Can Bernard get me to the top of Google for my phrase?

No one can promise that. Google decides the order of its results. Bernard makes one page the clearest answer to your phrase, so you give Google the best reason to show it. Then he checks the result with you a few weeks later.

Does Bernard know how many people search for my phrase?

No. Bernard can see whether your site already appears for the phrase, in what position, and how many people clicked. He cannot see how many people search for it, or who sits above you. He never guesses those numbers.

Will this change my site straight away?

No. Every change goes into a draft. You check the preview, and nothing goes live until you approve it.

Can I work on several phrases?

Yes, one at a time. Give each phrase its own page where you can. Two pages that try to rank for the same words compete with each other, so Bernard picks one page and links the others to it.

How long until I see a difference?

Google usually takes a few weeks to notice a change. Bernard can put a reminder on your calendar to check how the phrase is doing, and on that day he compares the new numbers with the ones he read before.

Being found2 min read

I want my site to rank for a search phrase

You know the words you want people to find you by: handmade mugs in Bath, wedding photographer Cornwall, beginner pottery classes. Bernard turns that wish into work on your site. He finds out where you stand for the phrase, picks the page that should answer it, and makes that page the clearest answer he can.

The prompt

“I want my site to rank for [the search phrase]. Check where Google shows me for it now, pick the best page for it, and draft the changes that make that page the clearest answer. Keep my voice and show me what you changed.”

Signed in, Get my prompt fills in your site for you. Otherwise press Copy and fill in the [bracketed] parts. First time? Connect your AI to bernard once: Use your own AI (opens in a new tab).

How it works

Connect bernard to your AI (once). Log in to bernard, open your site, go to Use your own AI, and paste the setup prompt into your AI to connect it. You do this one time only. In the bernard workshop, the card Rank for a search phrase under Getting found does the same job.
Say the phrase. Use the words a stranger would type, not your own trade term.
Approve. Bernard shows you each change and the page it is on. Check the preview, press Approve, and it is live.

What Bernard does

Checks where you stand. He reads your Google search record: whether you already appear for the phrase, in what position, how often you are shown and how often people click. He also sees which of your pages Google picks for it.
Picks one page. Usually the page Google already picks. If no page is about the phrase, he offers a new page or a blog post.
Rewrites what Google reads first. The page title and description that show in search results, the main heading, and the opening words. See Get better page titles and descriptions for why these count most.
Uses the words naturally. The phrase and the ways people say it go where they read well, in your voice. He never repeats the phrase just to repeat it.
Answers the real questions. A few questions a person searching the phrase would ask, with answers from facts on your site or from you. See Add an FAQ to a page.
Links to the page. One or two links from your related pages, with words that say what the page is about.

What Bernard cannot do

Bernard cannot promise a position. Google decides the order of its results. Bernard also cannot see how many people search for your phrase, or who ranks above you, so he never guesses those numbers.

If Bernard is not measuring your site yet, he cannot read your search record. He still does the page work, and you can see your search phrases in Reports, under Traffic. See How many people visited my site?.

Check back in a few weeks

Google usually takes a few weeks to notice a change. Bernard can add a reminder to your calendar. On that day, ask him how the phrase is doing. He reads your search record again and compares it with the numbers from the start.

Questions people ask

Can Bernard get me to the top of Google for my phrase?: No one can promise that. Google decides the order of its results. Bernard makes one page the clearest answer to your phrase, so you give Google the best reason to show it. Then he checks the result with you a few weeks later.
Does Bernard know how many people search for my phrase?: No. Bernard can see whether your site already appears for the phrase, in what position, and how many people clicked. He cannot see how many people search for it, or who sits above you. He never guesses those numbers.
Will this change my site straight away?: No. Every change goes into a draft. You check the preview, and nothing goes live until you approve it.
Can I work on several phrases?: Yes, one at a time. Give each phrase its own page where you can. Two pages that try to rank for the same words compete with each other, so Bernard picks one page and links the others to it.
How long until I see a difference?: Google usually takes a few weeks to notice a change. Bernard can put a reminder on your calendar to check how the phrase is doing, and on that day he compares the new numbers with the ones he read before.