The Compact Package of Google’s Ranking Factors

 

There are some controversies regarding Google’s ranking factors. There are around 200 ranking factors that Google determine and some of them are definite whereas some of them are variable. It is very true that the SEO related factors cannot be omitted overall. Except all of these various aspects I have managed to compile all of them. You must go through the article to get the complete acquaintance of Google’s ranking factor.

• Appearance of keyword in Domain:- First of all, the appearance of keyword in the domain is a good sign of relevancy and undoubtedly you will get the appreciation of using keyword rich domain.

• Domain that Starts with Keyword:- Using of keyword at the very beginning of the domain will help you reigning over the sites those have used the same in middle or at the end.

• Domain Age:- According to some experts, domain age is an important factor, but Mutt Cutts has opined “there is nothing much difference of domains surviving from different age.”

• Domain History:- Google can be informed to check or reset site history and in the same way there is an availability of negating earlier links.

• Keyword in Sub-Domain:- According to many experts and bloggers, keyword present in the sub-domain can boost ranking.

• Matched Domain:- A matched domain I an important factor for good ranking. If you are running a restaurant business, do not opt to an educational domain. There must be relevancy.

• Domain Registration Period:- You can observe that most of the successful websites have an agreement with the domains for several years in advance. So, if you have contracted for least time it will be matter of conformity.

• Country TLD Extensions:- It is always better to get a higher rank in a specific country by using the specific TLD of that country.

• Never Try to Spam Anywhere:- If Google find you spamming anywhere, it will check all the sites owned by you and there will be a bad impact over ranking.

• Impact of Private Whois:- If Google wants to know who you are, it certainly can check. If you have made all the detail private and secured, then Google will think differently for you.

• Title Tags Enriched with Keyword:- The second most important resource of a web page is the title. Presence of keywords in title tag is important support for on-page SEO.

• Keyword is at the Beginning of Title Tag:- According to many expert and blogger, keywords used at the very beginning of title tag of a website make it healthy and provide better positions.

• Keyword in the Description:- Though it has gather les importance, presence of keyword in the descriptions is another healthy signal.

• Keywords in H1 Tag:- H1 tags are the next worthy aspect right after the titles and varying the keyword, Google gets a better signal.

• Keyword Frequency in a Document:- There is no doubt that repeated uses of keywords carry better signal from Google, but according to the algorithm at present, such practice is like a promotional effort to get higher ranking. Another thing is that excessive usage of keywords or keyword stuffing makes a document spammy.

• Content Length:- A lengthy content carries more and wider aspects where as a short account I the reason of thin content issue. Lengthy content means more key phrases and more signals to Google.

• Content Duplicity:- The same content on the same site always has a negative impact and for the same there will be a downfall in ranking.

• Page Loading Speed via HTML and Chrome:- Your website’s performance is all about user satisfaction and if your site is carrying a low speed, there will be a dissatisfactory concern for both Users and Google. Ranking will be hampered. Google can use search engine spider or Chrome user data to determine the page speed of your site.

• Keyword Density:- Using keywords at a short distance and in a repeated manner is a signal to Google, but overuse of the same may harm your ranking.

• LSI Keywords in Content:- LSI or Large Scale Integrated keywords used in content help find the search engines different meaning of the same word. As for example Apple, the fruit has a big match with the famous technology milestone” Apple.”

• LSI Keywords in Titles and Meta Descriptions:- In the same way using of such LSI keywords in titles or Meta descriptions helps to determine synonyms and increase signaling flexibility.

• Include Supportive Resources:- Helpful supportive contents are good indicators for the quality like calculators, currency converters etc.

• Grammar and Spelling:- Though many have omitted this fact, proper grammar and spellings are important signals to search engines.

• Outbound Link Theme and Quality:- Sometimes outbound links are also treated as signal to search engines. Suppose you are operating a shoe shop and the outbound link is from a car company. Google will treat your site as a car service provider. Similarly, the theme of the outbound links also determined as signals.

• Earlier Page Updates: - How frequently you have updated your page weekly or monthly? This carries the freshness of your site and carry quality signal.

• Density of Content Updates: - How frequently you update your page content. The editing is also a part of the same. This shows that you are always active with your site.

• Using Keyword in H2, H3 tags: - Keyword appearance in H2 or H3 tags is an indication of poor relevancy to the signal, according to many experts.

• Appearance of Keyword: - If the page contents carry keywords within first 100 words, it will be relevant signal for the search engine.

• Word Formation of Keyword: - How much your keyword match with the search queries, you will get more appreciation from the search engines. It means if you have framed the keywords according to the right order that a user may type, you will get better ranking.

• Content Syndication: - If your content is copied or syndicated from existing indexed pages, you will see a downfall having content duplicity issue.

• Limited Outbound Links: - Too many outbound links are the reason of poor pagerank that can hamper ranking, so always try to be limited in such job.

• Pagerank: - Though pagerank I not related directly, but higher rank always perform better than the lowers.

• HTML Errors: - Many HTML coding errors are poor signal of a website. Similarly W3C validation is also important to gain higher ranking.

• URL Length and Path: - A lengthy URL cannot get appreciation from the search engine. Besides that the URLs relevant to the home page always send better signals to the search engine.

• Page Category: - The relevant categories of pages get more appreciation than the irrelevant ones. Such relevant category gets more and more booster from search engines.

• Human Editors: - It has never been confirmed, but Google has launched a human editor patent to determine SERP.

• Wordpress Tags: - Wordpress tags are better quality and relevant signal.

• Broken Links: - If your site has too many broken links, search engine will think that you have abandoned the site. So, to get a healthy rank you must manage broken links within quickest possible time.

• Affiliated Links: - There is no doubt that affiliated link work better for ranking, but if you have made too many Google’s algorithm can blame you and you will be down at ranking.

• Number and Quality of Internal Links: - if you have too many internal relatives Google will understand your importance. Besides that quality I also a matter. Internal links from reputed or authorized pages will make you a brand and better ranking.

• URLs having Keyword: - URLs enriched with keyword are better and relevant signal.

• Multimedia: - Some digital contents like images, video or flash are better quality signal for the search engines.

• Reading Level: - If you have composed content in high level language, then less people will be able to read and understand that. The result will be reflected as less traffic. So, flexible reading is another good signal to the search engines.

• Host’s Domain Authority: - If Host’s domain authority is higher, then there is a chance of getting high rank.

• Location of the Server: - For geo specific searches, it is very important where the server is located. This aspect has a better impact over ranking.

• Inclusion of Sitemap: - A sitemap help search engines find and index your site’s resources. If you have included the same, it is a healthy signal for the search engine.

• Site Maintenance: - If your site is engaged for maintenance for a long time, it has less uptime and the same will hamper ranking.

• Site Architecture: - Google can easily organize the sites contents, if the architecture is easily detectable.

• Trust of Domain: - It is an important ranking factor that how many sites have trusted you. It is also known as trustrank.

• Number of Pages: - More pages your site carry, it increase ranking chances going higher.

• Worthy Content: - If your site is enriched with useful and worthy content, there will be a great rise in traffic and that I the staircase of high ranking.

• Unique Insights: - Content must be enriched with unique insights to send better signal to the search engines.

• User Friendly Presentation: - According to Google’s guideline this factor is important to get high ranking.

• Quantity of other keywords: - If your single page stands for high ranking on the basis of many keywords, Google determines your site as a quality one.

• Page Age: - Though Google always appreciate fresh page, an aged one that is regularly updated will get better priority due to more resources and experience.

• Negative Link Velocity:- As negative link velocity is an indication of reducing popularity, it is a bad signal from your site.

• Links from “Hubpages”: - Having reference from top resourceful pages is a good signal and can enrich your ranking. These pages are popularly known as hubs.

• Link from Authority Sites: -It is always true that linking with an authority site is always a good sign than from mediocre sites.

• Linked to as Wikipedia Source: - In most of the cases wiki links are treated as nofollow links, but such relation can better constitute your ranking.

• Co-Occurrences:- The words containing your back links help Google understand about the page resource.

• Backlink Age: - According to many experts aged links have more linking power than the new one.

• Linking Domain Relevancy:- It is always better to make relevant interactions in a similar niche with relevant domains.

• Page Level Relevancy: - On the basis of friendly SEO, it is very true that link from relevant domain or pages have much power than the irrelevant one.

• Text around Link Sentiment: - It I not only about linking, but their positive responses is also a matter of ranking

• Country TLD of Referring Domain: - If you try to follow links top domain extensions of a specific region or country, you can easily get a better ranking.

• Link Location in Content: Proper placement of links is also important and such links are more powerful using at the ending point of content except at the starting.

• Link Location on Page: Overall location of links is also important issue. It is always better to mention the same within content rather than using on a blank page.

• Natural Link Profile: Natural link profile is always a true support for ranking.

• Reciprocal Links: Exchange of excessive reciprocal links is also against Google’s link scheme.

• User Generated Content Links: Google has enough expertise to distinguish between natural links and artificial links and it is very clear that natural link have better appreciation.

• Links from 301: A direct link is always worthy rather than a 301 redirects, but according to many experts both are same as Mutt Cutts has said.

• Trust Rank of Linking Site: Trust Flow depends upon the worthiness of the sites you are linked with. A better trust Flow always carry good signal for the search engines.

• Number of Outbound Links on Page: The number of OBLs on a page link or outbound links also carries a good signal.

• Links from Forum profile: In case of linking you should avoid forum profiles. Such activity is always devalued by Google.

• Keyword in Title: There will be a great benefit if you have linked with a page where the title contains your keyword phrase. It is highly appreciated by Google.

• Better Link Velocity: Positive link velocity always brings higher ranking.

• Links from Real Sites or Splogs: Always try to avoid fake forums or blogs as link coming from such sources is a filthy signal to the search engine.

• Schema.org and Microformats: The sites having Microformats on pages always get extra benefits on SERP.

• DMOZ Listed: According to many experts, Google gives added benefits to the DMOZ listed sites.

• Total word Count of Linking Content: Word count of a linking content is also in important issue of signaling.

• Query Deserves Freshness: The new pages mean new resources and such pages are appreciated by Google at the very initial stage.

• Query Deserves Diversity: For strange keywords like WWF or Ted Google uses variable tactics for ranking measurement.

• User Browsing History: Sites those are frequently visited using Google get extra boost in case of your searches.

• User Search History: There is a search chain and it has a great impact on SERP. If you are searching for banks, Google will show you the top banks of the respective place.

• Geo Targeting: Google always prefers first the local sites based on local domain or IP server.

• Safe Search: By activating safe search there will be less visibility of adult content or curse-worthy keywords.

• Google+ Circles: The sites added to Google+ circle always get better support and higher ranking.

• Sitewide Links: Using of sitewide links is also a good signal to the search engines, but over uses may bring negative impact over ranking.

• Organic Click through Rate for a Keyword: An increasing CTR or click through rate always boost ranking on SERP.

• Organic CTR for All Keywords: Organic CTR means user interaction signal. So, such natural issue can truly boost ranking.

• Bounce Rate: Many of the SEO experts have the opinion that bounce rate has least impact over ranking, but it is very true that bounce rate is a negative aspect of SEO and the effect of user’s dissatisfaction. So, it is very simple that there will be an impact on SERP.

• Quality of Linking Content: The contents of other pages of your site or other sites must carry a standard quality; otherwise you also will be treated as a mediocre source and nothing else.

• Direct Traffic: There are so many sources of traffic path, but direct traffic like from Google has no substitute to achieve better ranking. 90% direct traffic comes from Google search in case of a brand or domain search query.

• Repeat Traffic: If a user is visiting your site it means you have some resourceful content. It is the sign of ranking boost.

• Blocked Sites: Google panda uses the number of blocked sites as quality signal.

• Chrome Bookmarks: In the advanced way Google collects Chrome user data and on the basis of the same the bookmarked pages always get better ranking than the usual ones.

• Google Toolbar Data: There is a concept that Google toolbar data collects information to boost ranking for a site. It may be page loading speed, mobile suitability and malware, but not specifically mentioned.

• Mobile Friendliness: - Most of the recent searches are operated on mobile screen namely on smartphones or tablets. For the same reason Google provides additional support for the mobile optimized sites with higher ranking.

• Number of Comments: More comments mean more user interaction and this means Google will appreciate you as a resourceful one.

• DMCA Complaints: If your site has DMCA complaints, you must lose ranking.

• Domain Diversity: Bigfoot update is specially launched to measure the diversity of domain that determine ranking.

• Transactional Searches: Shopping related keywords have great diversity when Google shows them.

• Local Searches: Sometimes Google prefer to show Google+ local result rather than normal organic SERP.

• Google News Box: The keywords having places in Google trigger box always get ranking boost.

• Number of Facebook Likes: Google is unable to explore Facebook accounts, but it can determine Facebook likes. So, more Facebook likes mean more boost in ranking.

• Facebook Shares: Facebook sharing is generally treated like backlinks. So, more sharing means more exposure and Google always appreciate it.

• Social Signal Relevancy: The sharing of issues or content must have relevancy. If you are sharing a delicious meal with a car making shop, it is totally irrelevant. So, relevancy in sharing is a good signal to the search engines.

• Site Level Social Signals: Site level social signals always boost a site’s overall authority and the same is a good signal for better ranking.

• Brand Name Anchor Text: Using brand name in the anchor text is also a good signal to enhance visibility and it also boost ranking.

• Branded Searches: Google always takes the aspects of branded search and such web sites get the additional boost for ranking.

• Known Authorship: Some verified online profile or known authorships get the opportunity for ranking high. Google considers them valuable and their presence works as a more reliable source.

• Single Site Results for Brands: Variation of using brand or domain name in keywords brings different results for different search.

• Number of Tweets: Similar to like Facebook, Tweeter response is also important to boost ranking.

• Authority of Twitter Users Accounts: Authority and age of twitter profile also vary in case of ranking.

• Site Has Facebook Page and Likes: A site or a reputed brand that has a Facebook page must get additional ranking boost due to the extent of popularity.

• Site has Twitter Profile with Followers: A site that has a twitter profile with maximum number of followers also has the chances of top ranking.

• Official Linkedin Company Page: Official linkedIn pages are also a matter of ranking boost.

• Employees Listed at Linkedin: According to Rand Fishkin from Moz besides having a Linkedin profile, employees listing is an important factor as it constitutes more transparency.

• Dwell Time: It is not only the visiting of your page, but the time spending also is an important factor. It is generally measured by the frequency of clicks. A long time spending also boost ranking.

• Big Brand Preference: Big brands always get the first preference hence getting additional ranking.

• Shopping Results: Shopping results are often displayed by Google in organic SERP.

• Image Results: Google considers organic listing for image results used in Google image search.

• Brick and Mortar Location with Google+ Local Listing: Google also filter location specific data in case ranking for the business having local office reference or branches.

• Website is Tax Paying Business: Google also check the transparency of taxpaying mode for each and every website.

• Panda Penalty: Sites with low quality or thin content are treated under panda penalty. Such sites can easily lose ranking.

• Links to Bad Neighborhoods: It is harmful for your search visibility linking to some bad sites or neighborhoods like pharmacy or day to day loan sites.

• Redirects: Always try to avoid sneaky redirects as you may be penalized by de-indexing your site.

• Popup or Distracting Ads: Extensive uses of pop ups and ads may harm your ranking as these are also dissatisfactory concern for the users.

• Site Over-Optimization: Some other measures of bad ranking are like excessive keyword designing, header tag stuffing, keyword stuffing and many more.

• Easter egg Results: Easter egg result determines the different meaning of different keywords. You may have entered a delicious food name, and Google may discover the search result on the basis of a sports or game.

• Authority of Facebook User Accounts: It is a matter of more weight having concerns from popular Facebook pages.

• Pinterest Pins: Pinterest pin is considered by Google as a social signal and having more pins you can easily boost ranking.

• Votes on Social Sharing Sites: Supports and reviews in some social sites like StumbleUpon Digg or Reddit are additional factors of ranking boost.

• Link Profile with High % or Low Quality Links: It is a sign of gaming your website having more link sources used by black hat SEO.

• Linking Domain Relevancy: After the Penguin algorithm update it is better to avoid unnatural links from unrelated sites.

• Unnatural Links Warning: If you have got warnings in Google’s webmaster tools notice board regarding unnatural linking, you may have a downfall in ranking.

• Links from the Same Class C IP: If unnatural links are managed from a same server IP, such blog networking is a bad signal to the search engine.

• “Poison” Anchor Text: Poisonous anchor text may be a sign of spam or hacked authority and the same is filthy for your site’s ranking.

• Manual Penalty: Google’s manual penalties are also bad signals for ranking.

• Selling Links: Selling links is not a natural factor, hence it is enough to downfall your position.

• Google Sandbox: If your site gets sudden flow of links it will be put in Google sandbox reducing the search visibility.

• Google Dance: Google dance is the temporary shaking up of ranking.

• Disavow Tool: Proper use of Disavow tool will the reason of ranking boost by fixing algorithmic or manual penalties.

• Number of Google+1’s: Matt Cutts has of opinion that there is no impact of Google+1 over ranking, but the appreciation got from their own social network must bring some boost.

• Authority of Google+ User Accounts: Authority of Google+ account also matters for ranking with many followers.

• Legitimacy of Social Media Accounts: Legitimacy and frequent interactions of social networks can certainly boost ranking.

• Reconsideration Request: A proper re-consideration request is the sign of your active presence to avoid a penalty.

• Temporary Link Schemes: Google always devalue temporary link building scheme.

• Brand Mentions on News Sites: Popular brands having consideration from popular news leads get additional benefits of ranking.

• Co-Citations: Google always appreciates non-hyperlinks brand citations in case of ranking.

• Number of RSS Subscribers: More RSS subscribers you have, there will be boost in ranking.

• Page Over-Optimization: Page by page optimization will bring more accuracy to avoid penguin penalty.

• Ads above the Fold: Position of ads also determines the quality of a site. Many ads above the fold are always against Google’s guideline.

• Hiding Affiliate Links: It will be a matter of penalty hiding affiliate links.

• Affiliate Sites: Having more affiliated sites enhances the security and it also boost ranking.

• Auto generated Content: Using of auto generated content is not a natural process and the same is highly blamed by Google. So, to gain ranking always try to launch fresh and natural content.

• Excess PageRank Sculpting: Excess pagerank sculpting is also harmful signals to the search engines.

• IP Address Flagged as Spam: All the sites on a server can be hurt if the server IP is flagged.

• Meta Tag Spamming: If you try to have a match with algorithm by using keyword stuffing in Meta tags, you will certainly lose ranking.

• Penguin Penalty: Sites penalized by Google Penguin are significantly less visible in search losing the rank.

So, these are all about the common ranking factors determined by the search engines especially Google. Were you familiar with all of these? Do not forget to leave your valuable responses to make this article more resourceful. By sharing it in your social circle, there will be more comments to enrich this resource.