Semalt: Ranking Factors Google Use To Evaluate A Website


Table of Content

  1. Introduction
  2. 4 Important Ranking Factors Google Uses To Evaluate A Website
    1. Content Quality/ Quality Content
    2. Page and Content Keywords
      1. Keyword in Meta Tag and Title
      2. Keywords in Meta Description
      3. Keywords in Content
      4. Keywords in Backlinks
    3. URL Structure
    4. User Experience
      1. Page Speed
      2. Device Compatibility
  3. Conclusion

  1. Introduction

    Every website wants to rank higher on Google's list. The reason is obvious; sites that stay at the top get more visibility and traffic, which translates to more sales and leads that could expand their brand and take it to the next level. 

    However, not everyone gets to the top list, and this is because website ranking is a complex subject. There are over 200 factors google considers before ranking a site high, all of which are interconnected and determined by Google's algorithm. These factors vary from mobile-friendliness, page speed, content quality, optimized links, among several others. 

    Although Google did not officially release a ranking list, nonetheless most experts on the subject agree on some factors. In this post, we'll be looking at some of the most important ranking factors google use to evaluate websites, and proven strategies business owners can use to rank high on Google's list. 

    Note: Google's algorithm keeps changing; hence the impact of some of these factors may reduce or increase with time. 

  2. 4 Important Ranking Factors Google Uses To Evaluate A Website

    1. Content Quality/ Quality Content

      Quality matters to Google because it always wants to ensure that people get valid and authentic information when they search for things online. This is why Google crawlers and algorithms always search deep and wide on the internet to pick out websites, pages, and blog posts worthy of being placed at the top of the search engines. It also explains why you will hardly bland, plagiarized, or uninformative content at the forefront. 

      Regarding content, some things could make Google penalize a site and relegate it to the background. These include fake information, outdated information, duplicated or plagiarized content, etc. Google always endeavors to give its users the very best, so it fishes out all content that could alter its good name. 

      If your site is struggling with the Google dead sea (Google 2nd page and below, your content might be the problem. To solve this problem, you should first use Semalt's page and website  uniqueness checker  to know where your page stands.

      After that, start creating quality content that is search-engine-optimized for your site. Endeavor to update your website with informative yet authentic content frequently. Avoid plagiarism and try to give your audience an optimum value. It will make Google know that your website has so much to offer, making your page rank high.

    2. Page and Content Keywords

      It is a lost cause if we talk about the importance of quality content without telling you of the need to make that quality content count. Google algorithm has to notice that your website has informative content for it to rank your website high. But since it can't read through all millions of websites and content, it uses keywords to sort through them.

      Only by inserting the right keywords which people are searching for in your website and content will you get Google to rank you high. If your content is not well-optimized to fit Google's standards, your website will remain unnoticed. Below are areas in which keywords need to appear for Google to rank you high.

      1. Keyword in Meta Tag and Title
        Meta tag and content title informs readers of what to expect in the content. But for Google, meta tags and topics/titles/headings are more than that. They serve as pointers for Google ranking algorithms. However, for the meta tags, titles, topics, and headings in your website to rank well in Google's list, they need to contain the right keywords.

        These keywords need to portray relevance to what people are searching for. For instance, if people are searching for "buy Gucci belts online," Google won't bring up your websites as the top a top page unless your site/page has keywords that showcase that long-tail keyword. This is why you should carry out keywords research to determine the right keywords for your site and then place them right to rank high.
      2. Keywords in Meta Description
        Just as relevant as the meta tag and title is the meta description. Basically, the meta description gives your audience a short overview of the content they are about to read. The meta description provides relevant information to both the searchers and Google. By inputting the essential keywords in the meta description, it sends signals to Google when people search for something related.

        This can make your page rank your high. Not only that, it would also encourage people to click on your page more. Since they already know your content has what they are looking for from the overview.

      3. Keywords in Content
        As said earlier, quality content is essential, but if you are not optimizing your content well with the right keywords, your site's ranking will continue to lag. Why? Google algorithm will not pick relevancy from your website enough to put it at your potential audience's front view. However, you should know that Google doesn't require you to stuff your page with excess keywords. Just endeavor to place the keywords strategically in your content and page. Keep it minimal, but top class and Google would find value in your site and rank it high.

      4. Keywords in Backlinks
        Yes, it is important to include high authority backlinks on your website, but you need to know how to place them in your content to add value to your site. Google considers this when crawling sites to rank them. You should place your links only on the right keywords related to the links you placed on them. If you do otherwise, Google might view your site as spammy, and do you know where that will place you? The far end of Google ranking.

        Still, on the matter of backlinks- backlinks enable websites to rank higher on Google. If the backlinks are high authority backlinks or from high domain score sites, they will make Google algorithm believe that the site they are linking back to is relevant and informative.
        What Google Looks at in Keywords
        So now, you know Google values keyword, but do you actually know what Google wants in keywords? Relevance is what Google looks for in keywords. Knowing them will enable you to tweak them to your advantage.

        As said earlier, Google checks for keyword relevance. Google wants to know that only valuable content is being delivered to its users, so it uses algorithms to fish out keywords that can determine your website's relevance. So how do you find top keywords that Google considers relevant to your niche? You find them by carrying out keyword research and analysis.

        Keyword research helps you figure out the likelihood of people typing that keyword when searching Google. When Google catches the relevant keywords from you and then combine them with other factors, it will rank your site high. You can use  Semalt's keyword performance tool  to get started with your keyword optimization.

    3. URL Structure

      Do you know that as insignificant the URL structure might seem; it is another crucial aspect on your website that determines your Google ranking? Google SEO analyzers have noticed that sites and pages with keywords in them rank higher than those without it. It is probably one of Google Algorithm's model for selecting relevant content that users want to see.

      Since the URL with keywords in it reflects what it's about, Google would pick it up faster than other URLs with random words in them. Also, your URL is a way for Google algorithm to tell if the site is spammy or authentic. Since Google won't bring spammy pages to the forefront of rankings, your best bet is to optimize your URL to make it fit Google's standards. Always try to keep your URL short and informative to get into Google's good books.

    4. User Experience

      Google takes in the kind of user experience your users get when they log into your website to determine if your site is worthy of being ranked at the top. There are so many factors that come together to determine the quality of your website's user experience. They include content quality, website organization, content readability, absence of intrusive ads, page speed and device compatibility.

      1. Page Speed
        Your page speed matters to Google because it determines your stay-in or bounce rate. When your page loads slowly taking much of the searchers' time, they tend to leave your page and move on to a site that would load faster. Since Google sees that users are leaving your site even before they completely login, it believes that your website isn't valuable to the searchers. 

        Then your site ranking would gradually start to reduce until your site becomes relegated to the background. More so, a slow load rate would make you lose traffic, which would, in turn, affect your revenue. 

        So, how do you rectify this issue and get Google to rank you better? Start by using  Semalt's page speed performance analyzer.  This would help you recognize the problem is and how to fix it to rank better on Google.

      2. Device Compatibility
        If your website is not well optimized to be compatible with all devices, then Google might not be a great fan of your site. These days, people spend more time using their androids, iPhones, tablets, and the likes to browse the internet than they do with laptops.
         
        This means that if your website is built to fit just laptops and desktops, you'd be leaving out a wide percentage of potential audiences who use mobile devices to peruse the internet. Since your site is not well-optimized for them, they'd have a hard time navigating your website. This would then make them leave your site faster than they should. 

        And you know what that means? Google algorithm would feel your website is not relevant and so de-rank your website because users are bouncing out fast. This is why your website should be made all-devices friendly.  Semalt  can actually help you develop a website that is well optimized for high google ranking.

  3. Conclusion

    There is no doubt that Google ranking matters if you want your site to keep gaining traffic, leads, sales, and generate revenue. Given the high placement of top Google rankings, it is not surprising that you have to make conscious efforts to make Google rank your site high. But the fact remains that your website can rank high on Google. 

    Understanding the factors above and putting diverse strategies in place will surely get your website to the top. You should know, though, that SEO requirements constantly change, so you have to consistently keep up with the changes and updates to keep your site ranking high.