The 3 most important SEO factors
SEO, or search engine optimization, is a discipline that has evolved significantly over the past 25 years. From the early days when simple tactics like keyword stuffing and a large number of links could influence a website’s ranking, we now have a much more nuanced and complex situation.
In the old days, there was only one algorithm to worry about. Now the reality is different. SEO is no longer just a matter of following a simple list of ranking factors used by Google in their algorithm. The factors for ranking vary significantly depending on the industry and the specific keywords. For example, YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) rankings are handled differently from how e-commerce transactional queries are ranked, and local search is again different.
The one certainty with SEO is that the more you know, the more you realize what you don’t know. But there are some factors or signals that Google considers important in ranking pages.
The Mythical List of “200 Ranking Factors” at Google
There has long been a myth that Google uses a list of 200 ranking factors. This number seems to stem from a PR attempt by Google to portray their algorithm as complex and multifaceted. The only known mention of “200” is from a talk by Matt Cutts at PubCon in 2009.
What Yandex Revealed About Ranking Factors
A leak from Yandex in January 2023 revealed that Yandex uses around 690 ranking factors. This provided insight into how the major search engine uses factors and signals for ranking. According to Dan Taylor, an expert on Russian search engines, Yandex and Google share a number of similarities in how they attempt to index and rank websites. Both use AI for parts of their ranking systems, but there are differences in how they weight certain signals, such as backlinks and user clicks in the SERPs.
Factors, Systems, and Signals
When Google updates its documentation, or when people like Gary Illyes, John Mueller, or Danny Sullivan comment, SEO professionals often obsess over the significance. But not everything that is classified as a signal will be used in every system. Many things that Google classifies as signals may not be relevant to a particular query or may be weighted differently than for another query.
The 3 Most Important Ranking Factors Every SEO Should Focus On
- High-quality content: Quality content is and remains the most important ranking factor. This includes not only keywords and text on the page, but also the use of E-E-A-T signals (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
- Page experience: Although not the most critical factor, page experience is still important. This includes HTTPS, page speed, mobile friendliness and Core Web Vitals.
- Links: Despite some perceptions that links are becoming less important, they still play a crucial role. However, it is important to focus on the quality of links rather than the number.
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