Top 10 SEO Ranking Factors You Must Know

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Each and every website owner looks forward to making his/her website visible on the first page of Google’s SERP. And every marketer wants to know different types of SEO ranking factors that can put his website ahead from the rest. And so, today, we will analyze all those Google’s algorithms that can affect the website’s ranking in SERP and make your website rank higher.

There are many SEO ranking factors that can affect your website’s SEO. They are :

  • Technical
  • Non-technical
  • On-page optimization
  • Off-page optimization factors

But the question is whether all these SEO Ranking Factors contribute equally to enhancing your SEO score?

The answer is no and you have to learn to prioritize these Google ranking factors. We all work really hard to make the website look good and highly optimized and therefore it is important to prioritize these factors according to the suitability of the webpage.

SEO ranking factors

Important SEO Ranking Factors

  • Domains
  • Backlinks
  • Keywords
  • Content
  • Site Architecture
  • Schema Markup
  • Mobile Friendliness
  • Loading Speed
  • Tags

1. Prescribed Domains

You might have noticed that at the beginning of every website domain has either HTTP or HTTPS. Now this shows that if your website is running under secured or unsecured server. 

HTTP stands for hypertext transfer protocol and HTTPS means hypertext transfer protocol secure. The last “S” denotes the security part. HTTP is free and can be taken from any domain host but HTTPS is chargeable and charges annual subscription costs.

Google always suggest going for HTTPS instead of HTTP and from this year it has become a crucial deciding factor to rank your website.

2. Backlinks

Hyperlinks or backlinks are the links that take you to another location from an entirely different location and this helps in creating a feeling of trust in Google’s sight as well as in visitors. Now asking that “why it is so important for Google ranking?” is a genuine question. It proves that your website has genuine content that can be trusted by the audience. These days online marketers have started to buy these links but this is a black hat technique and if Google finds it, then, it can penalize the website by banning it forever.

3. Keywords

Keyword optimization might be an old factor but it still dominates the ranking of any website by a huge margin. There are different types of keywords such as broad match, exact match, phrase match and long-tailed. These keywords are used as per the content and business.

Google crawler keeps an eye on your website by constantly watching that if these keywords are matching with the content present on your website or not. You can also use keywords on your images, graphics, and videos

4. Content

No matter how many links you add to your website, if the content is not relevant or if the flow of the content is making user confuse or its call to action buttons are not kept at the right position then Google can’t understand your website and it will not display in SERP.

Using proper grammar, headings, sub-heading, bold letters to specify some important texts, font size and font face as per the user’s point of view is the key.

5. Site Architecture

The architecture of your website should be in a way that can be easily understandable by Google. It does not matter if you are creating a new website or giving a makeover to your existing website. The content present on each page should be categorized and sub-categorized as per the viewer’s point of view. Every URL should have clear string texts attached to them. All categories, sub-categories should be present in URLs separated by hyphens or slash thus making it clear for the readers.

Ranking Factors- Site architecture

6. Schema Markup

Schema markup is very important for your website. When you tag everything such as content, headings, images, links, and many other relevant texts, then chances of your website getting higher ranks increases. You don’t need to markup every single data present online. It is, however, better to use updated schema for good results.

7. Mobile Friendly Website

In 2019, if you are using the old version of the website design that only supports desktops and fits only desktop’s screen then your website might not get the amount of traffic which it can. Make sure your website appears the same in both desktops and mobile. Your content’s size & fonts should properly be visible on the desktop as well as on the mobile screen. Things like ‘call to action’ buttons which are placed at a specific location should not be placed differently in mobile platforms.

8. Influence of Social Media

When your content is present in any social media platforms such as facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, etc, it can create a strong feeling of the brand in the visitor’s mind. All these social media platforms are linked with search engines and when searched with any relevant keywords, results related to social media platforms having your website’s content such as links, URLs, etc also opens. This helps in driving organic traffic towards your website.

9. Loading  Speed

A normal website takes 3-4 seconds to upload its content fully and if it’s not opening within a maximum of 5 seconds then there is definitely some issue with the website.

The loading speed of any website plays a vital role in its ranking. Readers don’t have the patience to wait for 10 seconds to see your content; if it takes more time than the other website then the reader will surely switch to it thereby reducing traffic.

10. Tags

Tag is the term assigned to a piece of information. There are different types of tags in SEO:

Title tags are those that represent the name of your website when searched in SERP. That blue clickable font denotes that title tag of your website. It should be kept as per the content you have put on your website. Normally it should have 30-40 characters and not more than that.

Image alt tags are used for images because Google does not understand the images unless it has some tags attached to it. These tags should have keywords that are relevant as per your website’s content.

The meta description is used as a summary of your website and it is an opportunity to attract maximum audiences. It can be concluded in 70-80 characters. It should also be filled using essential keywords and URLs.

Why you should know these Google Ranking Factors?

The following are the reasons why website owners, companies, and digital marketers should be aware of SEO Google ranking factors:

Understanding Google’s ranking variables can help you optimise the content and organisation of your website to increase its exposure in search engine results. Higher rankings improve the likelihood that individuals looking for related subjects will find your website.

Organic Traffic: Websites with higher Google rankings typically experience an increase in organic traffic. Visitors that reach your website through unpaid (organic) search results are referred to as “organic traffic,” and they have the potential to convert and develop your business.

Competitive Advantage: By being aware of Google ranking variables, you may keep one step ahead of your rivals. You may outrank rivals and take a greater percentage of organic traffic and potential clients by putting out efficient SEO methods.

User Experience: Improving the user experience is intimately tied to several Google ranking variables, including page speed, mobile friendliness, and high-quality content. Enhancing user engagement and happiness on your website through the usage of SEO best practises.

Better Targeting: By comprehending SEO ranking elements, you may better target your content by structuring it around pertinent keywords and subjects. This gives you the ability to target particular demographics and draw customers who are more likely to be interested in your goods or services.

Changes to the Search Algorithm: Google’s search algorithm is always changing. Knowing the elements that affect rankings enables you to modify your SEO tactics to coincide with algorithm upgrades and maintain or raise your search ranks.

Measurable Results: You may gauge the success of your SEO efforts by keeping an eye on and making adjustments for Google ranking variables. To enhance your strategy, you may analyse data, monitor advancements, and make data-driven judgements.

Brand Authority and Visibility: A brand’s visibility and credibility are boosted when it ranks higher on Google. Users frequently trust websites that are included on the top page of search results, which may enhance the reputation of your company.

Cost-Effectiveness: Over time, organic search traffic gained by SEO is less expensive than paid advertising. Once your website rises in the rankings, it can continue to draw visitors without needing continual advertising costs.

Long-Term Plan: SEO is a long-term plan for creating a dependable internet presence. Understanding Google ranking criteria enables you to lay a strong foundation for the exposure and success of your website over time.

Overall, keeping up with SEO Google ranking criteria is essential for optimising your website, bringing in organic traffic, and getting higher search engine ranks, which in turn promotes improved exposure, user engagement, and company expansion.

Summary

Above factors are important ranking factors in SEO that you can not ignore. Each and every factor has equal importance from SEO point of view. These factors not only help in upgrading the ranking of your website but also helps in reducing the bounce rate and increasing traffic.

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