SEO is always changing but still remains as one of the top ways to rank high on search engines especially Google. While always changing, SEO is important if you want to get traffic.
Over-time a well optimized website gets more traffic which translates to more leads and sales. If your website does not have SEO, potential clients and guests cannot find your website and all your hard work will go to waste.
Important SEO Factors To Note
However, there are so many SEO factors that you need to consider. All of this work can be intimidating especially to newbies. In this blog, we will focus on the most important SEO factors that you need to focus on.
Secure & Accessible Website
First of all, you need the right kind of URL. You need a URL that Google bots can easily reach. This means that Google has to be able to find your URL, crawl the page and understand what it’s about. To help the bots out you need:
- You need a website that is well coded.
- A robots.txt file to help Google find site information.
- A site map that lists all of your pages.
HTTPS is not a primary factor for Google to index your site, but it is a “lightweight ranking factor”. However, having HTTPS is still great for your site.
Page Speed Loading
Page loading speed includes the loading speed of your mobile pages. Page speed has been a ranking factor for years. This is because Google wants to let searchers have a positive experience on the web.
Google has announced that they will be including mobile page load speed as early as 2018. If your site does not load fast, it could get penalized.
Mobile Friendliness
Your website should also be responsive. This means that it is screen friendly not only for desktop and laptop users but for mobile and gadget users too.
Google’s mobile-first policy is real. Google has been prioritizing mobile friendliness mainly due to the increase of people who are using their smartphones and gadgets to access the internet. If you’re site is not mobile friendly, it could be missing out on visitors.
A mobile friendly website is:
- A website that automatically resizes to the size of the screen of the user.
- Using large fonts for easy readability on a small screen.
- Easy navigation including easy to tap menu.
- Ensuring that essential content isn’t hidden by interstitial ads.
Domain Age & Authority
Did you know that the top sites listed on Google have a domain age of 3 years or more? Data shows that very few sites that are a few months old achieve top ranking. This means that if you’ve had your website for a while and optimize it, you’re already at an advantage.
In some cases, domain names also matter. Although Google has penalized sites with exact-match domains (those that target keywords), that penalty is generally for spammy sites with thin content.
Authority is important too. This means content has to be great and original.
Optimized Content
Google likes good content especially when it comes to ranking. Google’s algorithm relies on keywords. These are words and phrases searchers use when they are looking for information. They are also the words used to describe what your site is about. Ideally, both of these should match.
Get more SEO tips and how to increase traffic.
User Experience
Google will also take a look at how users experience your website. It uses an AI called RankBrain to take a look at:
- Click through rate – the number of people who click to visit your site.
- Bounce rate – the number of people who leave your site right away because they didn’t find what they needed.
- Dwell time – time they spent on your website after they’ve landed.
These are just a few examples of what Google looks at in order to know how to rank your website. While SEO is always changing, being in the know can help your website rank higher in SERPs.
If you need a SEO expert in Sydney, we can help your website perform better. SEO is an ongoing process and contacting us can help you focus more on your business.
