How to Rank #1 in Google

So you want to rank #1 in Google for keywords that best describe your blog or website?

Given below is a consolidation of recommendations from a few sources.

1. Don’t buy (or sell) site wide links for serps. Buy links from individual pages. Links from individual pages are far more effective when speaking of improving serps, not PR.
2. Don’t look for high PR links only - start your campaign for a new site with PR 0-1 and slowly move up each week as you see your rankings improve.
3. Control link placement speed. Remember of “Too many links at once” Google filter.
4. Control the number of outbound links on your pages and on pages where you place your links, avoid link-farms, links to gambling, pills, etc.
5. A link from a relevant website is excellent, but a link from a quality site of other niche or other language can also boost your ranking - so don’t ignore such links.
6. Make links look natural. Use different link anchors, promote not only your main page, but your deep pages too.
7. Don’t do reciprocal link exchange. [Source for the 1st 7 points: TNX at DigitalPoint on how to rank #1 in Google Searches for your keywords]
8. Get inbound links.
9. Have a good title tag for your page
10. Have good content, and keyword density in your pages.
11. Have meaningful ALT tags in your images [Source for Points 8-11: How to Improve Your Search Engine Ranking on Google]