• 😀 If a page isn’t ranking for a keyword you believe it should, consider republishing it under a new URL and redirecting the old one to trigger fresh assessment by Google.
• 😀 Documenting changes to pages in an SEO change log can help track the effectiveness of different strategies and guide future decisions.
• 😀 This strategy of republishing and redirecting is a new tool for SEOs to experiment with, especially for pages that aren’t gaining organic traffic despite good optimization.

Q & A

What was the surprising SEO tactic mentioned in the video?

The surprising SEO tactic was cloning a page to a new URL and 301 redirecting the old URL to the new one. This tactic was found to potentially improve rankings, especially for pages that weren't performing well initially.

Why might a page not rank for an easy keyword even after being optimized?

A page might not rank for an easy keyword because it could be stuck in a 'click-through rate test phase'. If the page doesn't get enough clicks or doesn't develop enough topical authority over time, it might not rank as expected.

What does 'topical authority' mean in SEO, and why is it important?

Topical authority refers to how authoritative a website is in relation to the content it publishes. It's built over time through high-quality content and relevant backlinks. Topical authority is important because it helps a page rank higher for related keywords.

What does the strategy of refreshing content involve?

Refreshing content involves updating a webpage with fresh information, minor edits, or a change to the 'published date'. This signals to Google that the content is current, which can lead to better rankings.

What is the difference between 'refreshing content' and 're-publishing' it?

Refreshing content typically involves making edits or updates to the existing page. Re-publishing, on the other hand, means posting the same content on a new URL, which Google treats as new content and reassesses for ranking.

Why might Google reassess a page that has been re-published to a new URL?

When a page is re-published under a new URL, Google sees it as fresh content and starts to assess it from scratch, including re-evaluating its topical authority and engagement signals. This can lead to improved rankings if the page now benefits from more topical authority.

What are the benefits of cloning a page to a new URL instead of just reindexing it?

Cloning a page to a new URL allows Google to treat it as fresh content, while reindexing an old URL may not fully re-assess the page. The new URL has a higher chance of ranking better due to the reassessment of the content and topical authority.

Why is a 301 redirect used when moving content to a new URL?

A 301 redirect is used to ensure that traffic and SEO value from the old URL are passed on to the new URL. It signals to Google and users that the content has permanently moved, preserving the ranking signals and link equity.

How did the speaker's page rank change after cloning and 301 redirecting the old URL?

After cloning the page and 301 redirecting the old URL, the speaker's page jumped to number one in Google rankings for the targeted keyword. The ranking remained stable for weeks, suggesting that the tactic helped improve the page's performance.

What does the speaker suggest doing if you're not ranking for an easy keyword despite optimization?

The speaker suggests cloning the page to a new URL and using a 301 redirect for the old URL. Additionally, they recommend ensuring that internal links are updated to point to the new URL and allowing more time for the page to develop more topical authority.