{"id":204446,"date":"2023-11-22T10:20:36","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T18:20:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/?p=204446"},"modified":"2023-12-22T11:25:12","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T19:25:12","slug":"what-are-googles-top-ranking-factors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/what-are-googles-top-ranking-factors\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Google\u2019s Top Ranking Factors?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Back in 2016, a Google engineer famously said that Google\u2019s top three ranking factors were content, links and RankBrain. However, this was later disputed<\/a> by more than one Googler.<\/p>\n Sure, those three factors are likely a huge part of how Google determines rankings, but that\u2019s not an exhaustive list.<\/p>\n It is wrong to think that the algorithm is made up only of these three factors and that each of them carries one-third weight for each query. That\u2019s because the factors in Google\u2019s algorithm change from query to query<\/a>.<\/p>\n That said, I\u2019ll spend the rest of this article shedding more light on what I believe are the top factors in how your website ranks.<\/p>\n If I were to choose the No. 1 spot among the top ranking factors, it would be content. Content is the fabric of the web. Without content, Google\u2019s search results simply wouldn\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n Now, any website can have content, but quality content is how you rank. That\u2019s because the content you create is important to the efficacy of Google\u2019s search results.<\/p>\n Google wants its users to have a good experience. To do that, the websites featured in its search results must offer good answers to their users\u2019 queries.<\/p>\n To ensure that Google is featuring the best content in its search results, it has created things like:<\/p>\n For more, see:<\/p>\n If your site is not crawlable and\/or doesn\u2019t perform well, it will likely not do well in the search results.<\/p>\n One of the most important things you can do is make sure your site is optimized from the ground up so that search engines can access, crawl and understand it with ease. And it must provide visitors with a good user experience. <\/p>\n Case in point: Google\u2019s Gary Illyes once said:<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI really wish SEOs went back to the basics (i.e. MAKE THAT DAMN SITE CRAWLABLE) instead of focusing on silly updates and made-up terms by the rank trackers and that they talked more with the developers of the website once done with the first part of this sentence.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n In Google\u2019s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines<\/a>, it states that unmaintained sites are low quality:<\/p>\n … unmaintained\/abandoned \u201cold\u201d websites or unmaintained and inaccurate\/misleading content is a reason for a low Page Quality rating.<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n In 2021, Google rolled out its page experience update<\/a>, outlining various technical factors that should be followed to ensure a good user experience. If you want to be rewarded with better ranking, optimize your site to address these signals.<\/p>\n For more, see:<\/p>\n If content is the fabric of the web, links are the strings that tie it together. Ever since PageRank<\/a>, links have been a significant way search engines determine rankings. Why? Links have always served as a \u201cvote\u201d from one website for another.<\/p>\n Even though Google says links have less impact<\/a> now than they used to, they are still important. <\/p>\n However, not all links are created equal. Google doesn\u2019t give every link to your site an equal vote. In fact, some links can even result in a negative impact on your website\u2019s ability to rank.<\/p>\n Today, links are no longer a numbers game. Even though Backlinko research shows that the No. 1 result in Google has an average of 3.8 times more backlinks<\/a> than positions No. 2 to 10, we have seen sites with fewer but higher quality links outrank sites with more.<\/p>\n To get links right, you want to focus on link earning rather than link building and the quality and relevance of links versus the quantity. Link earning first starts with creating excellent content and a trusted site so that it naturally earns the links it deserves.<\/p>\n In 2020, Google\u2019s John Mueller said<\/a> links were \u201cdefinitely not the most important SEO factor.\u201d What does that mean? Google wants people to focus on making a great site first and not worry too much about building tons of links.<\/p>\n For more, see:<\/p>\n RankBrain is probably one of the most misunderstood ranking factors. RankBrain is a machine learning component of Google\u2019s algorithm. It uses multiple data points at the time of a search to help the search engine better interpret the intent of search queries and serve the most relevant search results.<\/p>\n With RankBrain, Google can go beyond factors like the quality of the content or the links to a webpage to help identify the very best answer to a search.<\/p>\n So to survive RankBrain, you have a lot of work to do to ensure that you are creating the type of content that satisfies the query \/ your keywords. If you don\u2019t, you risk the chance of RankBrain deciding that your content is not relevant to a search and you can lose rankings.<\/p>\n For more, see:<\/p>\n There are countless factors that go into ranking a webpage, video, or image. And those factors change based on the search query. Understanding the top factors, though, is an important first step in knowing how search works.<\/p>\n Unlock your website’s potential with our expert SEO strategies tailored to Google’s dynamic ranking factors\u2014let’s boost your visibility and climb the search results together. Talk to us<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Today’s digital world necessitates having an effective online presence for any business to remain viable; and Google’s top ranking factors play a pivotal role when it comes to your website’s SERP ranking. So, how can these elements help boost website performance and how can businesses utilize these factors to their benefit? In order to understand more on this subject and gain some valuable insights.<\/p>\n At first, it’s essential to recognize that Google uses a sophisticated algorithm to rank websites. Although this algorithm incorporates numerous factors, here are a few primary ones which you should focus on:<\/p>\n Moving forward to enhance your website’s ranking:<\/p>\n Utilizing Google’s top ranking factors is the cornerstone of improving website rankings. Apply these expert strategies, deliver valuable content with exceptional user experiences and watch as your rankings soar higher and higher on search engine result pages.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Discover the profound impact of content quality on website rankings. Learn expert strategies to optimize your content for enhanced search engine visibility and user engagement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":204449,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[407,18,2065,1347,1443,2064,1363],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/a>Content<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>Technical Factors<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>Links<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>RankBrain<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>FAQ: How can I increase the ranking of my website with Google using its top ranking factors?<\/h3>\n
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