Do you wonder why your target keywords are generating less organic traffic than before? It might be because Google’s ranking factors are constantly evolving.

Just as sure as death and taxes, Google is constantly tweaking its approach to search engine results pages (SERPs).

Marketers are already dealing with challenges like zero-click content. With Search Generative Experience on the horizon, things are about to change even more.

But don’t worry: this guide might break down the key Google ranking factors, helping you apply them to your website to increase traffic—or at least maintain the traffic you already have.

 

Key Takeaways

 

Google ranking factors are the elements that Google’s search algorithm considers when determining which webpages to display in the SERPs. The top ranking factors you should focus on include:

 

• Mobile-First Optimization: Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly for a seamless user experience across devices.
• Core Web Vitals: Meeting Google’s benchmarks for loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability (LCP, INP, CLS).
• E-E-A-T: Demonstrating Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness to build credibility.
• Link Profile: Building a solid network of inbound, outbound, and internal links.
• User Experience (UX): Offering a smooth and engaging user journey.
• Technical SEO: Attention to meta tags, schema markup, and other technical aspects.
• Content Relevancy and Authority: Creating relevant and authoritative content that resonates with your audience.
• Real Business Information: Providing accurate details on your Google Business Profile.

 

With the forthcoming Search Generative Experience (SGE) potentially reducing organic search traffic, it’s crucial to focus on the following aspects to maintain or grow your visibility:

 

• High-Quality, Expertise-Driven Content: Delivering content aligning with search intent and showcasing expertise.
• Concise, Easy-to-Digest Presentation: Ensuring your content is straightforward and user-friendly.
• Strong Link Profile and Authority: Strengthening your site’s reputation through quality links.

 

Finally, hiring a reputable agency specializing in SEO can be an effective way to enhance your search rankings and navigate the evolving landscape of Google’s ranking factors.

 

Top Google Ranking SEO Factors

 

Understanding the top Google ranking factors is critical to improving your website’s SEO and boosting search engine rankings. Let’s explore some of the most crucial factors to consider.

 

Mobile-First Optimization

By the last quarter of 2023, mobile devices (excluding tablets) generated 58.67% of global internet traffic. This surge in mobile use underscores the need for a website that functions seamlessly on smartphones. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, visitors will likely leave quickly, going to high bounce rates and low search engine rankings.

 

Core Web Vitals

Introduced by Google in May 2020, Core Web Vitals assess your site’s overall performance in terms of user experience. They focus on three key aspects: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Interaction to Next Paint (INP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). Achieving good scores in these metrics is critical for SEO success.

 

E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

Google emphasizes content that exhibits experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). Google’s algorithm favors content created by experts that answers user questions accurately and reliably. This is a significant factor in determining your website’s ranking.

 

Link Profile

A robust link profile is another cornerstone of SEO. Backlinks, outbound, and internal links contribute to your site’s authority and trustworthiness. Inbound links (or backlinks) from reputable websites can boost your site’s credibility. Outbound links demonstrate authority by referencing additional relevant resources. Meanwhile, internal links help users navigate your site and encourage them to stay longer.

 

User Experience (UX)

User Experience (UX) encompasses how intuitive and user-friendly your website is. It includes easy navigation, clear menus, fast-loading pages, and organized content structure. Poor UX can get to high bounce rates, which negatively impacts SEO. Nearly 90% of respondents in one survey identified slow loading times as a critical reason for abandoning a site.

 

Technical SEO

Technical SEO involves optimizing your site’s technical aspects, such as improving crawlability, ensuring the correct use of meta tags, setting up schema markup, and enhancing page load speed. These technical elements make it very easier for search engines to index your site, that is crucial for higher rankings.

 

Content Relevancy and Authority

Google is increasingly focusing on the relevance and quality of content. It’s not just about keywords; your content should provide real solutions to users’ problems and demonstrate authority in your niche. This approach helps make sure that your website is ranked based on genuine user value rather than mere SEO tactics.

 

Real Business Information

Trust signals play a significant role in SEO. Users want to know that they are dealing with a legitimate business. Accurate business information, like your location, contact details, and customer service responsiveness, enhances credibility and improves search engine rankings.

Focusing on these key Google ranking factors can strengthen your website’s SEO, improve your ranking in search results, and drive more organic traffic.

 

How Will SGE Affect Ranking Factors?

 

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is poised to reshape the SEO landscape, impacting how websites are ranked in search engine results pages (SERPs). With SGE, Google uses generative AI to answer search queries in a dynamic panel at the top of the SERP while linking to websites that provide supporting information.

Given these changes, how can you optimize your website for SGE? Here are some Google ranking factors to focus on.

SGE prioritizes high-quality content that demonstrates expertise. Following the E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) principle in your content creation is critical to achieving better rankings. Additionally, ensure that your content aligns closely with the search intent to increase relevance.

However, content must be straightforward enough to succeed in this new environment. While providing in-depth information remains essential, presenting it clearly and straightforwardly is critical. This means using concise language, shorter sentences and paragraphs, and breaking up text with bullet points or numbered lists to make content more accessible and easily digestible.

Matthew Santos, SVP of Products & Strategy at NP Accel, notes that SGE is moving away from long-form content as the primary ranking factor. Instead, concise and direct answers to common questions are becoming more prominent in SGE’s display. This shift suggests that crafting succinct yet informative content can boost your site’s visibility.

A strong link profile is also crucial in the SGE era. Google continues to value authoritative websites with a solid network of inbound links from reputable sources. To improve your link profile, create content that other good websites would want to link to, and consider collaborating with different businesses or organizations to establish mutually beneficial linking strategies.

By optimizing your website based on these Google ranking factors, you can enhance your chances of appearing in SGE’s top panel and retain or increase your visibility in the SERPs. This requires a combination of high-quality content, strategic link building, and a focus on delivering clear and user-friendly information.

 

Conclusion

 

While there’s no guaranteed formula for ranking at the top of Google search results, concentrating on crucial Google ranking factors can significantly boost your chances—even with the ongoing rollout of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE). Additionally, partnering with a qualified SEO agency can be a way to improve your rankings.

Remember that you don’t need to implement everything at once or worry about every ranking factor. Start with the essentials mentioned here and build from there. SEO results often take time, but Google rewards websites with consistent effort and quality content.

 

Consider exploring our monthly SEO packages if you find SEO overwhelming or need additional support. Our team of experts is ready to help you navigate the complexities of SEO and ensure your website is optimized for success.