How Does Google Rank Websites?

The goal of the online business world is to rank high in Google’s search results. The problem is that the competition to gain these top spots is fierce. It’s estimated that there are more than 200 factors that will determine your ranking, which means that you must jump through many hoops to get there. The algorithmic nuances in place help screen out the best candidates and those that have superior search engine optimization or SEO.

How Can You Secure A Top Spot?

The search engine is looking for sites that have the highest authority. They want to provide a list of resources that are the most useful to their user. To rank each site, they release spiders that crawl the web collecting data and scanning content. An algorithm is used to calculate the data, and then they ranked the sites with information and knowledge. A higher ranking means that the website has secured a top spot in the search results, which equates to more traffic.

Understanding Algorithms

We’ve established that there are more than 200 factors that go into the algorithm that helps to factor where a site ranks. However, a thing called PageRank is the thing that matters most. PageRank is a uniquely created process that categorizes websites based on content and the quality of the links that are used. It gives the site a position number that is used to place it in the proper spot.

If another website uses your site as an endorsement or suggests their readers follow you, then it adds a bit of authority to your company. Google uses this information to help secure your position as it helps to provide your clout in the industry. The more people that link to your site, the better your position in search engines. Forget using black hat SEO methods that may or may not work. Having other sites link to yours is one of the best ways to get that coveted higher position.

The Importance of Backlinks

Sadly, there is no published information about PageRank and the exact algorithms used. So it’s up to SEO experts to solve the mystery. However, using domain authority, a measurable metric has been created to mirror parts of this process. The domain authority scores the website, and those that have a higher score get a gold star.

It’s essential to have this gold star as it means that your site is respected and one of authority. The score is shared around the web with other power sites so that they can link to you. This process is called backlinking. Having backlinks is an easy way to get a higher position in the search engines.

Three Ways To Improve Your Ranking

The process of ranking websites is complex, but there are all sorts of tricks and tips to help. There are two factors that every business must focus on to get their site a higher ranking, which are keyword research and analytics. Though the importance of keywords has waxed and waned over the years, they are still a significant part of where the site is placed on search engines. Gone are the days where you stuff keywords onto a page just to increase the usage. You want the content to be high quality, or the PageRank will put you in a lower position.

You want to choose topics that people commonly use in their search. It’s a good idea to brainstorm and come up with common keywords pertinent to your business. For instance, a fashion company may use keywords like “buy our collections on sale” So having these keywords appear in the content makes it a greater probability that the site will rank higher for those searching for carpet stains.

*Use Long-Tail Keywords

Don’t forget to implement long-tail keywords. A long-tail keyword is one that appears in a phrase, whereas a short keyword would be just the keywords alone. Instead of using the words “carpet cleaning,” you would say “carpet cleaning to remove stains.” Using these long-tail keywords several times will increase your chances of appearing in search engines by up to 70 percent.

*Incorporate Technical Optimization

Before you can enhance your entire site, you must learn how to utilize on-page optimization. Your readers want high-quality content that is at least 500 words. Using headers, short paragraphs, and bullet points, help to make the materials easy to scan and thus user friendly.

*Utilizing High Authority by Back Linking

You need links to commanding websites to help establish you as an authority on the subject matter. When you link to other high-ranking webpages, then it shows that you’ve done your homework. Potential customers will trust you more when you can back up your claims. A quick SEO audit can show if your content and linking is appropriate to get you the highest position.

Don’t underestimate the power of incoming or inbound links. If you want to check off all the essential factors that Google uses, then you want to make sure you implement this part of the process. Having these links only increases your authority with your customers.

Securing Your Authoritative Position

It takes time and effort to implement an SEO campaign. However, you must understand that you will not see instant results from your efforts. You probably won’t begin to reap the rewards from your labor for 6-12 months.

One error that many people make is that they think that putting the right keywords in their content is going to do everything they need. While it will help you get more readers, it won’t do enough to get you to the top. SEO optimization has many phases, and it requires implementing all the methods to reach those desired positions.

Since it takes so much time and effort to enhance your SEO program, it’s best left to an expert. When it comes to search engine optimization, things are continually changing, and the details are so important. You need someone that stays on top of all these little nuances to keep you where you want to be.