11 Things You Should Know About Google's 200 Ranking Factors

Google's 200 Ranking Factors

Is it true that Google has 200 ranking factors? Here are 11 facts we know for sure based on Google's own declarations. It's never been more difficult to stay on top of Google's ranking variables.

Google's algorithm is being updated at an unparalleled rate.

Something that didn't have much of an influence on search rankings yesterday may be a major ranking factor today.

Likewise, the inverse is true. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to ranking variables.

 

Furthermore, the amount of disinformation you must go through makes determining what to believe challenging.

 

Frequently, you'll come across papers in which the author backs up their ranking factor assertions with personal opinion or anecdotal proof.

We'll go through the primary ranking elements that Google has revealed, as well as what they signify for search and SEO.

 

Before we get to that, I'd want to dispel one of the most common misconceptions concerning ranking variables.

 

1. Content As A Google Ranking Factor

Google Search is built on the foundation of content. It's why search engines were created in the first place: to make web material more accessible.

 

There is no Google without content. Content is, without a doubt, a crucial ranking element.

 

This is supported by Google's "How Search Works" page, which describes how the company's algorithms function in plain English:

 

"... algorithms evaluate the content of webpages to determine if the page includes information that is relevant to your search."

 

There's proof, but it doesn't imply you should go out and produce content only to increase the number of URLs Google indexes.

 

When it comes to content ranking, Google is concerned with two factors: quality and relevancy.

Is the text well-written and, for the most part, free of spelling and grammar errors?

 

Is the information relevant to the searcher's query if yes?

 

If you check those options, you'll have a far better chance of getting top Google ranks. Its algorithms can distinguish between high-value material and information that has been cobbled together quickly.

 

2. Core Web Vitals As A Google Ranking Factor

Website usability is virtually synonymous with content in the hierarchy of ranking considerations.

 

I say "nearly" because the relevancy of the content will take precedence over any other ranking element on this list. Google, on the other hand, would much rather deliver searchers to pages that provide an excellent user experience.

 

The Core Web Vitals are three criteria that Google uses to assess user experience. These were first presented in 2020 and became a ranking element in 2021.

 

According to a Google blog post:

 

"Today, we're announcing that page experience signals will be implemented in ranking in May 2021." The new page experience signals integrate Core Web Vitals with other search indications such as mobile friendliness, HTTPS security, and invasive interstitial standards."

Every year, Google aims to improve the Core Web Vitals metrics depending on what it deems to be necessary to ensuring a strong web user experience.

 

Core Web Vitals were included in search rankings at the time they were implemented, and they included:

 

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This metric measures how long it takes to load the viewport's largest picture or block of text.

FID (First Input Delay) is a metric that measures how long it takes the browser to respond when a user interacts with a website.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Determines whether there is a large shift in the material on-screen while elements are loaded by measuring visual stability.

See How to Measure Core Web Vitals for additional information on how to measure these metrics.

 

3. Site Speed As A Google Ranking Factor

Thankfully, this one belongs in the "fact" category. When Google first disclosed it as a ranking component in 2010, they said:

 

"You may have heard that speed is important to us at Google, both in our products and on the web. We've added a new indication to our search ranking algorithms today as part of that effort: site speed."

 

Surprisingly, they didn't start utilising it as a ranking factor for mobile until July of this year.

 

Presumably, Google had previously depended on desktop page speed, but with the launch of the mobile-first index, they have now included speed as a factor.

4. Mobile-Friendly As A Google Ranking Factor

To say the least, having a mobile-friendly website is a ranking consideration.

 

The launch of the mobile-first index is the only proof I believe I need to present here.

 

5. Title Tags As A Google Ranking Factor

It should come as no surprise that title tags are a proven ranking element.

 

We all knew that, but it's now part of the record.

 

It was confirmed by Google's John Mueller in the following hangout a few years ago. The video begins with him discussing the following point:

 

For additional information on recent changes, see Google is Rewriting Title Tags in SERPs.

 

6. Links as a Google Ranking Factor

Links have been proven to be a ranking factor. Many times throughout the years, links have been proven as a ranking component.

 

Links have been a verified component since Matt Cutts stated in 2014 that they were likely to be there for many more years, and they were placed as a top-three ranking signal immediately after RankBrain was released.

 

The link computations may be replaced with entity reference calculations in the future, but that day is not now. The "fact" of links will simply become a "fact" of entities at that point.

 

7. Anchor Text As A Ranking Factor

I won't include characteristics of links that are "a given," such as a link from a high-value directory or a new site being worth more than a link from a low-value directory. These are considered and validated in the link conversations as a whole.

 

Anchor text, on the other hand, is a signal that should be considered.

 

Some have questioned whether anchor text is utilised as a signal, and definitely, its overuse may be harmful (which should reaffirm that it is used as a signal).

 

The fact that anchor text is still listed in Google's SEO Starter Guide – and has been for years – cannot be overlooked.

In an Office Hours Hangout, Mueller also recommended adding internal anchor text that supports the page's content, confirming it as a signal.

 

Anchor text should be used strategically, according to Google. That implies you shouldn't use general terms like "click here" or "view this page" to link to pages.

 

The anchor text for a link should explain the page being linked to so that users know what they're about to see. This also provides extra context to Google about a page, which can help with rankings.

 

Over-optimized anchor text, on the other hand, can be the death knell for otherwise excellent content.

 

If the bulk of links referring to your site include keyword-rich anchor text, Google will consider this a spam signal and may demote or remove your site from search results.

 

8. User Intent/Behavior As A Google Ranking Factor

User intent is more of a collection of signals than a single signal, but we let it pass with links earlier, and we'll have to do so again here.

 

The rationale for putting them together is because while they are all true, the individual signals within that group are mostly unverified and, in some circumstances, unknown.

 

One only has to look at RankBrain to see evidence of user intent as a signal.

 

RankBrain is frequently used as a signal. Personally, I think of it as a signal-interpreting algorithm, but that's a semantic debate.

 

The following is what Google has to say about RankBrain:

"If RankBrain detects a term or phrase it doesn't recognise, it may estimate which words or phrases could have a similar meaning and filter the result appropriately, making it more successful at handling never-before-seen search requests."

 

As a result, its goal is not to operate as a signal in the traditional sense, but rather to act as an interpreter between the search engine and the searcher, relaying the meaning of a query to the search engine if the keywords themselves are ambiguous.

 

In any case, user intent is taken into account.

Examining user behaviour in the context of CTR, pogo-sticking (which has been verified as not being a direct signal), and other factors. To the best of my knowledge, Google has not validated any of these as factors.

 

This isn't to suggest they aren't utilised, but we're talking about facts in this post, not situations we're 99 percent sure of or the fact that they have patents.

 

9. Geolocation As A Google Ranking Factor

I could point to a variety of arguments and assertions concerning geolocation and how your position in place and time affects your outcomes.

 

Alternatively, I could simply upload the image below, which shows a search I conducted while hungry.

 

10. HTTPS As A Google Ranking Factor

It's not a significant issue, but it's simple to verify, as Google did on August 6, 2014, when they said on their blog:

 

"... we've started using HTTPS as a ranking indication." While we allow webmasters time to transition to HTTPS, it's only a very mild signal at the moment, influencing less than 1% of worldwide requests and carrying less weight than other signals like high-quality content. However, we may opt to strengthen it over time..."

 

11. Domain Authority As A Google Ranking Factor

You could be questioning the authenticity of this entire essay right now if you follow the news and Googley remarks as carefully as I do.

 

So why would I mention domain authority as a fact when Google explicitly states that it isn't?

 

They're referring to a tom-A-to as a tom-AH-to.

 

Bill Hartzer's query was clearly not about the Moz score, but rather about the concept that a domain conveys authority and, with it, the power to rank its pages.

 

Mueller sidestepped the topic by referring to a Moz measure, which was misinterpreted as a rebuttal to the proposal as a whole.

 

Mueller, on the other hand, stated in a Google Hangout:

"When it comes to rating, that's something where there's a little bit of both." It's the pages individually, as well as the entire site."

 

That quote relates to Google evaluating individual pages to determine where they should appear in search, as well as the entire website.

 

Websites with a history of being authoritative sources and continuously producing excellent material are rewarded by Google.

 

I understand Mueller's attempt at humour in the Reddit AMA, and I don't blame him for having a good time with his response.

 

It's up to us to look into the facts, which, happily, are readily available if you do your homework.

 

Another information concerning Google's "200" ranking criteria is now known to you.

You may also like: 4 Simple Technical SEO Tasks To Improve Websites Ranking