Shorts: Why Isn’t My Website Ranking Higher
Even though (I think) I’m doing all the right things
Hello! I’m Nicky, the founder of Circe Health and Circe Studio. We bring modern business tools to holistic healthcare practitioners who are looking for sustainable success.
Welcome to our first Shorts edition of The Well! In these new newsletter editions I will answer one question from you, our readers, in a bite-sized format so you get practical information in a short amount of time.
Let me know what you think of this concept and if this is a useful for you! You can send in your question by replying to this email. If instead you’re looking for personalised support on a 1:1 call, you can book a session with me here.
The Question
“I am frustrated to see my website still relatively low down on organic search results, especially as I am doing so much extra stuff like writing blog posts and social media. And I noticed some of my colleagues with newer websites still ranking higher than me even though they aren’t doing those things. I am just wondering if I’m putting my energy and resources in the right place? Do I just plug on in the current direction? As you appreciate time and resources are limited!”
The Answer
In general, newer websites likely rate higher for online search because of their Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) settings, but also because Google prioritises new websites. Updating your website’s SEO settings and website content regularly is a smart move, so Google recognises that your website is a relevant, up-to-date source of information.
But my main recommendation is to check your SEO settings reflect the online searches you want to rank for. For SEO to work, it requires keyword strategy, meta descriptions, and proper site structure, so it’s not just content volume. You can post new blog articles regularly, but if your content isn’t aligned with what people are actually searching for, Google won’t reward you.
And speed, mobile-friendliness, user experience, and even technical SEO (like site maps and indexing) all impact how Google ranks your site. A newer site that’s cleaner, faster, or better structured might outrank yours, even with less content. This is why for my website design projects, I always work with Squarespace’s website platform because they make it super easy to cover all these SEO basics.
And it's worth highlighting that social media activity doesn't improve your online search ratings. Your blog articles, website content and SEO settings will do this for you. But your newsletter (if you have one) and social media activity can increase website traffic. This combination of more traffic to your website from SEO and other marketing efforts gives you a better chance at growing your organic reach in a shorter time.
The take away
Continue creating your content and updating your website, but refine your strategy:
Audit your website to make sure your SEO descriptions for each page and the keywords you use, match the wording your clients use when searching online. You can use tools to research keywords your clients are searching for, like answerthepublic.com
Make sure each blog post targets one topic clearly and includes the right keywords
Strengthen your calls to action and make sure your website visually and structurally supports trust and clarity
For more on SEO tactics, you can read my previous newsletter edition below and you can get personalised advice on a 1:1 call or work with me on your website design.
Do you have a question you’d like to get answered in a future Shorts newsletter edition? Reply to this email or send it over to info@circehealth.co. And don’t worry if you have a bit of stage fright, I’ll keep it anonymous!