What Are The Top Organic SEO Ranking Factors For A Website?
If you’ve just produced your first website and are interested in the ways in which you can improve your organic search results, then you’re certainly on the path to success. SEO is one of the most influential marketing tools simply because it helps you to get your message in front of interested consumers that are directly seeking your services.
Regrettably, the answer isn’t very straightforward! Google’s search ranking algorithm is basically its secret to success, so it’s remarkably elaborate and has more than 200 variables that account for the listings in its Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Luckily for you, not all variables are designed equally, so you can target the most vital variables that will have the best effect on your SERP listings.
It is very important to understand that the weight of each variable changes gradually, so Google will place more importance on certain variables based upon user behaviour and how Google perceives it can maximise the user experience. With this being said, many of the leading organic SEO ranking elements have been in the same spot for a few years now, so understanding these top variables can give you a greater understanding of how you can optimise your organic search results to boost website traffic, customer engagement, and ultimately sales.
- Content
A great priority is put on content because Google intends to rank the most relevant websites at the top of its search results . The recent Hummingbird update helps Google to recognise a website’s content structure and how this content adds value to prospective consumers, so generating quality content set in a natural tone will be rewarded with higher rankings. Including articles in your website such as in-depth tutorials, guides, and how-to’s is a great start. In addition, the more content you have, the better it will rank in search results. SerpIQ (https://serpiq.com/) has assessed the top 10 search results and identified that the top positions contain content that is around 2,400 words in length.
- Backlinks
For over a decade now, backlinks have been one of the most important variables in SERP listings given that the more links there are to your website from reputable sources, the more trusted your website is regarded. The other side of the coin rings true also though, so be careful not to generate links on spammy or uncredible websites or your rankings will go down! Matt Cutts (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC5FDzUh0P4) from Google clarifies that backlinks will lose value in time as Google searches for new ways to assess websites, but for the time being, link building is still the best indicator of relevancy and credibility.
- Mobile Optimisation
With more users now searching from mobile devices than computers, there has been a substantial shift towards optimising your website for mobile devices. Google is currently experimenting with mobile-first indexing, which points out that Google’s index will soon crawl the mobile version of a website as opposed to the desktop version. If your website isn’t currently mobile-friendly, you better get started but be careful not to publish it until it’s 100% complete or you may be penalised. Page loading speed is a pivotal factor for mobile optimisation, so aspire to have mobile pages loaded within two seconds to make sure your website is genuinely ‘mobile-friendly’.
- Other Technical Elements
There are lots of other technical variables that will greatly influence your SERP listings, such as security, headings, anchor text, and interstitials. There is a strong connection between high ranking websites and those that are SSL encrypted (HTTPS), and this is very quick to install if you haven’t already done so. Likewise, make sure that your landing pages have a H1 or H2 heading in the source code, as this has been found to correlate with higher rankings. Other aspects such diverse and organic backlink anchor text and less on-page ads and pop-ups will also improve your organic search results listings.
- Keeping up to date
Google’s search ranking algorithm is continually adjusting, meaning that SEO techniques are constantly changing also. Despite the fact that there more than 200 variables in Google’s search ranking algorithm, Google has placed great emphasis in recent times on rich content, quality links, and a smooth mobile experience. Endeavouring to concentrate on all Google’s search ranking variables will prove to be unproductive, but if you focus on prioritising the abovementioned variables in your SEO efforts, you will be ahead of the competition.
If you need any help in how to properly execute any of the above SEO methods, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the digital marketing specialists at Internet Marketing Experts by calling 1300 595 013, or alternatively visit their website for more information: https://internetmarketingexperts.net.au
