Where you rank in Google (or Bing) matters. But in 2026, it’s not as simple as “rank #1 and you win.” Search results pages are crowded with ads, local packs, featured snippets, and AI Overviews, and that means fewer clicks for everyone, especially on informational searches.
As a baseline, many studies still show the #1 organic result earns the biggest share of clicks, often somewhere in the 20% to 30% range, depending on the query, the industry, and what else shows up on the page. But clickthrough rates are shifting quarter to quarter, and AI-driven results are a big reason why.
Understanding Google’s algorithm (and why it keeps changing)
No doubt you’ve heard the word “algorithm” in reference to your web presence. But what is it? Simply put, a search algorithm is a set of signals designed to determine relevance (is this page the best match?) and authority (is this source trustworthy?). Google doesn’t publish its full recipe, and it changes constantly as search behaviour changes.
Case in point: in 2025, Advanced Web Ranking reported that average clickthrough rates for top positions on desktop declined quarter-over-quarter, while AI Overviews appeared more frequently in results. In other words, rankings still matter, but the “10 blue links” era is not what it used to be.
How can I make my website rank better (and show up in AI answers)?
Entire careers are built on this question. The good news is you don’t need secret access to Google to improve performance. You need solid fundamentals, plus a few 2026-era upgrades that help you earn visibility in traditional search and in AI-generated answers (GEO and AEO).
1. Evaluate your website
Before you can improve your site, you need a baseline. Check what’s ranking now, what’s not, and where traffic is coming from. Document it so you can compare later. Start with a comprehensive review of key pages, technical health, and search visibility. This article can help you assess your website’s performance and correct weaknesses.
2. Is your content comprehensive (and answer-first)?
Keyword stuffing is dead, and it’s been dead for a while. What works now is content that clearly answers real buyer questions, matches search intent, and demonstrates expertise. Use the phrases your audience actually uses, and include them naturally in your headings and page copy.
Also, keep your site fresh. Google (and buyers) reward companies that publish helpful, relevant updates. That’s one reason we produce blog content for our clients: consistent publishing supports subject-matter authority, gives sales enablement fuel, and provides something useful to share in email and on social.
2026 upgrade: Make your content easy for AI systems to quote. Use clear definitions, concise subheadings, short lists, and direct answers to common questions. If an AI Overview or assistant is going to cite someone, it tends to pick content that’s easy to extract, verify, and trust.
3. Check your metadata (it’s about clicks, not magic)
Metadata won’t “trick” Google into ranking you. But it does influence whether people click, and click behaviour still matters. Review page titles and meta descriptions, make sure your headings match the promise of the search snippet, and confirm every important image has descriptive alt text.
To check your website’s page titles and descriptions (or lack thereof), use a tool that scans your domain and lists what’s missing or duplicated.
Here is an example of a good listing:
4. Increase the number of reputable sites linking to your website
Inbound links from credible, relevant websites signal authority. The emphasis is on quality, not volume, so skip link farms and focus on targeted PR, partnerships, and guest content for industry publications and associations.
If you want a quick sense of how strong a site is, tools like Moz’s Link Explorer can help you estimate domain strength and link profile quality. Just note that many publishers use “nofollow” or other link attributes that reduce direct SEO value, but those placements can still drive brand visibility and referral traffic.
5. Take a look “under the hood” of your website
This is the least sexy task of the bunch, but it’s crucial. Do your pages load quickly? Are you optimized for mobile? Can Google crawl and index your key pages without friction? Search engines want to send users to pages that deliver a good experience.
2026 upgrade: Build for “visibility without the click.” If AI Overviews reduce clicks on certain queries, your goal is to be the cited source and to capture demand later through branded search, direct traffic, email, and sales conversations. That means strong author credentials, clear sourcing where appropriate, and content that answers questions better than the next result.
Now that you have an overview of what it takes to improve performance, dig a bit deeper, starting with our blog 5 ingredients for ranking first on Google. And if all this feels a bit overwhelming, we can help. Improving your website’s visibility is absolutely doable, it just takes focused effort and a few months to compound.
