10 of Google’s Ranking Factors You Need To Consider

Create a Website That Ranks With Google's Search Engine

The internet is a crowded space, no matter what industry you are in. For a small business in California, success depends upon your company’s ability to rank high enough on Google’s search engine results pages. Utilizing the services of an SEO company in Santa Rosa can boost your rankings and increase traffic to your website.

How Do You Rank?

While there are other search engines out there, Google is by far the one that has the greatest impact on internet traffic. The company is forever altering the algorithms they use to rank websites. That said, there are 10 factors that are considered the most important.

1. User Experience

Make sure that your website has engaging content that keeps people on the page. While click-through rates are important, if you also have a high bounce rate, your rankings are not likely to increase.

2. Keyword-Optimized Content

Part of the art of creating engaging content is incorporating keywords that tell Google’s website crawlers what the article is about. An experienced small business digital marketing company understands how to conduct relevant keyword research and effectively includes targeted keywords in original and compelling content.

3. Image Optimization

Including images and videos on your website can significantly improve your rankings, as long as they are done correctly. This means that they need to relevant; include informative descriptions, titles and captions; and be the right file size, type and resolution.

4. Social Signals 

Social media is an important component in any successful marketing strategy. Using social media platforms can boost your rankings with Google, but you have to stay engaged!

5. Backlinks

Backlinks are always going to be a significant factor in SEO ranking. It is worth your while to hire an SEO company in Santa Rosa to ensure your website is linked from content on other relevant websites and blogs.

6. Schema

Creating a website with a structure that enables crawlers to understand what your page is about is imperative. Schemas are codes that are embedded in your site to help improve how search engines read your website.

7. Relevant Citations

When your website is seen as the go-to place for experience, authoritative and trusted information in your industry, your rankings go up. Make sure that your site includes your business name, address and phone number to help identify it.

8. Website Security

Security is a big deal for users, so it is a significant factor in Google’s ranking algorithm. Make sure your website has HTTPS encryption. 

9. Website Speed

If your webpages are slow to load, users are likely to become frustrated and move on to a competitor’s site. Optimizing speed for mobile devices is particularly important since a majority of people use their phones to search the internet for whatever it is they need.

10. Website Age

This last factor may not seem fair to those of you who are just getting your business, and therefore your website, off the ground. Unfortunately, the age of a site does play a role in Google rankings, and the longer your site is active, the better your ranking is. 

Where Can You Go for Marketing Help?

Fitz Designz is the leading digital marketing and website development company for small businesses in Santa Rosa, CA. For more information on how we can help you improve your Google rankings, contact us at (707)241-3489.