Search engine optimization is not only about on-page and off-page optimization. It is basically knowing all factors that affect ranking on search engines and implementing the right strategy. It is more about knowing how search engine algorithms works and what are new policies may play vital roles. SEO experts always follow all updates and examine all factors in depth.
Factors that affect ranking on search engines in 2022
Here are a few factors that are important and mostly missed by SEO newbie executives. Experts from top companies suggest factors that are improve ranking on search engines.
As per Google’s own search quality ratings, it checks these factors while indexing a website:
- Purpose of the page
- Content quality and amount
- Website info and info about the content creator
- Website reputation and content creator reputation
- User interaction with the page (time on page, bounce rates, and so on)
- Expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-A-T)
What is E-A-T? And why it is among most important factors that affect ranking on search engines in 2022 ?
In August 2018, Google emphasized Expertise (E), Authority (A), and Trustworthiness (T) as major ranking factors in its ‘medic update’. The reason for this was simple. This ensures that the user gets relevant content. And when we say relevant content, it includes quality and informative content.
This was super important for such content that comes under YMYL (Your Money Your Life) umbrella. Google wanted to make sure that content that affects searcher’s life and money must be evaluated and ranked according to E-A-T. So now Google also tries to understand who is saying that content instead of only saying what is being said.
- Expertise: Does the author of content have the skills and knowledge in their field?
- Authority: Is this the best source to answer the searcher’s query?
- Trustworthiness: Does the author provide an honest, unbiased answer in the content?
Ranking factors on search engines
Domain age
62% of websites on Google’s top 10 rankings are 3+ years old. That means that domain age plays a vital role in the ranking of websites. The older the website, the higher is the advantage.
URL
A MOZ research shows that exact match URL performs better in ranking. But that’s not true for sites with thin content. And you need not start searching for an exact match if you already have an established domain running the business.
Accessibility of the website
Accessibility means how easily and securely bots from Google can access your content. This can be done by
- By using correct codes on the website
- By providing proper robot.txt file that tells where the information is.
- By including updated sitemap.xml for your site
Having a secure website
Having an HTTPS website is a must. It may not be a deciding factor for search engines for indexing. But they surely want the website to be secure for their searchers and thus a website with the correct SSL certificate ranks higher on search engines.
Desktop and Mobile page speed
In order to improve user experience, page speed is been a deciding ranking factor for search engines. Users always want a fast-loading website and thus Google too prefers websites with high page speed. Google has provided the Google PageSpeed Insight tool that gives correct and detailed insights about whats your page speed is and what should be improved.
Focus on User Experience or RankBrain
Google uses its artificial Intelligence ‘RankBrain’ to rank websites on SERPs. This includes signals like:
- Click Through Rate – It is simply the ratio of the number of users who clicks on a link vs the number of users who viewed that link. If Google`s AI thinks enough people are not clicking on website link shown on SERP, it may decrease website’s ranking.
- Bounce Rate – Bounce rate is the percentage of users who navigate away from the website without doing any activity and visiting only one page. A bounce rate between 26% to 40% is excellent, 41% to 55% is average and 56% to 75% is higher than average. Anything above 75% is bad.
- Session Duration or Dwell Time – It is how long a person stay on a website during a session. If a user stays on your website for long, it means that he is reading the content and exploring it, thus sending positive signals to AI.
Also, Read – Important Digital Marketing Terms You Should Know
Conclusion
Yes, content is king and it should be focused on the audience. But your equal focus must also be on Search Engines. While we assume you are following all SEO processes including on-page and off-page optimization, keep critical factors always in mind and include them in your SEO strategy.
