Deciphering How Search Ranking Factors Come Into Play

Let’s say you have a long-standing business, having endured continued success thanks to all your loyal customers. As any business model will show you – adapting to changes in our given environment means you must embrace today’s technology. You need a digital footprint – you need a website. Your website can be cutting-edge, visually enchanting & delightfully witty – but without fine-tuning important search ranking factors, your website traffic will be non-existent.

What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? It’s a way to get noticed. Getting to the top of the results page is the goal. If you’re in the business of selling candles, you want your website to pop up when a user searches “candles.” After all, the top three search results usually grab 50% of the traffic and engagement. Let’s examine some important search ranking factors by asking some even more important questions.

• Is your website accessible and secure? Bots are a search engine’s navigator. They help to make sense out of a website’s content and its respective pages. A sitemap allows for conflict-free navigation. Securing your website to avoid any unwanted entry is accomplished by enabling your SSL security (encrypted link between a server & browser). Updates need to be regularly made to your site’s software & security to keep the site relevant.
• How fast is your website? We all know what happens if a website is too slow – we look elsewhere. Website speed can determine whether users stay on your page or not. A Bounce rate can tell you who’s leaving your site after having only visited one page. The longer they stay on – the higher you’ll rank.
• Are you optimizing for mobile devices? The majority of users are on their cell phones rather than desktops. Your site must automatically resize to fit the users’ relevant device. Search engines are now favoring sites that are mobile-optimized.
• How old is your site? Search ranking can be affected by the age of your site. Over half of the sites which continue to show up in the top ten are over three years old. Even if you’ve completed your entire SEO checklist – sometimes you just need time. Positive SEO results don’t happen overnight.
• How are your keywords? Know your keywords and know your niche. An algorithm depends on them. Throwing every relevant keyword in a repetitive manner into your content won’t cut it, and may even hurt your results. Phrases must be coherent. It also helps to update your content and continuously keep it fresh.
• Have you planned your Meta titles & descriptions? This is the beginning of a bots journey. Is the content relevant to the users’ search inquiry? Primary keywords come first in your Meta title followed by page-specific details – again, legible to your users. A good Meta description with some primary and secondary keywords should be used to entice the reader to click for more information.

So, it’s clear that the question isn’t if search ranking factors affect your website. Now, it’s a question of when are you going to get on that SEO checklist?

The professionals at Kraus Marketing are here to help bring your website to the forefront of search results. Contact us today to learn more!