When most businesses look into starting their SEO efforts, one of their top goals is to rank number one on Google search results.

To be on top of Google is equivalent to success and lots of SEO marketing agency work hard to bring their clients to this position.

But as the digital marketing landscape shifts so does SEO.

Is ranking number 1 on Google still relevant on Google today? If not, what should you focus on instead?

Defining SEO success

Every business wants to be the first result on Google search results. It goes beyond vanity or pride, as becoming the number 1 increases your chances for customer awareness, traffic, authority dramatically.

With over 40,000 search queries processed by Google per second, Google alone gets a staggering 3.5 billion searches daily. No business should ignore these numbers.

Then there is also this report that shows that Google’s top search result position gets 33% of the total traffic, while the second position received 17.6% of the traffic.

By the time you reach the fifth position, you will only receive 6.1% of the traffic.

The facts seem to indicate that being on page 1 alone was the only thing that mattered.

While it’s an uphill battle to get to the top spot, you can still reach the top of the Google mountain if your business has the authority to rank number 1.

The evolution of SEO

The critical difference between SEO ranking compared to the previous years is that search engines are becoming more intelligent.

The search engine can determine what users are looking for, and businesses need to evolve to the way search engines operate.

The way users use Google to run their searches has also changed.

You’ve probably observed that search has changed and that you won’t necessarily get the number 1 spot even if your SEO is spot-on.

That’s because now Google is focusing on adding additional boxes (snippets) and ads at the top of the SERPs, which reduces the chances for people to notice the actual organic results.

If you are a Google user, chances are you welcome these new changes because you can get your answers quickly.

However, as a business, you have to adjust your SEO strategy accordingly to adapt to this change, that means you don’t necessarily need to climb to the top spot, but you can still optimise your content achieve success.

When you redefine SEO success in a more practical way, it means:

• An increase in clicks
• A boost in authority
• A growth in engaged users.

Why you need to be rank on Google

More Opportunities For Your Business

Google shows only ten results on the first page whenever somebody runs a search.

Depending on a number of factors, such as site speed, backlinks, bounce rate, Google will decide if your website is suitable to be on the first page.

So if you can satisfy these requirements, you can get to page 1, which opens doors to new opportunities for your business.

Understand that getting to the top is only half the battle. You need to know how to keep your number 1 spot too (which is just as hard).

In essence, your SEO success depends on whether you are able to make your website stay on page one and stay there for the days to come.

Top Position Attract More Traffic

Google’s biggest competitor today, Bing, finds that websites on the first spot of search results get 42% of the clicks; the second gets 11%, and third gets 8% only.

This is a clear indication of why the position of your website matter. Almost every other search engines including Google paints the same picture.

If your website is at position number 1, it signifies more credibility and trust which are key ingredients for more leads and traffic.

Increases Business Authenticity

An increase in SERP (search engine results page) can not only boost your business; it places your website as an authority too.

Most website visitors perceive the first few websites of the search result pages as more credible authorities of their relevant niche.

Being ranked high up on Google gives your business a psychological edge.

While you may have an uphill better out if you have enormous competitors, so whether you’re a small local business or a large corporation, higher rank increases the authenticity of your business.

Creates a Professional Image

Your potential clients will put you in a better light when you have a professional image.

Because SEO is a competitive place for almost every business, it can be an uphill battle to outrank everyone else in a short period of time.

However, once you achieve a better rank position, you will start to see more success. To give your business a respectable image, you’ll want to place your website high up on Google search results.

Save on marketing costs

In general, it’s always cheaper to generate inbound leads compared to outbound leads.

Other than social media, Google is the next most significant source of inbound leads. That means the better your SERP is, the more inbound leads you are going to get.

Having a top position, SERP can significantly reduce your costs on advertising, and have a positive impact on other aspects of your marketing as well, such as social media marketing or offline marketing channels.

When you are running a successful SEO campaign, you can even beat some of your biggest competitors by outranking them, without the need for an expensive advertising budget.

You should be on Google

Without a doubt, your Google ranking position is an invaluable asset for your company, even if you operate a completely offline business.

If your goal is to direct the right visitors to your business, make sure you are producing the relevant content that answers your audience’s intent and needs. So if you haven’t seen your business on page one of Google yet, give yourself some time to put in more effort. With enough work, you’ll find yourself experiencing the rewards of a great SEO strategy.