What is the most likely reason we aren't ranking #1 for our keyword.
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So we are targeting a keyword and we are ranking 2nd for it. Another company is ranking number 1. What is the best element to target for us to improve into position number one?
Page authority: them 41, us 40.
mozRank: them 5.52, us 3.38.
mozTrust: them 5.86, us 5.58.
mT/mR: them 1.1, us 1.4.
Total Links: them 6571, us 68.
Internal Links: them 1138, us 1.
External Links: them 5431, us 63.
Followed Links: them 6569, us 64.
Nofollowed Links: them 2, us 4.
Linking Root Domains: them 25, us 41.
Broadkeyword usage in page title: them YES, us YES.
KW in domain: them no, us partial.
Exact anchor test links: them 161, us 21.
% of links with exact anchor text: them 2%, us 30%.
Linking Root domains with exact anchor text: them 2, us 11.
Domain Authority: them 41, us 40.
Domain MozRank: them 3.7, us 4.5.
Domain MozTrust: them 3.8, us 4.5.
External links to domain: them 22574, us 217.
Linking root domains: them 50, us 48.
Linking C-blocks: them 46, us 42.
Tweets: them 1, us 12.
FB shares: them 6, us 26.
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I really don't think that the answer is in these numbers... I would simply...
-- improve content
-- sharpen the optimization
-- get more backlinks
-- make social sharing easy
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Hi
Something that jumps out at me is 30% of exact match anchor text links. Seems high, especially where you have only 60+ external links coming in.
Its hard to say that any one element would get you to #1 (especially where #1 is different b/c of personalization). It is because of this, I wouldn't obsess over #1 vs. #2 - but rather focus more on doing just good practice optimization regardless.
Try running the page and keyword though the on-page keyword optimization tool if you haven't already - that might give some suggestions for some more on-page things you could do.
-Dan
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more linking root domains is almost always the answer, especially since you cannot "age" your domain (they may be older than you and benefiting from that). Just focus on quality links, not quantity (e.g. guest blogging)
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