Google Ranking Factors

Google’s 200 Ranking Factors

As the leading search engine, Google is constantly tweaking and updating its algorithm. This is to ensure that its users have the best possible experience. And while we don’t always know exactly what goes into their secret sauce, we do know that there are over 200 factors that play into where a website ranks on a search engine results page (SERP). In addition to this article check out: What Ranking Factors is Google Looking for in 2022?

Some of these factors are more important than others, but all of them contribute to a website’s overall ranking. This list covers all of the known ranking factors, organized into different categories. Keep in mind that this is an ever-evolving list too. Google makes changes to the algorithm frequently – sometimes as much as 3 times a month!

As mentioned earlier, although we don’t know definitely,  It’s no secret that Google’s ranking algorithm is made up of hundreds of factors. But what are those factors? And how do they work together to determine where your website appears in the search results?

In this post, we’ll take a look at all 200 of Google’s ranking factors, organized into 13 categories. We’ll also discuss the weight of each factor and how it impacts your website’s visibility in the search results.

1. Google Ranking – Content Quality Factors

   There’s no simple way to guarantee your website will rank #1 on Google for any given keyword. However, there are a number of different factors that Google takes into account when determining the order in which websites should appear in search results. The following are some of the most important content quality factors:
   – Keyword density: This is a measure of how often a particular keyword or phrase appears on a page, relative to the total number of words on the page. In general, pages with a higher keyword density tend to rank higher than those with a lower density. However, it’s important to strike a balance. Webpages that are overly optimized for certain keywords may be penalised by Google.
   – Content length: Studies have shown that longer articles tend to rank higher than shorter ones. This is likely because longer articles provide more value to readers and are therefore more likely to be shared and linked to.
   – Freshness: Google puts a premium on up-to-date information. As such, pages that are regularly updated with fresh content tend to rank higher than those that aren’t. This is especially true for news articles and other time-sensitive topics.
   – Grammar and spelling: Although it might seem like a small detail, making sure your content is free of errors can have a positive impact on your search engine ranking. Poor grammar and spelling can make your article difficult to read and understand, leading Google to deem it less relevant and rank it accordingly.

   While there’s no magic formula for achieving top search engine results, keeping your SEO pure, and paying attention to these content quality factors will help you improve your ranking and attract more visitors to your site.

2. On-Page SEO Factors

   As the digital landscape continues to evolve, so too must your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategy. What worked yesterday may not work today, and what works today may not work tomorrow. As such, it’s important to keep up with the latest SEO trends and best practices. One area that is constantly evolving is on-page SEO. This refers to all the factors on your website that impact your search engine ranking, including things like title tags, meta descriptions, and image alt text. While some on-page SEO factors are within your control, others are not. For example, you can’t control whether or not Google chooses to display your website in the search results, but you can control how relevant and engaging your title tag and meta description are. As such, it’s important to focus on those factors that are within your control and make sure they’re as optimized as possible. By doing so, you’ll improve your chances of ranking high in the search results and driving traffic to your website.

3. Off-Page SEO Factors

   Though often thought of as something only digital marketers or webmasters need to worry about, everyone can benefit from learning a thing or two about off-page SEO factors. After all, these are the elements that determine how high your content will rank in search engine results pages (SERPs), and higher rankings mean more traffic to your website. While on-page SEO factors like keywords, meta tags, and titles are important, off-page SEO factors are what will really propel your content to the top of the SERPs. So, what exactly are these off-page SEO factors?

   One of the most important off-page SEO factors is social signals. This refers to how often your content is shared on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The more shares you have, the more social signals your content has, and the higher it will rank in SERPs. In addition to social signals, backlinks are also crucial for off-page SEO. Backlinks are essentially links from other websites that lead back to your own. The more high-quality backlinks you have pointing to your website, the higher your website will rank in SERPs. Finally, another important off-page SEO factor is click-through rate (CTR). This measures how often people who see your content in SERPs click on it. A high CTR indicates that your content is relevant and useful, which will result in a higher ranking.

   While there are many different off-page SEO factors that can influence your ranking, these three are some of the most important to keep in mind. By focusing on social signals, backlinks, and CTR, you can give your content a boost in the SERPs and reach a wider audience.

4. Google Ranking – Technical SEO Factors

   The google ranking algorithm is a closely guarded secret. However, there are a number of factors that are known to influence google rankings. One of the most important is technical SEO. Technical SEO refers to the aspects of website design and development that can impact google rankings. This includes things like site structure, site speed, and mobile-friendliness. By ensuring that your website is optimised for google’s ever-changing algorithms, you can help to improve your google ranking. Additionally, regular updates to your website’s content and design can also help to improve your ranking. By keeping on top of the latest google algorithm changes and implementing them on your website, you can help to ensure that your website remains visible in the search results.

5. User Experience Factors

   A recent study by Google shows that User Experience is a key factor in google ranking. The study shows that users are more likely to trust and stay on a website if they have a positive user experience. User experience can be affected by many factors such as the design of the website, navigation, content, and so on. Therefore, it is important for website owners to focus on providing a good user experience for their visitors. By doing so, they will not only improve their google ranking but also increase the chances of visitors returning to their site.

6. Mobile SEO Factors

   Anyone who wants their website to rank high on google search knows that SEO is key. But what many people don’t realize is that mobile devices now account for over half of all web traffic, so it’s essential to optimize your site for mobile users if you want to maintain a high ranking. Here are some important mobile SEO factors to keep in mind:

   – Page Speed: Google has stated that page speed is a ranking factor for mobile searches, so it’s important to make sure your site loads quickly on mobile devices.

   – Mobile-Friendly Design: Make sure your site is designed with mobile users in mind. This means having a responsive design that automatically adjusts to different screen sizes, and avoiding features like pop-ups and flash which are not supported on most mobile devices.

   – Local Searches: Since many mobile users are searching for local businesses, it’s important to include location-specific keywords in your content and make sure your business is listed in google Maps and other online directories.

   By keeping these mobile SEO factors in mind, you can help ensure that your website maintains a high google ranking, regardless of the device your users are searching on.

7. Google Ranking – Local SEO Factors

   There are a number of factors that can impact your local SEO ranking on google. Perhaps the most important factor is your google my business listing. This is the information that Google displays when someone searches for your business. Make sure that your listing is accurate and up to date, with good photos and relevant keywords. Another important factor is online reviews. Google takes reviews very seriously, so make sure you are actively encouraging your customers to leave reviews on google and other platforms. You should also make sure that your website is optimised for local SEO, with relevant keywords and fresh content. By following these tips, you can help improve your google ranking and attract more customers to your business.

8. E-A-T Factors

   Google’s search algorithm is constantly evolving, but there are a few key factors that have remained consistent over the years. One of those factors is what Google calls the “E-A-T” factors: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. In short, Google wants to rank websites that are written by experts on their subject, that are seen as authoritative sources of information, and that are generally considered to be trustworthy. While there is no guarantee that following these factors will lead to a top ranking on Google, it’s definitely a good place to start!

9. Trustworthiness & Authority Factors

   When it comes to google ranking, there are two key factors that come into play: trustworthiness and authority. Google wants to direct its users to websites that are reliable and offer accurate information. That’s why sites with a strong reputation and a history of providing quality content are more likely to rank higher in search results. Likewise, google also gives preference to sites that are seen as experts in their field. If a website is frequently linked to by other high-quality sites, it’s a good sign that google views it as an authority on the topic. So, if you’re looking to improve your google ranking, make sure your site is trustworthy and authoritative.

10. PageSpeed Factors

    Google ranking is affected by a variety of factors, including PageSpeed. In general, google prefers faster-loading pages, and this is reflected in its ranking algorithm. There are a number of ways to improve PageSpeed, including optimizing images, minifying CSS and JavaScript, and using caching. By taking steps to improve PageSpeed, website owners can improve their google ranking and reach a larger audience. google is not the only search engine that uses PageSpeed as a ranking factor, so the benefits of optimization extend beyond google. In short, improving PageSpeed is essential for any website that wants to rank well in search engines.

11. Schema & Structured Data Factors

    Schema and structured data are important factors in google ranking. Schema is a code that helps google understand the content on your website. Structured data is information that is organized in a specific way. It can help google index your website more effectively and understand the relationships between different pieces of information. Both schema and structured data can help google rank your website higher in search results.

12. Site Architecture Factors

    Another important factor is site architecture. This includes things like:
    1. the overall structure of the website.
    2. the hierarchy of the pages, and
    3. the way the content is organized.

    A well-organized website is easier for google to index and rank. Another important factor is the use of keywords. Keywords are the words and phrases that google users enter into the search engine when they are looking for information. Websites that use relevant keywords throughout their content are more likely to be ranked higher by google. Finally, Google also looks at factors like:
    1. the number of visitors to a site.
    2. the amount of time they spend on the site.
    3. how often they return to the site. Websites that are able to keep visitors engaged are more likely to rank higher in google search results.

13. Miscellaneous Ranking Factors

    Hopefully, by now, you’ve ascertained, that google ranking is important. Not just for giving your website the best chance of appearing in search results. But for your business growth in general. There are also a number of other factors that google takes into account when determining how to rank websites. We know these include things like:
    1. the age of the domain.
    2. the number of pages on the site.
    3. whether the site is mobile-friendly – as we’ve already discussed…

    However, Google also looks at a number of less obvious factors too. These factors help determine where to place websites in its search results. Here are just a few of the things that google takes into consideration when ranking websites:

    – The length of time visitors spend on your site: If people are spending a lot of time on your site, it’s a good sign that they’re finding what they’re looking for. This signals to Google that your site is relevant and useful, and will help to improve your ranking.
    – The number of pages people visit: google likes to see that people are taking the time to explore your website, and will reward you with a higher ranking if they do.
    – The amount of traffic you get from social media: google pays attention to how much traffic you’re getting from social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. If you’re getting a lot of social media love, it’s a good sign that you’re providing valuable content, and google will reward you with a higher ranking.

Conclusion

There you have it! All 200 of Google’s ranking factors, organised into 13 easy-to-understand categories. As you can see, there are a lot of factors that go into Google’s algorithm. And while we don’t know the exact weight of each factor, we do know that they’re all important pieces of the puzzle.

If you want to improve your website’s visibility in the search results, make sure you’re paying attention to all 200 of these ranking factors. By optimising your website for all of them, you’ll give yourself the best chance of success.

Your SEO success is an investment and won’t happen overnight. So if you’re asking yourself “Why can’t people find my new website” now is the perfect time to start investing in SEO.