Google changes its algorithm for website ranking every year. With over 3 billion searches each day, it is the market leader among all other search engines. Google ranking factors are inclined towards creating a better user experience. It evaluates millions of sites based on a set of ranking factors. All said and done; you need to devise a first-rate SEO strategy for your website to rank at the top position in the Google search engine in 2019.
Here are the ranking factors that are going to be hugely significant in 2019.
1. High-quality content is a critical Google ranking factor
Content is still ruling and is definitely of utmost importance even in 2019. Create pages that offer value to users. Wafer-thin content is not going take your site anywhere. Publish high- quality content that is likely to increase user time on the page and decrease bounce rate.
Good quality content being a crucial Google ranking factor also needs to include the following aspects:
Keyword research
Keywords have become a map for content creation. Set up a team for data mining and competitor research. This is surely going to help you uncover excellent keywords with high search volume and will give you a higher click-through rate for users. Know the primary keywords suited for your industry-type and get them incorporated into content that finds acceptance with the users.
Search intent
If you want to pool in organic traffic, then you need to identify the search intent of your users. Your content needs to be more in tune with searcher intent. Google Analytics is the best source to know what the intent of your target audience is.
Rich snippet
Snippets aid in amplifying your click-through rate and reducing your bounce rate. If you give a rich snippet for your content, then that enables users to have a better preview of what your content is all about. They are more likely to click on it and read it.
2. Mobile-compatibility
Your website is likely to get penalized by Google if it ain’t mobile-friendly. Optimizing your website for mobile phones is one of the key Google ranking factors in 2019. Here are few aspects to get into your website so that it has high mobile compatibility:
- It should have large tabs
- It should have high-resolution pictures
- Large font size
- Images should be full width
- Do not use flash
3. Domain age, authority and URL
One of the crucial Google ranking factors is the domain age. Sites that have been around for a while are highly favored by Google. The newer sites, on the other hand, require some amount of time to show their value and gain a good position on the search engine. The older the site is, the more authoritative it is. Users take it to be more trustworthy, and so do search engines.
4. Backlinks
Backlinks are still a critical Google ranking factor in 2019. You must ensure that your website is able to earn authoritative and superior quality backlinks. Backlinks tend to give a boost to your SEO. Tools like SEMRush and Ahrefs help you find quality backlinks. You can analyze links from competitor websites using these tools and do something similar for your own website. Internal linking can also help you go a long way in attaining high rank and an appropriate website structure. Get set to rethink your SEO strategy and go for an exclusive link building plan.
5. User experience
You simply cannot neglect user experience. It is one of the most crucial Google ranking factors, and you need to meet certain criteria to make a visit to your site a smooth experience for your users. Show Google how you are catering to the needs of your visitors. Give them great content and easy navigation of your site. In return, they will stay on your site for a longer duration while Google will keep sending in more traffic.
Some of the best and useful SEO practices for ranking are:
- Use- friendly website architecture
- Responsive site with fast loading time
- Use catchy titles for content and calls to action
- Interact with visitors through feedback and comments
- Post visually engaging and informative content
SEO is more than a lengthy list of Google ranking factors. You need to figure out the loopholes in your website and chalk out a budget to fix them. You can always trust professional SEO experts to do the work for you. However, do remember that Google keeps on changing its algorithms; so you need to be on your toes all the time.