How do Google ranking factors work?
Search Engine Optimization is a field that keeps evolving when trends change. As a result, the Google SEO ranking factors are dynamic due to the constant updating of search engines. The changing algorithms compel Google to make changes to links to rank higher in Google while ensuring that relevant information is provided to the people.
Since Google evaluates sites using multiple ranking factors, it becomes necessary for companies to know where their SEO strategy is aimed at. To align your website with the current algorithm of Google, you need to work on the following Google search ranking factors.
What are the top Google Search Ranking Factors?
1. High-quality content
Content will always be the king on Google search rankings. If your website has gibberish, there is no way for Google to discover it and give the website a proper order. The inactivity and the low engagement on your website will eventually haunt you.
On the other hand, keywords may help your content to a certain extent. You can discover keywords with a high search volume and incorporate them into your content through competitor research, market research, and data mining.
Therefore, you must publish high-quality content which is valuable to the readers. The goal is to help visitors to your site and reduce the bounce rate. As a result, high-quality content will eventually enjoy a steady and high position in SERPs. To sum it up, the content of value will always be on the list of Google’s top-ranking factors.
2. Mobile optimization
By making your website mobile-friendly, you will enjoy many positive effects of SEO. Google uses the mobile version of your site to rank and index content. As of 2021, all websites are now subject to mobile-first indexing.
Even if you have a website that works brilliantly on a desktop, it won’t be ranked adequately if the website is not optimized for mobile devices. Therefore, when developing your websites, make sure that it runs effectively on all devices, especially mobile. Most content management platforms allow you to make it mobile-friendly before publishing the content.
3. Page experience
The focus areas under page experience are UX, site architecture, core web vitals, and secure websites. Firstly, the user experience is what will directly impact SEO. Most users don’t engage with pages with poor content and unattractive layout. To make the best out of the user experience, you must regularly update content and optimize CTA options.
Secondly, site architecture is needed for better website navigation. Additionally, crawlers will be able to find your website easily. The goal is to keep the user aware of the site navigation and avoid confusion in searching for what they want.
Furthermore, your website should be safe. No user would want to risk their data by visiting an insecure website. Check that the HTTPS of your website reflects on the URL bar. It may directly impact SEO ranking, but it will impact site traffic.
4. Page Speed
The slower your site loads, the more visitors and revenue you will lose out on. This will also increase the bounce rate on your website and decrease the ranking. Users expect a pain-free browsing experience, so page speed is one of the most important Google SEO ranking factors.
There are many specialized tools that can test your website’s average page speed. You will be making your visitors and regular users happy when you provide them with a hassle-free page experience.
5. Internal linking
Internal link means any hyperlink that directs towards an internal page within your website. Search engines work by crawling and indexing different pieces of content on your website. Users use internal links as a signal to aid in analyzing and correctly indexing the information.
As users and search engines benefit from internal linking, these are the following areas where you need to prioritize your internal linking structure:
- Managing the traffic flow
- Helping users
- Building a roadmap around specific content topics
- Preferring internal links to particular pages
- Canonising
6. On-page optimization
Closely related to page experience, on-page optimization happens behind the scenes of SEO and content on your website. It directly impacts the website’s visibility and the SERP position of targeted keywords.
The few ways to manage on-page optimization are:
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- Metadata: The metadata includes your title tag and the page descriptions. This is the information on your website that viewers see in SERPs. Google often uses content from the page and describes it to the user if it matches their search term/keyword.
- Schema: Schema markup is another hidden component that describes your content to search engines. Schema presents the essential information on the webpage to Google. Google then creates (rich snippets) to show in search results, making it important for SEO.
- Featured snippets: The purpose of featured snippets is to meet the search intent behind any query. If the content adds value to the search intent, Google will display your content in a snippet.
7. Local search ranking
The local search is categorized in the following three Google search ranking factors:
- Relevance: Relevance is a vital part of Google’s local algorithm. It signifies how close the searcher’s query is to the business. Business listings and other critical attributes assist Google in bringing together your business to the searcher.
- Distance: Distance is the physical distance between the business and the searcher. The closer the distance, the higher the chances of your website appearing in local map results. Search queries like “near me” take precedence.
- Prominence” Prominence is the popularity of your business offline. Reviews, ratings, and directories all improve your business’s local ranking.
CONCLUSION
Many other ranking factors make a difference in SEO. However, these are the primary factors that rank higher on Google. Due to the ever-changing capability of SEO, it is better to optimize your websites constantly and keep the content fresh and relevant. Or, contact an SEO specialist to see which ranking factor brings you promising results.
