Google is the gatekeeper.  Ranking well on a google search for keywords that align with your website’s intent can mean the difference between success and failure (particularly for ecommerce brands). By gaining a deeper understanding of Google’s algorithm, website owners and marketers can develop and implement effective SEO strategies that will improve their website’s ranking and visibility in search results.

The full list of ranking factors includes hundreds of different signals that are used to determine the relevance and quality of a website’s content is too broad to cover here. However, some of the key factors that influence Google’s algorithm include:

• Relevance: Google’s algorithm aims to provide searchers with the most relevant results based on their search query. This means that the content on your website must be closely related to the keywords that you are targeting.
• Quality: Google values high-quality content, images and videos that provide the most value to its users. This includes content that is well-written, informative, and easy to read.
• User Experience: User experience is another important factor that Google takes into account. This includes factors such as site speed, mobile optimization, and ease of use.
• Mobile Optimization: With the overwhelming percentage of mobile device users, Google has made mobile optimization a top priority in its ranking algorithm. Obviously, Google wants to provide the mobile experience, as its users greatly depend on their phones and tablets.
• Core Web Vitals: Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that measure website performance and user experience. Google continues to indicate that these metrics will become a more significant ranking factor.
• Backlinks: Backlinks from other websites are a key factor in Google’s algorithm as they are essentially a vote of confidence in your website. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more authoritative your website will appear to Google.  TIP: The best possible backlink is from a government’s or educational institution’s website.  A backlink from .gov or .edu will get you ranked immediately (more on this later)

It’s important to note that Google’s algorithm is constantly evolving, and what works today may not work tomorrow. As such, it’s essential to stay up to date with the latest changes and trends in SEO to ensure that your website stays ahead of the competition.

In the next sections of this article, we will dive deeper into each of these ranking factors and provide you with tips and best practices for optimizing your website to rank first on Google search.

Relevance is one of the most critical factors in Google’s algorithm, and it’s essential to ensure that your website’s content is closely related to the keywords that you are targeting. However, it’s important to note that relevance is not a one-size-fits-all concept. There are different levels of relevance, and it’s important to understand what kind of relevance Google is looking for.

One aspect of relevance that people may overlook is the intent behind a user’s search query. For example, if someone searches for “buy a car,” they may be looking for different types of information depending on their intent. Some may be looking for reviews of different car models, while others may be looking for a car dealership in their area. Google’s algorithm attempts to understand the intent behind a user’s search query and provide the most relevant results based on that intent.

Another factor to consider is the concept of topical authority. Topical authority refers to how well your website covers a specific topic or subject area. Google’s algorithm looks for websites that demonstrate a high level of expertise and authority in a particular subject area. This means that if you’re trying to rank for a particular keyword, you’ll need to ensure that your website provides comprehensive coverage of that topic.

It’s also important to consider the level of competition for a particular keyword. If you’re trying to rank for a highly competitive keyword, it may be difficult to achieve top rankings without a high level of relevance and authority in that subject area. On the other hand, if you’re targeting a less competitive keyword, it may be easier to achieve top rankings with less effort.

Finally, it’s worth noting that relevance is not just about keyword usage. Google’s algorithm is sophisticated enough to understand the context and meaning of the content on your website. This means that you’ll need to focus on creating high-quality, comprehensive content that provides value to users. Simply stuffing your content with keywords may no longer be enough to achieve top rankings in Google’s search results.

Relevance is a complex and multifaceted concept that is crucial for achieving top rankings in Google’s search results. To ensure that your website is as relevant as possible, you’ll need to consider factors such as user intent, topical authority, keyword competition, and the quality of your content (which we discuss next). By focusing on these key areas, you can increase the relevance and authority of your website, and ultimately achieve better rankings in Google’s search results.

Equally important to Relevance is Quality, which represents another critical factor within the algorithm. While most experts focus on the basics of quality content such as well-written, informative, and easy-to-read copy, there are other aspects of quality that are often overlooked.

One of the most critical factors in creating high-quality content is originality. Google values content that is unique and not duplicated or copied from other sources. This means it’s important to avoid using repetitive content on multiple pages of your website, as well as using content from other websites without proper attribution or citation.

Another often-overlooked aspect of quality is the use of visual elements in content. Including high-quality images, videos, and infographics can significantly enhance the user experience and make the content more engaging and informative. Visual elements can also help to break up large blocks of text and make the content easier to read and understand.

As was mentioned in the section on Relevance, Quality also depends on the user’s intent. Google’s algorithm aims to provide searchers with the most relevant and helpful results, and as such, it’s essential to understand the user’s search intent and provide Quality content that specifically addresses their inquiry.

Lastly, it’s important to continually update and refresh your content to ensure that it remains relevant and useful to users. This can include updating information, adding new data or examples, and repurposing content in different formats or for different platforms. For example, providing data on Artificial Intelligence (AI) sourced in 2020 will have dated relevance when considering the growth and trajectory of AI in 2023 (and beyond). By keeping your content up to date, you can demonstrate to Google that your website is a reliable and authoritative source of information, which can help to improve your rankings over time.

In conclusion, while many experts focus on the basics of quality content, there are other important aspects to consider. Creating original content, including visual elements, focusing on the user’s intent, and continually updating and refreshing your content can all play a critical role in improving your website’s rankings in Google search results.

Here are some best practices for optimizing User Experience (UX):

There are several tools that we like for optimizing user experience, including:

1. Google PageSpeed Insights: This tool analyzes your website’s page speed and provides suggestions for improvement.
2. Google Analytics: This tool provides insights into user behavior on your website, including bounce rate, time on page, and other metrics that can help you understand how to improve user experience.
3. UserTesting: This tool provides feedback from real users, allowing you to identify pain points in your website’s user experience and make improvements.
4. Hotjar: This tool provides heat maps and other analytics to help you understand how users interact with your website, allowing you to make data-driven improvements to the user experience.

Mobile optimization is yet another key aspect of SEO and website ranking. The likelihood that you’re using a mobile device to view this content is very high. It’s no wonder Google has put so much emphasis on websites that responsively accommodate many screen sizes and that adapt to optimize user experiences on phones and tablets.

There are a few main items you can implement to ensure your website is optimized for mobile:

1. Use a responsive design: A responsive website design means that your website can adapt to different screen sizes and devices. This is important because it ensures that your website looks good and is easy to use on any device, whether it’s a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
2. Reduce page load time: Mobile users are often on the go and don’t have time to wait for slow-loading websites. You can improve your page load time by optimizing images, minifying code, and using a content delivery network (CDN).
3. Use mobile-friendly content: Mobile users have different needs and behaviors compared to desktop users. For example, they may be looking for quick answers, directions, or phone numbers. To cater to these needs, you should ensure that your content is easy to read and digest on mobile devices, with large fonts, short paragraphs, and clear headings.
4. Optimize for local search: Many mobile searches are local in nature, such as “restaurants near me” or “gas stations nearby.” By optimizing your website for local search, you can increase your visibility and attract more local customers.
5. Test your website: Finally, it’s important to test your website on different mobile devices to ensure that it looks and works as intended. You can use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check your website’s mobile optimization.

By implementing these mobile optimization strategies, you can improve your website’s user experience, attract more mobile traffic, and improve your search engine rankings.

The Core Web Vitals metrics include:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This measures loading performance and represents the time it takes for the largest content element on a page to load. A good LCP score is under 2.5 seconds. No, “contentful” doesn’t feel like a word but it is in Google’s world so we’re stuck with it.
• First Input Delay (FID): This measures interactivity and represents the time it takes for a page to become interactive. A good FID score is under 100 milliseconds.
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): This measures visual stability and represents the amount of unexpected layout shift that occurs during the loading of a page. A good CLS score is under 0.1.

Since 2021, Core Web Vitals have become a more significant ranking factor in Google’s search algorithm. This means that websites that score well on these metrics will have an advantage in search results.

To improve your website’s Core Web Vitals, there are several steps you can take:

• Optimize images and videos: Large images and videos can significantly slow down your website’s loading speed. To improve your LCP score, compress images and videos, and use appropriate file formats.
• Minimize third-party scripts: Third-party scripts such as social media widgets, chatbots, and analytics tools can slow down your website’s loading speed. Minimize the use of these scripts and only use essential ones.
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): A CDN can help improve your website’s loading speed by caching your content on servers located closer to your visitors.
• Optimize your server response time: A slow server response time can negatively impact your website’s loading speed. Use a reliable hosting provider and consider using a content management system that optimizes server response time.
• Use lazy loading: Lazy loading is a technique that delays the loading of non-essential content until the user interacts with it. This can significantly improve your website’s loading speed.

By improving your website’s Core Web Vitals, you can provide a better user experience for your visitors and improve your website’s ranking on Google search.