Do you want to improve your online profile? Do you see your competitors ranking above you in the search engine results? There are many reasons for this and making tweaks here and there yourself does take time, but it is completely worth it. So, what can you do?

Your first step is to complete your “Google My Business Profile” and that means completing all fields including contact information. A completed Google business listing will perform heads above any other business in the search engines and this will increase your visibility. This will automatically increase your visibility and increase the appeal of your listing to the people who are conducting the searches. This will then increase your engagement. You may find some of your competitors have not completed their Google listing and still rank higher than you.

However, it is not uncommon to find competing businesses that, though they have an empty Google listing, are still ranking higher than you. Why is this? There are many reasons.

• * Impact is something that takes time. Making updates to your profile is instantaneous but the impact is cumulative meaning that it builds over time. All your profile sections including customer reviews, posts, visitor questions and answers and logistical info all assist Google in knowing how your site should appear and for which searches. When you supply more information, you will appear for more search terms and more information also increases the number of people who are able to find you in a search. Increased activity in your listing gives Google more information and that increases your ranking. When your listing receives more customers and more reviews it will help with increased ranking. As visibility and engagement increase, it starts to form a loop of positive feedback that becomes stronger over time. The starting point is to get this in motion with the required steps.

• * Your competitors might have other online assets that are optimized. They could have strong social media signals and are optimized for search.

Your Google My Business profile is an efficient asset, and it should be optimized for search, but it is one of several tools. Many things are sending signals to Google about your business including other directory listings and social media profiles. If another business appears to have nothing due to an incomplete Google Business listing, they could be very strong in a variety of other areas.

One thing that a business can do is increase its visibility with top quality backlinks. These are links that connect to your site from other sites that have credibility. This is a serious factor with Google and has been for a very long time. If your competitor is higher in the rankings than you, it could be because they have:

• * Lots of backlinks to a page located on their site.

• * Backlinks that connect to a wide range of pages located on their site.

• * Backlinks to their site that come from highly trusted and popular sites

Your Competitor’s Site May Have Been Longer

Some companies have been around longer than yours and that means that they may have less signals that are not so strong to send off to Google. Google places a lot of weight in trust so if a company has been around for along time and has no problems then they may get better results than a site that is newer. Over time, Google will come to trust your site too, so do not worry too much about it.

They Have Included Keywords in Their Business Name

When your competitor has included keywords or special phrases that are key in your line of work or industry, they will show up in listings and on your website and this helps Google with categorizing it. The location and the frequency that those keywords appear will also help Google to decide on their relevance. If your competitor has a keyword in their business name, then it could give them enough of an advantage to get a better ranking than you.

There are Keywords in Their Reviews

When customers write reviews about businesses, they might contain keywords that are very relevant to the search terms that are very popular in your industry. This sends signals to Google that this content and the associated business is extremely relevant. It acts as updated content regarding your business, at least that is how Google sees it.

Since Google works to detect the location of those that search for certain businesses if a person is not searching for a business near them their results will still show local results for them. When two businesses are in the same area and one is closer to the location of the searcher than another, then the first business will be the one that shows up in the search.

What Else Should be Considered When your Competitor Outranks You?

Do they have an attractive listing? When you look at Google Maps and look for your competition, take a close look at their listing. Some businesses show up first because they have paid for their business listing, but they may not have any reviews. Some businesses rank higher than others without reviews because they have details such as their business hours, reviews and a description of the business that they operate. When you look at the results, look at them with a clear eye and see which listing gives you the best impression overall.

If a business listing appears over yours the impression that they make will not be that great if their information is missing. When all your information is available and is always updated, it shows that you have active, and this conveys availability and trust and that makes your business attractive and trustworthy to your potential customers. When people interact with your listing over time, Google reads this and adjusts your listings and rankings. Over time, changes are made that change the impact that your site has, and this has a direct bearing on your website’s ranking on Google.

When you consider all these factors, it gives you a starting point where you can start to make changes which will get your site moved up in the search engine results. Your site needs constant work and part of that is fresh content and backlinks. Never stop working on your site and Google will never stop rewarding you.