Best ways to optimize for a competitive keyword.

[djbaxter]

I don't think Meta description plays a vital role now when it comes for SEO rather powerful Title tag, unique content, quality backlinks would help you for better ranking.
Recently Google have started giving importance for fast loading webpages.

That's correct.

 

[Danjensen]

Now that your ranking high for your keyword.

Pick another one that google likes and is similar and promote that on another URL page of your site.

This builds total links to your site which google likes. Not just to your front page.

If you can do this for another valuable keyword you are laughing.

You now have 2 pages of your site ranked high in google with good backlinks to your domain. This helps to maintain your main keyword at no.1 whilst driving traffic from another keyword to your site.


As for SEO options not mentioned.

Try and raise your Page Rank by having high PR links to your page.
Have good quality backlinks to your site by using hub pages, lens web 2.0.
Have a good spread of links, article, Directory, forum etc.
Increase no. pages of content on site.

 

[yanamk]

Just wanted to add to all what has been said earlier, I think the age of the site sometimes plays an important role too. It could be, that, in a year, your site will be even more trusted by google and rank much higher.

 

[harrysmith]

Just wanted to add to all what has been said earlier, I think the age of the site sometimes plays an important role too. It could be, that, in a year, your site will be even more trusted by google and rank much higher.

Yeah, that's very true. Domain age is one of the important factor which is considered by Google while ranking any websites.
I have seem many Old domain names ranking very high in SERP just because they are very old and are active since long time.

 

[WordWaves]

Yeah, in my experience the age of your site can affect your rankings dramatically. Give it time and I think you'll find this to be the case.

 

[melovemoney]

Hey Marie,

Have you looked to see what your competitors are doing? What I would do is see where the people who are ahead of you are getting their backlinks from, and go out and get backlinks from the same places. Just outwork them, or outsmart them, or both.

No sense in changing what works. If you need help on figuring out where your competitors are getting their backlinks from just let me know and I will let you know how to do it. Keep up the good work, #7 is not a bad position at all! But it is nice to see that you are still trying to move up even further!