Websites that are optimized for search engines get more and better organic traffic over time. This means more leads and sales.
Searchers wont find your site without SEO, and all your hard work is in vain.
This guide will answer the question, "What does SEO mean?" and provide the essential SEO ranking factors that you need to be at the top of search results.
Youll have a site that is optimized for more visitors by the end of this article.
How do Google Search Rankings Work?
People type words or phrases that are related to the information they want when they search for it. These are known as keywords.
Well be looking at them in the content optimization section.
Google ranking your website is not about optimizing for competitive keywords. It is also about quality information.
Googles search quality ratings indicate that when indexing the main content of pages, it considers factors such as:
- The purpose of this page
- Quality and quantity of content
- Information about the website and the content creator
- The reputation of website and content creators
- Interaction with the page by users (time on page and bounce rates)
- Expertise and authority (E-A-T)
Well be looking at that last one (EA-T) in detail in a moment because its so important.
Its sufficient to note that the above factors are part of Googles algorithm, and they help determine SEO ranking.
Google displays the most relevant and high-quality results based on the above rating guidelines. The most relevant results are displayed first, while the rest appear on subsequent pages.
SEO ranking factors are designed to tell Google when pages on your website are relevant to specific search queries.
This will allow people to click the links to visit your site.
Lets first look at the concepts of authority, trustworthiness, and expertise before we get into two types of SEO.
What is E-A-T? And Why Is It Important?
Google launched the "medic Update" in August 2018. This update emphasized expertise and authority as key ranking factors.
Some instances of "high-quality content" were changed to "high EAT".
This change was made to ensure users got the best quality content and the correct information. This is crucial to grasp.
Google recognized that searchers use their platform for almost everything. This means that mobile users could suffer serious consequences if they see the wrong results.
Websites that can lead to potentially life-altering outcomes fall under the "your money, your life" umbrella (YMYL).
You can think about financial planning websites, medical sites, and anything that could affect someones happiness, wealth, or health.
Google wants to make sure that people are getting the best information when they search for information that can have real-world implications.
This includes evaluating the pages content and the reputation of its creator.
Instead of just focusing on the sites pages, Google now attempts to understand why it is saying it. This is especially true for YMYL websites.
This means that each category must be examined individually.
- Expertise - Does the author have the necessary skills and knowledge to create a piece in their chosen field?
- Authority - Is this the best way to answer the question of the searcher, or is there another "go-to" person who could be a better resource?
- Trustworthiness - Does the author present an honest and objective presentation of the topic?
What is Googles exact formula to measure E-A-T? Thats the trick.
Nobody Outside of Google Knows the Truth
However, we do know that Google has a large number of human searchers who ensure E-A-T measurement is accurate. Ahrefs explains that Google measures E-A -T in three simple steps.
- An algorithm is created by engineers to improve search results
- The Quality Raters (the human searchers) can see search results without and with the engineering changes.
- Google uses the feedback of the Quality Raters in order to decide whether to permanently use the algorithm changes.
Although it is not perfect, it does work. It is quite accurate in measuring the trustworthiness, authority, and expertise of a site.
Some SEO-ers seem to downplay the importance of E-A-Ts ranking factor. Its difficult to argue with them, as no one really understands Googles complicated ranking algorithm.
However, there have been some strong correlations between E-A-T rankings and the work of reputable individuals.
Marie Haynes, Consulting CEO, SEO expert and consultant (MHC), sheds light on the effects of E-A-T on rankings.
"The MHC team has seen a lot of websites that have been negatively affected due to Google Quality updates. They have also had the pleasure of helping businesses improve their Google E-A-T and resulting traffic increases."
But what does this all mean? And how can you improve your E-A-T? These are some helpful tips:
- A detailed "About Us" page should be created on your website
- Optimize your web page to meet searcher intent (which will be covered later).
- Display any certificates, awards, or credentials proudly on the site
- Guest posts can help you build your authority on the internet
- Both positive and negative responses are welcome
- Make sure that all information on your page is as objective and accurate as possible
- A contact page that is easy to find and provides information about how your users can reach your team or you
These are just a few of the many ways people can improve their E-A-T to achieve higher rankings. It all boils down to best practices in managing your online reputation.
Lets be honest. However, there is no guarantee that a site will rank at page one or number one. Search engine rankings also change as SEO guidelines change.
Lets now get a better understanding of a few SEO terms that youll often hear in the marketing world.
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What are On-Page and Off-Page Search Engine Optimization?
When discussing google SEO ranking factors, two terms that you will hear a lot are on-page SEO and off-page SEO.
On-page SEO refers specifically to the factors of your website that you can optimize, such as the code underneath and the original content.
Off-page SEO is any action taken outside your site that can affect trustworthiness and authority. This includes building the right social signals and inbound links.
Both are part of the top SEO ranking factors. Lets not forget to discuss monitoring and tracking rankings before we get to the top 10.
How to Monitor Search Engine Rankings
You must know where you are starting from before you can improve your SEO rankings.
This information can be found in a few ways. You could first search Google with the terms that you believe your customers will use.
To ensure that the results dont get distorted by Googles personalization, you can use an incognito (or private) browser. Check out where your content appears.
This is not practical for sites that have hundreds of pages. You will likely need a seo tool to assist you.
SEMrush allows you to enter your domain in the search box and wait for the report. Then you can see which organic keywords are ranking highest for you.
You can also use the keyword position tracking tool to find exactly which keywords you want to rank for and also check keyword difficulty and make a list of keywords.
SEMrush is the only one option. You can also check out our guide for other keyword research tools.
Lets now look at the top ranking seo factors and how we can master Google search engine optimization. SEO is primarily about getting the #1 spot on Google.
Googles Top 10 Ranking Factors
Secure and Accessible Website
Its not surprising that the first factor in our SEO ranking has the right URL. Thats a URL Googles bots can reach and crawl easily.
Google must be able to visit the URL to see the page content in order to understand the content. Youll need the following information to help the bots:
- A well-coded website built with a website builder
- A robots.txt document that tells Google where to look for site information
- Sitemaps that list all pages
You can create a sitemap for a WordPress site using All in One SEO. An online sitemap generator is also available if you dont have a website map.
Although HTTPS doesnt play a role in deciding whether or not to index a pages pages, John Mueller from Google has tweeted that HTTPS is a "light-weight ranking factor" and that HTTPS "is great for users."
You can enable SSL security for your website if you dont have it enabled yet.
Page Speed (Including Mobile Page Speed)
For years, page speed has been listed as one of the most important SEO ranking factors. Google is determined to make the web more enjoyable for users, so fast-loading pages are a must.
Google announced that it had updated its search engine algorithm to improve mobile page speed. This update began in July 2018 and will affect all sites.
Your site could be penalized if it doesnt load quickly on mobile devices.
Googles mobile test tool will show you how your site ranks.
These tips will help you speed up your WordPress site if its using WPBeginner.
If you dont have Google Search Console, it is a good idea to get it. You will find a section that updates you about your sites performance and speed.
This guide on Google Search Console for SEO improvements provides a detailed overview.
Mobile Friendliness
Mobile-friendliness, another important SEO ranking factor, is something we should be mentioning while we are on the topic of mobile.
Google has made changes to how it ranks search results. Mobile devices are more popular than desktops for accessing the internet.
Googles mobile-first index is now a reality. This means that it draws its results from mobile-optimized websites first and not sites designed for desktop computers.
Your site may be ranked in the wrong place if it isnt optimized for mobile.
While many of the SEO ranking factors that we will be discussing in this article can help you build a strong search engine ranking, you must also ensure that users have a great experience on your site.
You should also consider whether:
- A responsive website that automatically adjusts to the devices screen size
- Large fonts are best for small screens.
- Make your site easy to navigate by including accessible menus
- Adverts shouldnt obscure important content
Learn more about mobile-friendly design and how it can improve Google search rankings.
Google AMP (accelerated mobile page) is a great option if you have the resources, time and energy. Your pages will load almost instantly on mobile devices, which is a plus.
Rumors have suggested that Google ranks websites built with AMP higher than sites made without it.
However, you will need to create another version of your website following AMPs guidelines. You will also need to maintain everything.
This can be time-consuming, as you can see.
Regardless of whether you choose to use Google AMP, your website must be 100% mobile-friendly.
Read More: What is SEO and how does it work?
Domain Age, URL and Authority
Did you know that almost 60% of the top ten Google search rankings sites are at least three years old? Two million pages were analyzed by Ahrefs to determine that only a few sites older than one year achieved this ranking.
If you have been using these tips to optimize your website for some time, it is already an advantage.
Sometimes, the domain name is important. Google has penalized exact match domains (domains where the target keyword appears in the URL), but this penalty is usually for spammy websites with thin content.
Moz research shows that exact-match domains can gain a ranking boost if they are considered valuable, relevant, and high-quality.
If you already own a website, its not necessary to search for exact-match domains for your business.
What is the best way to choose your domain name? Instead of focusing on the URL that best represents your business, optimize it!
Authority is a key factor in search engine ranking factors. Youll notice that this is usually a combination of great content (see next tip) as well as off-page SEO signals such as inbound links and shares.
E-A-T can include the authors authority, which is a great benefit.
Moz has standardized this into page authority scores and domain authority scores. These are ranked from 0 to 100.
They tell you how likely a page or domain will rank in search results.
Open Site Explorer allows you to check the domain authority and page authority. Simply enter your URL in the onsite search box, and you will receive a report that shows domain authority, page authority and established links.
Optimized Content
This guide to Googles SEO ranking factors has a lot of content.
Its important because it ranks right up there with links, user experience, and RankBrain. Well get to that in a bit.
Lets now dive in and find out what optimizing content to SEO actually means.
Googles search algorithm is based on keywords, as we explained in our keyword research guide. These are words and phrases that searchers use to find information.
These are also words and phrases that describe what your site is about.
These should match up in ideal situations. Its important to include keywords in your content.
Duplicate content is a negative SEO ranking factor. SEO is best if you have original, fresh content. If you have similar content, let Google know by using canonical URLs which one should be ranked highest.
SEO Ranking and Understanding LSI Keywords
SEO is more than just the keyword. It is important to include terms that are related to the terms people are searching for.
These keywords are known as LSI (latent semantic indicating) keywords. These keywords provide an online word association that helps Google determine which results from it should show.
Google will know that if a searcher types in "mini", it is your page that is relevant to the car and not the skirt if they use the correct LSI keywords.
It is worth noting. However, that content optimization also includes optimizing for natural language searches and questions as people search more by speaking.
Because people speak differently, some LSI keywords may be longer.
Imagine that you own a restaurant. Half of your customers will type "best restaurant near me", but then theyll also search by voice for "best restaurant in Montreal".
Google may display different results for the same query, even though they are both asking about the same thing. Using LSI keywords is one way to ensure your restaurant ranks for both sets.
Google understands your content better than you do, so you will be more likely to rank within your niche.
However, theres a crucial point: keyword stuffing is prohibited as it can lead to poor-quality pages and hurt your SEO ranking.
You must ensure that your keyword (along with your LSI keywords) is targeted in a natural and organic way.
Understanding Search Intents for Content Optimization
Optimizing content is not only about optimizing search intent. This means that you need to understand what search terms people are actually searching for.
Lets take, for example, Florida real estate as a keyword that you wish to rank for. It might seem like a good idea to write content for Florida real estate buyers.
Your page will not rank if it isnt relevant to the needs of those searching for this term.
Google will notice that your content doesnt match their search intent by comparing low click-through and high bounce rates.
Sometimes it is clear what people want. If they use the term "compare," its likely that they are trying to decide whether or not they want to buy a product.
If they use the term "buy", they are likely looking to purchase a product.
Depending on their desire to use keywords, the keywords they use may change.
- Navigate to a specific website
- Find the answer to your question (informational).
- Before making a purchase (investigational), it is important to research information.
- Transact for a purchase.
Optimized business owners websites will contain content that addresses each search type.
How do you ensure your keyword matches user intent, and is it possible? Get straight to the source!
In-Private browser: Open a Google Search and enter your keyword. You can see which results are ranking currently and decide if your content is a good match.
You should restart your keyword research if you dont see any results. You can use this opportunity to see which pages are ranking.
To make sure your content is even better, you can perform a competitive analysis on the top 10 SERP results. This will allow you to optimize your content and make it better than the existing search results.
Are you still unsure? Find out more about keyword ranking, LSI keywords, and keyword intent.
Is Content length an SEO Ranking Factor?
Yes, in a word. Google expects content to be high quality and contain some length. Although it is not advisable to add more words just for the sake of length, if a topic calls for depth, then give it depth.
Research suggests that content with more than 2000 words ranks higher in Google search engine rankings.
While this isnt an exact rule, there are exceptions. If you want to rank well in the SERP, however, the general rule of thumb is that your content should not exceed 2k words.
Well also be covering 2 important ranking signals: longer content leads to more shares and links, and shorter content is more likely to attract those.
SEO Ranking Factors - Answer Boxes and the "Zero Place"
Google is increasingly providing answers via answer boxes. This is another aspect of optimizing search engine rankings.
This is how an answer box looks:
Based on our experience, optimizing for answer boxes is:
- Answering questions
- Include the questions in headings with appropriately formatted title tags (more on that in the next tip).
- Ensure that answers are accurate, relevant, and concise
- Keywords that already have answers boxes can be targeted with content
- Add tables or lists
However, there is one drawback to the "zero position".
Sometimes, it can prevent people from clicking through your site.
People may not be motivated to go to the relevant content if they get the answer directly. This means that while 100,000 people may see your answer box slot, only 10,000 clicks through to the article.
Lets face it, getting that zero ranks are great because Google will think highly of your content which is always flattering.
Youll also get more brand recognition and more traffic than you would otherwise.
You can also be sure that someone will take your spot if you dont qualify.
Video to Increase SEO Ranking
Cisco predicts that video content will account for 80% of all online search traffic by 2021.
This is a roundup of statistics on video marketing.
- All ages are interested in video.
- 79% would rather watch a video instead of reading a blog post.
- Is video being used by people to make purchase decisions (remember transactional searches?
Whats the bottom line? Include video in your seo strategy. Video is read, shared, and linked to, which can increase your search engine ranking.
Technical SEO
As we mentioned earlier, optimizing content for search engine rankings is only one part of optimizing it. This can be daunting, especially if your skills are more wordsmith than technical.
These are some aspects that you can control, even if youre not a programmer.
- Google will first look at page titles for relevant keyword phrases. This is where Google looks to determine if the content is relevant to a search.
- Header tags are used to display content hierarchy. Start with your title at the h1 position, then use h2 and h3 as subheads.
- A meta description should be attractive to readers and include your keyword phrase.
- Meta descriptions should be kept short and concise at 160 characters.
- To show that the images are related to the main content, use keyword phrases in alt tags.
- Alt tags can also be used to assist visually impaired people with screen readers.
- To tell Google what type of content you are producing, use schema markup.
This can all be done easily with All in One SEO, the best WordPress SEO plugin.
All-in-One SEO allows you to set a focus keyword and additional keyphrases. RuSSOs on-page analysis will also score the optimization of your pages and posts.
It also gives you a checklist that you can use for improvement.
Smart meta tags are also included in the on-page SEO checklist. This allows you to easily set your meta descriptions and SEO titles with dynamic fields such as current year, month and author info.
Additional powerful All-in-One SEO features include schema marking, smart XML sitemaps and a robots.txt editor. SEO health checks are also available.
User Experience (RankBrain).
Google has been using artificial intelligence for a while to rank web pages higher. That signal is called RankBrain.
This also includes signals that can affect your search engine rank. These signals include:
- Click-through Rate: The percentage of people who click on your website after it appears in search results
- Bounce Rate (especially pogo-sticking): This is the number of people who click your page and then quickly return to the search results.
- Dwell Time: How long visitors spend on your site once they arrive
Google will consider your website not relevant to their needs if people visit it and then leave. It might be more difficult for your website to rank higher in search results if there are enough people who do this.
This is a sign that your content doesnt match the searchers intent. It may be necessary to target a different keyword.
Google, on the other hand, will tell you if someone clicks through to your page and stays there for a while.
Optimizing titles, descriptions, content, and keywords can help you improve your search engine ranking.
Want More Information About Our Services? Talk to Our Consultants!Conclusion
In the coming years, search engine optimization (SEO) will be more important than ever. You must be up-to-date with the most current SEO practices if you want to rank higher than your competitors.
These seven SEO ranking factors are essential if you want your website to rank high on Google.
