Leads Tips: Understanding Google’s Ranking Factors
07-11-2016
Although it’s almost impossible to figure out Google’s genius algorithm, SEO specialists do have a clue as to which page attributes are factored into their rankings. We’ve compiled a list of factors that determine a website’s overall ranking score below.
eads Tips: The Domain
Google’s own Matt Cutts revealed that domain age actually plays a small role in ranking authority. That means it’s technically harder for newer websites to rank simply because they’re new. They could be doing everything right in terms of SEO, but it will usually take a few months before they’re on the same authority levels as older domains.
In addition, keywords in the domain are also important ranking factors that should not be ignored. When one searches up a key phrase in the search bar, even the keywords in domain names are bolded. We know that Google takes it into account, even if it’s not the most important SEO tactic.
Leads Tips: The Page
This is where the word “keyword” itself becomes an overplayed keyword. In title tags, description tags, meta tags, subheads, and the like, use keywords that relate to your industry the most. You can search for the best ranking keywords using Google Keyword Planner and determine which ones are best for your particular niche. Make sure your keyword density is natural and not forced. A paragraph jam-packed with keywords could get you penalised, as this practice is known as keyword stuffing. Use just the right amount to convey what your website offers. During this stage is where it is crucial for you to check for spelling errors.
Leads Tips: The Body Content
To ensure that unique visitors will return to your site, you should write valuable and engaging content that reflects your titles and keywords. This is often the longest portion of optimising your website because it takes time to create pages of valuable content. More often than not, the highest ranking sites are thick like chapter books, not thin and halfheartedly sprinkled with keywords throughout. The body content is also where you can build an intricate network of links to authoritative websites. These links will definitely count towards your SEO rankings.
Every time you complete a new article, you can submit a sitemap to Google to get it indexed quicker. If your website doesn’t yet have a sitemap, get verified by Google Webmasters Tools and submit an XML sitemap to Google Search Console to get your webpage crawled and indexed.
Within each of these incredibly broad content structures are dozens of other details that you can optimise, but we’ve outlined some of the most noteworthy ones. For more helpful SEO tips and tricks, take a look at our other articles!
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