Search engine optimization (SEO) is an extremely dynamic field that continues to grow faster and faster from day to day. Knowing the dynamics of Google's algorithms, I must emphasize that it has never been more important to keep up with the changes in Google Search's ranking algorithm ever before!
With 2019 in full swing, here are the top 10 factors that can affect your Google search rankings.
Remember, quality wins every time! Focus on value, not word count.
There is no clear rule about the optimal number of words for an article, which varies from topic to topic. However, it is easy to see that relatively longer and more comprehensive content usually benefits from a higher ranking. A study by Neil Patel also states that there is a link between the length of content and Google ranking.
Use Google's semantic search to optimise your keyword targeting in the articles you publish. The semantic results can be found by searching in the "related search" area at the bottom of the Google search results page.
If you're one of the big publishers who has a lot of old content on your site or blog that doesn't get any Google raking at all, updating your articles could have a huge effect. Google seems to have a special predilection for new content because it prioritises it and ensures that at least some of the search results are up-to-date.
In addition, freshness seems to be updated much faster than any other algorithm launched by Google. You can check, for example, the impact of updating an article published on your site or for a customer. You immediately see that it only takes a few days to see the impact on the SERP.
If in the past, web designers built primarily the desktop version and only then the mobile version of a site, today, in a world where the use of mobile terminals certainly undermines the use of desktop computers, websites should prioritise versions mobile to provide a better user experience.
Google's approach to mobile devices is already changing search results, especially for local results: users are now getting results that are more closely related to their current location.
Google has gotten very good at local targeting, so if you're wondering how to get to the top of Google's results, then you need to keep in mind that this is a factor that seriously influences ranking, especially for small businesses.
The schema code helps search engines have a better understanding of specific texts, such as addresses, phone numbers, reviews, and more.
Especially for local businesses, implementing a site code scheme can be extremely beneficial. For example, it is important to make sure that you show the location of your business by implementing the correct scheme code.
In addition, the social signals on Facebook, Reddit, Quora, Pinterest, and other social networking sites are correlated with the rankings in search results. This does not mean that only a strong online presence can attract organic traffic... Sites that combine brand power and social signals with efforts from all SEO channels can end up having more visibility for search engines.
The exact match domains continue to weigh in-for example, for the search for "cars", we would have expected to find only popular brands in the automotive field in the top searches (Ford, BMW, Top Gear, etc.). Instead, we get an exact match result.
Domain age: Domain age is another major factor influencing the ranking. Newer domains find it harder to reach the top of the list of top keyword results, while domains with an older history seem to hold top positions for longer.
On October 17, 2015, Google released new information that told site owners not to use the HTTP protocol on sites where people need to enter personal information.
Even though we haven't seen a big change in SEO for sites that have switched to secure HTTPS encryption, it's very important that you move your site to HTTPS to avoid problems with future Google updates.
With 2019 in full swing, here are the top 10 factors that can affect your Google search rankings.
1. Content is Still Essential
High-ranking content is in-depth content that covers a wide range of topics. It should be useful to people and have interesting visual content that goes along with the written content.Remember, quality wins every time! Focus on value, not word count.
There is no clear rule about the optimal number of words for an article, which varies from topic to topic. However, it is easy to see that relatively longer and more comprehensive content usually benefits from a higher ranking. A study by Neil Patel also states that there is a link between the length of content and Google ranking.
Use Google's semantic search to optimise your keyword targeting in the articles you publish. The semantic results can be found by searching in the "related search" area at the bottom of the Google search results page.
2. Freshness
Google's algorithm update "Freshness" has really changed the game! It was originally launched in June 2010 and has had a powerful impact over the last two years.If you're one of the big publishers who has a lot of old content on your site or blog that doesn't get any Google raking at all, updating your articles could have a huge effect. Google seems to have a special predilection for new content because it prioritises it and ensures that at least some of the search results are up-to-date.
In addition, freshness seems to be updated much faster than any other algorithm launched by Google. You can check, for example, the impact of updating an article published on your site or for a customer. You immediately see that it only takes a few days to see the impact on the SERP.
3. Backlinks
Backlinks remain one of the strongest signals for ranking in Google's search algorithm. The more links you have from high-authority domains, the more likely you are to get an excellent position for the top keywords. Online marketing should pay special attention to backlink profiles, especially because of recent updates, such as "Penguin 4.0," which have cleaned and filtered sites with inferior quality backlink profiles.4. Version for Mobile Devices
On November 4, 2016, Google launched Mobile First Indexing, which basically means that a website compatible with mobile devices will benefit from a higher ranking and be indexed with priority.If in the past, web designers built primarily the desktop version and only then the mobile version of a site, today, in a world where the use of mobile terminals certainly undermines the use of desktop computers, websites should prioritise versions mobile to provide a better user experience.
Google's approach to mobile devices is already changing search results, especially for local results: users are now getting results that are more closely related to their current location.
5. Page Loading Time
With Google's mobile-first indexing, page speed has become more significant than ever. Sites with a low page load speed will no longer be able to easily reach the top of search results. Google's goal with these updates is to provide users with search results that include sites that have the best user experience.Google has gotten very good at local targeting, so if you're wondering how to get to the top of Google's results, then you need to keep in mind that this is a factor that seriously influences ranking, especially for small businesses.
The schema code helps search engines have a better understanding of specific texts, such as addresses, phone numbers, reviews, and more.
Especially for local businesses, implementing a site code scheme can be extremely beneficial. For example, it is important to make sure that you show the location of your business by implementing the correct scheme code.
7. Brand Strength and Social Cues
Branded search gives Google's search algorithm a powerful signal. The more traffic a site gets from branded searches, the more the algorithm will recognise that site.In addition, the social signals on Facebook, Reddit, Quora, Pinterest, and other social networking sites are correlated with the rankings in search results. This does not mean that only a strong online presence can attract organic traffic... Sites that combine brand power and social signals with efforts from all SEO channels can end up having more visibility for search engines.
8. The Power of Domain Name
In the past, "exact match" domains were a clever way to increase organic search visibility. Although not as unbeatable as before, the domains still have influence. With Google's smarter algorithm, we still see two major verticals of domain power:The exact match domains continue to weigh in-for example, for the search for "cars", we would have expected to find only popular brands in the automotive field in the top searches (Ford, BMW, Top Gear, etc.). Instead, we get an exact match result.
Domain age: Domain age is another major factor influencing the ranking. Newer domains find it harder to reach the top of the list of top keyword results, while domains with an older history seem to hold top positions for longer.
9. HTTPS
Since August 2014, when the Official Google Webmaster Central Blog was announced, HTTPS has been an official factor that influences the ranking of a site. The official statement was, "Safety is a top priority for Google. We invest heavily in ensuring that our services use effective security measures like the efficient encryption of HTTPS. This means that Google Search, Gmail, and Google Drive users, for example, will automatically have a secure connection with Google.On October 17, 2015, Google released new information that told site owners not to use the HTTP protocol on sites where people need to enter personal information.
Even though we haven't seen a big change in SEO for sites that have switched to secure HTTPS encryption, it's very important that you move your site to HTTPS to avoid problems with future Google updates.