How Google’s Ranking Algorithm Advances Great Content

SEO experts are faced with a persistent challenge that requires an artful balance of optimizing technical components while impressing upon the search engine the best possible content possible, all at once. Many marketers are puzzled to find that some sites rank well on Google even when they aren’t fully optimized and lack any backlinks. As SEO marketers, it is our task to juggle the 200+ ranking factors that impact where a site falls in the results pages. Ranking factors are a puzzle – here are some of the heaviest hitting factors for you to consider in your SEO efforts:

• Click-through rate. Google’s algorithm calculates your site’s click-through rate as a percentage, showing how many clicks you receive from the total number of querents who type in a particular phrase for which you rank. In addition to the percentage of clicks, Google also factors your bounce rate, or how many people leave your page by hitting “back.”
• Age. It takes a while for a site to be seasoned into ranking high. Most sites that have been around for a few years have more backlinks and receive more search traffic, which is favorable to the algorithm.
• Backlinks. Google will assess both the number of backlinks and their relevance.
• Content quality. Can the algorithm really detect quality, you ask? Based on the latest SEO updates, the answer is yes – Google can see whether a site is watered down or repeats its content in too many places. It is helpful to consider that Google compares your site’s content to others that share keywords in assessing quality among a competitive set.
• Internal linking. Linking one of your webpages to another – especially without rich anchor text – is a beneficial factor, though it takes a few months to see the impact.
• Website speed. No one has patience for slow-loading sites these days. Google has long favored sites that load quickly because, well, that’s what people do. Remember, the algorithm is trying to work toward the best possible experience for users. Where you keep this in mind, you’re likely to see positive SEO results.

Obtaining more search traffic isn’t just about adding-in new links or writing more content – it’s just as much about understanding how to align your efforts with Google’s algorithm. If you’re a business looking for ways to augment your SEO strategy, ASTRALCOM can help. Reach out to learn more.