Where you show up in Google search results is determined by an algorithm that evaluates many characteristics of your website. Those characteristics, or ranking factors — both positive and negative — affect how visible you will be in search results.
Google’s ranking algorithm is reported to contain more than 200 SEO ranking factors, each with its own weight or level of importance.
Nobody knows all of the Google ranking factors, but experience gives us a really good sense of which are the most important.
Categories of Google ranking factors
There are three groups of ranking factors that are important to understand.
Technical ranking factors tend to be mostly managed by your web designer. They have to do with your website’s level of performance and what I refer to as Google-friendliness. These are typically site-wide factors rather than factors relating to individual pages on your site.
On-page ranking factors are typically controlled by you and relate directly to the content of your web pages and keyword optimization.
Off-page ranking factors are things you have somewhat less control over because they’re not on your website. These typically relate to your authority or importance on the web, based largely on backlinks.
Here is what I considered to be the top 10 positive Google ranking factors today. This list isn’t in any kind of priority order for a couple of reasons. First, it would be pretentious to claim that I know which of these factors are more important than which others. Secondly, good SEO is a function of many small techniques that support each other. No one of them is critically essential to good rankings — it’s the sum total of all of them that matters.
Mobile phones now account for more than half of all searches done. As a result, it’s essential that your website be mobile-friendly. I typically recommend ensuring your website is “responsive” which means that its display varies depending upon the device connecting to your site. That ensures that the same information is available regardless of the platform your visitor may be using.
2) Security (SSL and HTTPS)
Whether or not your website is secure is a ranking factor at Google. Beyond that, many browsers will show a “Not Secure” warning in the address bar when someone arrives on your website. Some website plug-ins actually display a warning page instead of the page on your site, encouraging people not to visit your site. Many people mistake the “not secure” warning as meeting your website is dangerous or may load viruses on your computer. The result is a certain portion of the people trying to visit your site abandoning it, costing you business.
To be secure you need to arrange to have an SSL certificate and your URL needs to begin with HTTPS instead of the insecure HTTP.
High-quality content is essential. It has a big effect on whether people stay to read it or bounce away (which Google sees as a negative ranking factor. Readability is a critical part of quality content. Another is customer focus; it’s important to focus on what’s in it for your reader/customer. That means focusing on benefits to the customer rather than features of your product or service.
Keyword relevance is also essential here. Your page has to show search engines that it’s all about your target keywords. That means having your keywords and related words and phrases in your content enough to make sure Google easily understands what your page is all about. But avoid keyword stuffing as that detracts from the quality of your content.
5) Headings and meta tags
Having keywords in headings and sub-headings gives them some extra weight with search engines and helps readers navigate your content efficiently. For that to happen, they need to be coded within heading tags to search engines can tell they’re headings.
While meta tags are not visible on the page, two items in the HTML code of your page are very important: the page title and the description tag. The page title isn’t a heading on your page, but it acts as the headline for your listing in all search engines. So it’s a critical place to include your keywords. Google says keywords in your meta description tag don’t influence your ranking, but since this description often ends up in your search listings it has a direct impact on how likely a searcher is to click on your listing.
6) Image keyword optimization
Every image on your page provides two or three places to put your keyword phrases in front of the search engines without keyword stuffing your text content.
The image filename is most obvious. An image filename of img183572x6.jpg tells Google nothing. But one that’s got a keyword in it (like nj-real-estate-lawyer.jpg) can really help.
Alternate text is text describing the image for visually impaired visitors who have their computers read the page out loud. It’s a great place to show your keywords to Google.
And if an image acts as a clickable link to someplace else, a title attribute generates a little text box that pops up when the user hovers their mouse over the image. It’s meant to tell the user what’s at the other end of the link if they click it, and is another place you may be able to use a keyword.
7) URL structure
Your URL structure helps you in three ways.
It improves the user experience of your listings in Google:
Links can sometimes serve as their own clickable text of a link.
Here’s an example from Moz:
8) Schema code
Schema markup is a common short term for structured data, named after Schema.org, the website for structured data markup. It’s sometimes called structured data markup and it tells the search engines exactly what kind of information is on your website. It’s totally in the HTML code behind your website and doesn’t affect what visitors see on your site. If you’re a local service area business, it can be especially helpful to identify your location and service area for local searches.
You can easily check out your own schema code in this schema code validator. If it shows you don’t have schema code, it’s time to fix that.
Page and Domain Authority strongly impact your rankings. These are metrics developed by the folks at Moz that attempt to predict how well a given website will show up in search results. It’s based largely on the number and quality of other websites that link to you and is designed to correlate with Google’s internal PageRank scoring.
10) Local prominence
Prominence refers to how widely across the web you’re listed with a correct and consistent NAP (name, address, phone). It’s particularly important for small businesses to show up in local search results and in the Google Local 3-Pack. These listings are often called citations and citation management deserves ongoing attention from small local businesses. But don’t be misled by many of the common misconceptions about citations that are floating around.
Feel free to use our free tool to check on several dozen top citation sources to see how your own prominence looks.
Bottom Line
None of these are absolutely essential. But none of them can be ignored either. Where you rank is the result of all of these things (and more). Just do your best with as many of these as you can.
How’s your experience been with these issues? What other factors do you think deserve to be included? Start a discussion below.
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Here are some of the more common ways your business listings can hurt you.
You’re missing
If someone is looking for what you do or sell in a search engine, directory, map, or mobile app and you’re not there – clearly they can’t find you.
You’re a local business and your address is wrong
Nothing is more frustrating for customers than showing up at a business and finding that it’s not there.
Your phone number is wrong
Equally frustrating is when there’s a wrong phone number in your listing and customers can’t get through to place an order or ask a question.
Your listing got changed
You may have carefully corrected your online listing only to find that it’s since changed and now is incorrect. Listings can be changed without your knowledge or approval and those changes can sometimes hurt.
Your business hours are listed incorrectly
You don’t want someone showing up at your business or calling you only to find that you’re not open when the listings said you were. If your hours are changed due to the pandemic or holidays — or for any other reason — you need to make sure they’re listed properly across all of your listings.
Vigilance!
You need to pay at least a modicum of attention to this, reviewing your business listings occasionally.
There are citation management products like Yext PowerListings that can solve a number of these problems, including blocking your listings so that you’re the only one who can change them. These products typically come with a monthly fee but are often worth it by saving you manually managing all of your listings on an ongoing basis.
Business listing management products don’t typically cover niche directories, though. There are a number of different directories for attorneys, for example, or for people in the building trades, and typically you need to manage those manually.
COVID
As long as the pandemic continues, some customers will be looking for reassurance that you have appropriate pandemic protocols in place.
BrightLocal found that 74% of consumers searched for a business listing to see what COVID-19 measures were in place. Make sure you identify that in any of your business listings that allow it.
The most important of these places is Google My Business.
Log into your Google My Business dashboard.
In the left-hand column, scroll down to the section headed From the business. In this section you can add attributes of your business in five categories: from the business, accessibility, amenities, health & safety, and service options.
The first section is where you can identify whether your company is black-owned, Latino-owned, veteran-led, or women-led. Be sure to check of any that apply.
And in the following section on Amenities you can indicate whether you have a gender-neutral restroom.
Health and safety is where you can indicate what COVID-related protocols are in place. This is particularly important right now as many customers are sensitive to possible exposure and if you haven’t updated your Google My Business information since before the pandemic, these were not available the last time you were here.
The last section is Service options where you can indicate whether you offer on-site services and/or online appointments.
In the next section, accessibility, you can indicate whether your premises are wheelchair friendly.
If you just want to update your COVID protocols, you can do that right in the Home section of your Google My Business dashboard:
Help Your Customers
A good rule of thumb is to always make it easy for customers to buy from you. You need to also make it easy for them to learn what they need to know about you to help them get to the point of buying. Make sure you’re listed widely and consistently across the web, but perhaps most important is thoroughly and accurately.
Your experience and perspective is valuable. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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The number and quality of inbound links in your site’s link profile is a critical factor in showing up near the top in Google. The quality of an inbound link is a function of the link authority of the page that links to you, as well as the relevance of that page to your business.
For example, a link from a page with a very high reputation (from having many inbound links itself) is more valuable than a link from a website that has very low link authority.
And a link from a website that’s related to your business counts more than a link from a website that’s completely unrelated. Your link profile should have a variety of inbound link types including from directories.
Get listed in niche directories
An excellent source of high quality inbound links is a niche directory, especially if they offer “follow” links. Directories typically have many inbound links themselves, which gives them high link authority. But they also, by dint of being niche, relate very closely to your business.
For example, if you are an elder law attorney, what could be more relevant that a link from the elder law attorney directory at FindLaw or Lawyers.com. As highly regarded websites, FindLaw and Lawyers.com have very high authority, and they are highly related to the niche of elder law attorneys— or any law firm for that matter.
Home services companies have niche directories like Houzz and Home Advisor and almost any business can find at least one directory focused on their niche. Directories in your niche can be excellent sources of link authority for you.
Many large niche directories like those just mentioned are willing to link to your website, but at a price. If you’re a website owner working on a tight budget, paying for every link is not only expensive, but likely not in your budget.
But don’t despair; there are lots of quality, free and inexpensive niche directories out there. The biggest challenge is finding them. You may need to look through each directory to find out if they offer free listings or how expensive their premium listings are.
Go to your favorite search engine and type in general keywords related to your site. For example, if you’re a wedding caterer you might type in wedding. Usually, well-ranking niche directories will place in the Top 10 results.
In this case Wedding Wire, Brides.com and The Knot all show up on the first page. Click through to the site and look for something like an “Add a Link” or “Join Vendor Directory” button or link somewhere in the navigation.
Method 2: Focused Directory Search
Narrow your search by your niche and the word directory. You may find a directory that offers both free and paid listings like CPAdirectory.com or MyZipPlumbers.com. This may be the quickest way to find good niche directories for your business.
Method 3: Unfocused Niche Directory Search
Here, you can find lists of hundreds of niche directories which are likely to include at least one directory for your niche. Simply search for niche directories. This can detect lists like Niche Listings.org and others. You should expect to have to scan through lots of directories, and don’t be discouraged if some of them are defunct; these lists usually aren’t closely maintained or pruned.
Method 4: Competitors’ Links
This allows you to take a shortcut and profit from your competitors’ previous linking efforts. Do a search with a Google search operator for links. Specifically, search for link:example.com, where you replace example.com with your competitor’s website. Then click on each link to find directories that your competitor is listed in.
Method 5: Remember your blog
We almost always recommend our clients maintain an active blog. If you do, you can enhance your link profile with links to your blog from blog directories that are a good match for your business. Just do a search for blog directories and look for directories that list businesses like yours.
Another tip
Expand your thinking when searching for a niche directory. When looking for a directory, try to think of all markets that relate to your web site. You may be surprised at what can count as a related directory.
For example, while working for an elder law firm that does guardianship as one of their sub-practice areas, I found the Special Needs Alliance website which lists many Certified Elder Law Attorneys. Keep an open mind about related topics that might be perfect for you.
Persistence pays off
You may need to search through several directories before you find some quality, free or affordable niche directories that are right for you; however, persistence pays off.
You may need to explore some directories to find their pricing plans, many of which offer a free option. There are very likely to be some great directories that can enhance your link profile, improve your domain authority and even bring in some high quality, targeted traffic as well.
Your persistence will be worth it.
How’s your experience been with finding niche directories? Start a discussion below.
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Online reviews, whether positive or negative, affect your reputation.
That in turn impacts your revenue. For example, BrightLocal found that 57% of consumers will only use a business if it has 4 or more stars.
That’s because customers see your online review profile and believe those reviews. According to Inc. Magazine, 84% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from family and friends.
Don’t go nuts. Watch your review velocity; review sites and Google certainly do. If you get too many reviews too fast, they may be seen as purchased links or spam and be filtered out.
Diversity is important. If a citation site you’re listed on features reviews and you have none there, your citation is incomplete. It reduces your authority and your credibility.
Action Plan: how to manage your online review profile
Look yourself up by name
The first thing that jumps out at people is your Google Knowledge Panel at the top right. This is probably the most important place for you to have online review stars. If you don’t have any stars here, this is the first place to get them.
What other citations appear on the page? Your Facebook page may show up, perhaps a MerchantCircle page, maybe a Yelp listing, and maybe others. Do they have review stars? If not, those should be the second priority for you.
Online reviews don’t just happen
A good online review profile doesn’t just happen. If you have an unhappy customer their anger or disappointment provides built-in motivation for them to leave you a bad review. Happy customers are less likely to write a review without a little prompting.
Some businesses post a sign that says something like “We welcome your review on Yelp.” Or some variation on that. That plants the suggestion in the customer’s mind that they can (should) share their opinion of you.
Beyond that, you can also ask your customer for a review. Some businesses do that at checkout. Others that have customer email addresses send them an email request for a review with a link to your listing on the platform of your choice to make it easy for them.
Check out your niche
Do a keyword search like car repair shop in Morristown. Or New Jersey elder law attorney. Which industry sites and local directories show up? You may find something like a Morristown business directory. Or you may find a directory of elder law attorneys. If those directories accept online reviews, you need to have some there. If the site is fee-based, you may need to consider the relative value, but many are free.
Check out your competitors
Which of your competitors show up for your most important keywords? Search those keywords and make a note of which competitors are showing up on the first page or two. And then look up those competitors by name and see where they have citations with review stars. Those are all places you should also have reviews. Go through at least the first three pages of results for each competitor to catch the most important citation/review sites.
Consider broader sites as well
There are a number of more generic sites that are powerful sources of online reviews. Some of the best ones include:
It’s not enough to just ask customers for reviews. You need to respond to reviews as they appear. It’s normal for reviews to appear that you haven’t requested. And not all of those reviews will be glowing.
Responding to reviews promptly is associated with a 33% increase in conversions. We talk about the importance of monitoring and responding to reviews in our post Respond to Reviews and Get More Business.
As you might imagine, it can be quite time-consuming to monitor all of the places that host reviews for you. Fortunately there is the relatively easy solution. Most of our local SEO clients subscribe to a service that, among other things, sends them an email every time a new review is posted, with a link to that review so they can reply. If that’s of interest to you, reach out to me and I’ll explain how it works.
Your perspective is valuable. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Let’s talk about how important anchor text is on your inbound links from other websites.
First off, what is anchor text?
Links to websites or other pages are usually formatted differently from the rest of the text in a sentence or paragraph so they stand out. Anchor text is simply the word or words you can click on the follow the link.
And it’s more important than you might think.
Two critical factors govern where you rank in search results
Where you rank in any search engine is essentially a function of two variables, relevance and reputation. Relevance has to do with how relevant your page is for the keyword being searched. This is what classic on-page SEO addresses: keyword relevance in your content. The other variable is reputation, which search engines essentially measure by your inbound link profile. This is often termed off-page SEO.
A link with a keyword in the anchor text helps on both accounts.
Inbound link reputation value
Authority is a term used to indicate the likelihood of a page ranking well in Google, irrespective of the search term. It’s a measure of the importance of a page. The most common metric is from Moz, called Page Authority and it’s designed to mimic Google’s internal PageRank.
Every page on the web has its own Page Authority, on a scale of 1-100. In simple terms, the more inbound links your page has, the higher its Page Authority. When a web page links to you, it gives your page a fraction of its own Page Authority. So a link from a high authority page is worth many times as much to you as a link from a low authority page.
Inbound link relevance value
Some have alleged that what other web sites say in their links to you matters more than what’s actually on your web site. I don’t believe that’s true, but a famous prank clearly illustrates the power of anchor text.
During the administration of George W. Bush a technique called Google Bombing emerged. If you did a search for “miserable failure” or “worst president”, the #1 result in the search engines was the official WhiteHouse.gov biography of President George W. Bush.
If you had gone to President Bush’s biography and searched for the word “miserable” or the word “worst” you wouldn’t have found either one anywhere on the page. So why did Google think that page was really about those search terms?
Apparently, many bloggers had created links that pointed to President Bush’s biography and said “miserable failure” and “worst president” in the anchor text . Since those words weren’t on his bio page, the #1 result people found in Google was driven entirely by anchor text.
Here’s the moral of the story
Don’t request a link just for the authority value. Make sure you have keywords in the anchor text, too.
Prominence refers to how widely across the web you’re listed with a correct and consistent NAP (name, address, phone). It’s particularly important for small businesses to show up in local search results and in the Google Local 3-Pack. These listings are often called citations and citation management deserves ongoing attention from small local businesses. But don’t be misled by many of the common misconceptions about citations that are floating around.
And it’s more important than you might think.
