Was moving up in SERPS then Got Stuck on Page 2

[RightDirection]

Hi,

I was continuously acquiring quality back-links and my site was moving up in Google SERPS for 3 main keywords. Within a few weeks  i was on Page 2 and 3  for these three keywords, but after reaching there I got stuck on these pages and positions despite no change in link building strategy / pattern. I have even increased the number and quality of links that I acquire per day, but I am still stuck at exact same positions.

The website is10 months old and related to a software niche. I update this website once a week.

For one keyword I am stuck at position 1 of page two (you can well imagine the frustration..!!).

My question is that what do I need to do to get out of this "SERP lock"?

[RightDirection]

Thanks all for the answers.

Yes EGOL, It looks like I need to do the Jolt (rate of change of acceleration) rather than just acceleration or speed as I am up against entities having $10b+ market cap(s). These guys love to mop the serp floor using small competition.

Are there any other factors you guys consider relevant in off-page SEO, in addition to rate of increase of links/day and quality/relevance of links?

[APICDA]

Hi,

This is a great question and many people find themselves right where you are.  Both Ryan and Egol have provided you some great responses and I agree with them both.  There is a lot that goes into whether and when your site will move up or down.  Personally, I feel the closer you get to page 1 the more fine tuning and possibly effort it will take to make the leap to the top of page one.

Sounds like you are doing pretty well for a very young site.  Good job and good luck!

[EGOL]

Did you take physics in high school or college?

Your question is similar to..... "What is the difference between speed and acceleration?"

Just because you are "continuously acquiring quality back-links" doesn't mean that your competitors are sitting on their butts.

If you are gaining ten links per day but the guy above you is gaining twenty you will never ever catch him....

.... and if he is on the third page then the guys near the top of page two might be gaining hundreds per day.

Every time you move up a position in the SERPs the website directly above you will require a greater level of effort to defeat.

That means you gotta press the accelerator down harder and harder as you move up the SERPs.  Will you have it floored before you reach the top of page two?

In lightly competitive SERPs you might be able to defeat everyone... but when you get into the heavyweight SERPs the increasing competition will at some point be more than most people can muster.

That's where you hit "SERP lock" as you call it.

Keep in mind that the people behind you are working hard too..... you might  tramp the pedal to the floor and see people from behind passing you buy.

My personal opinion is... more people who hold any SERPs today will be lower in the rankings than will be more highly ranked by this time next year.  Really.  They are going to be displaced by existing heavyweights who are expanding their reach and new heavyweights who are starting to accelerate.

Pick ten SERPs in different niches that interest you and record who is in position #5.  Then come back in a year and look for them.  More will go down than up.

[RyanKent]

what do I need to do to get out of this "SERP lock"?

Without looking at the site and the keywords involved, we can only offer generic advice.

I would suggest examining all aspects of your onpage factors. Some specifics are:

• page title: focus a single keyword

• header: focus the same keyword

• content: the first sentence of your content should also focus the same keyword

• site internal linking: when appropriate, other pages of your site should provide links in content to other relevant pages.

• url: clean, friendly, static urls which offer appropriate use of keywords is helpful

Wikipedia is a great example for many of the above steps.

There are other items to check. My point is link building and site promotion is an ongoing process which happens over months and years. On page changes have the ability to instantly and dramatically change your ranking. There is a good chance you are stuck due to onpage factors.

[stevecounsell]

Could you let us know the URL and the keywords you're targeting?