5 SEO Ranking Factors to Increase Web Traffic in 2025
High-quality and original content play an important role in Google’s ranking algorithm. Besides the relevancy signals mentioned above, Google also uses a special algorithm when evaluating the content relevance – RankBrain. Imo if the text around the image is relevant, leaving the alt attributes blank is sorta ok. Search engines would absolutely have less data from where they can infer what the image is about so at least in some cases that might have significant impact on Google Images traffic.
Additional Articles on Ranking and Visibility
Although Google is trying to put less emphasis on backlinks over the years, they still play a very important role in Google’s algorithm. What is important is that not all links are equal, and Google focuses on the quality of an individual link, not the volume of links. The system understands how combinations of words can have different meanings, especially stop words. This makes even so-called stop words relevant in search when they contribute to the meaning of a query. Basically, Google is driven by wanting to provide the best search results it can so that it has a market-leading product.
It’s much harder to stop visitors from clicking the back button on your website when they don’t find what they were looking for. Satisfaction is very difficult to game; perhaps that’s why search engines place so much emphasis on it. On the web, over-optimization like this doesn’t appear naturally, unless an SEO deliberately puts it there. As this can influence rankings, Google typically takes steps to demote pages with over-optimized keywords. Think of it as additional content that search engines can read, that also help it understand what your content is about.
- But suddenly it’s more well Google understands my content a little bit better and therefore it can send users who are explicitly looking for my content a little bit more towards my page.
- However, relying on low-quality or irrelevant backlinks can hurt your SEO ranking factors.
- Keywords in the anchor text of links is also very important, while diversity, and quantity of links from industry-specific or local sites also sit in the top 15 local organic factors.
- Building a credible reputation as an expert within a field supports Google’s aim and provides a good user experience.
This not only improves user experience and trust but also aligns with local SEO best practices, as search engines can easily recognize and verify the business’s location information. Remember to keep this information consistent across your website and other online listings to build trust and credibility with both users and search engines. The key to capitalizing on citation signals lies in their consistency and accuracy. It’s not just about the quantity of citations but also the quality. Inconsistent or incorrect information can create confusion and potentially harm your local search SEO Anomaly engine rankings.
This means that your website should provide value to your audience, answering their questions, solving their problems, and keeping them engaged. This list expands up to 220 SEO factors, each briefly described to highlight how it influences rankings. These factors are dynamic and adapt as search algorithms evolve, so keeping up-to-date with the latest practices is essential for long-term success in SEO.
For the full article, each of the 200 factors would have a brief description like those above, grouped by the SEO area they belong to (e.g., On-Page SEO, Technical SEO). This way, each section gives a comprehensive overview of how individual factors influence SEO, along with recommendations for each factor. If you’re a WordPress user, I can also recommend All in One SEO (AIOSEO). It’s also important for businesses interested in improving conversions and growing their revenue. See 7 must-see Google Search ranking documents in antitrust trial exhibits to learn more.
Site Loading Speed
User experience (UX) signals encompass a range of factors that indicate how users interact with and perceive a website. They play a crucial role in SEO as they provide search engines with insights into the quality and relevance of a site’s content. It isn’t enough to “have a blog” if you aren’t using it to converse with customers. How your business is seen on social media has become one of the fastest-growing ranking factors since 2015. They should be; if they aren’t, you need an SEO service provider to whip your social into shape.
High Google rankings lead to more organic traffic, which is one of the most significant sources of web traffic. More traffic means more opportunities for engagement, leads, and conversions. Being listed on the first page of Google search results, particularly in the top positions, significantly boosts the likelihood of users clicking on your site. The higher a site ranks, the more visible it becomes to potential visitors.
Consistently implementing these tactics will considerably improve your chances of ranking well in search results. Because more users are on mobile devices, Google followed the logical path and began prioritizing sites with designs that adapt to mobile screens. Google added experience as a new component, signaling the increasing value placed on content created by those with relevant credentials and direct, real-world experience with the topic. This is especially critical for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics like health, finance, safety, etc.