Google’s 200 Ranking Factors: The Complete List 2023

Understanding Google Ranking Factors is essential to navigate the complexities of SEO effectively. Google relies on a vast array of over 200 known ranking factors, with varying degrees of importance. Furthermore, Google search engine frequently updates its algorithm to enhance user experience and address issues. Staying informed about these updates and identifying the most significant ranking factors for your content is paramount for successful SEO.

200 of Google’s Most Significant Ranking Factors

Domain Ranking Factors

• Domain Age: While some believe that older domains are favored by Google, John Mueller of Google has debunked this myth, stating that domain age itself does not hold much weight.
• Keyword Appears in Top Level Domain: While not as powerful as it once was, having a keyword in your domain name can still signal relevance to Google.
• Domain Registration Length: Google’s patent suggests that domains registered for longer periods may be seen as more legitimate.
• Keyword in Subdomain: Moz’s experts agree that a keyword in the subdomain can boost rankings.
• Domain History: Websites with volatile ownership or frequent domain drops may have their history reset, affecting their rankings.
• Exact Match Domain (EMD): EMDs offer little direct SEO benefit, and low-quality EMDs can be vulnerable to updates.
• Public vs. Private WhoIs: Private WhoIs information may raise suspicions, but it’s not inherently a negative factor.
• Penalized WhoIs Owner: Google may scrutinize other sites owned by a spammer.
• Country TLD Extension: Country-specific domains (.cn, .pt, .ca) can help with local rankings but may limit global reach.

Page-Level Ranking Factors

• Keyword in Title Tag: Title tags remain important for on-page SEO.
• Title Tag Starts with Keyword: Titles starting with the keyword may perform better.
• Keyword in Description Tag: The meta description doesn’t directly affect rankings but can impact click-through rates.
• Keyword Appears in H1 Tag: H1 tags serve as a secondary relevancy signal.
• TF-IDF: Google likely uses TF-IDF to determine page content relevance.
• Content Length: Longer content tends to rank better, with the average first-page result being around 1400 words.
• Table of Contents: A linked table of contents can enhance user experience and result in sitelinks.
• LSI Keywords in Content: Latent Semantic Indexing keywords help Google understand context.
• LSI Keywords in Title and Description Tags: LSI keywords in meta tags aid in content relevance.
• In-Depth Topic Coverage: Comprehensive content often outranks shallow coverage.
• Page Loading Speed via HTML: Page speed impacts rankings, with Google using Chrome user data for evaluation.
• Use of AMP: AMP may be required for mobile Google News Carousel rankings.
• Entity Match: Content matching user queries may receive ranking boosts.
• Google Hummingbird: This algorithm change allows Google to better understand page topics beyond keywords.
• Duplicate Content: Identical or slightly modified duplicate content can harm visibility.
• Rel=Canonical: Proper use can prevent penalties for duplicate content.
• Image Optimization: Images send relevancy signals through alt text, file names, titles, descriptions, and captions.
• Content Recency: Google’s Caffeine update favors recently published or updated content, especially for time-sensitive queries.
• Magnitude of Content Updates: Significant edits carry more weight than minor changes.
• Historical Page Updates: Frequency of page updates can affect freshness.
• Keyword Prominence: Keywords in the first 100 words correlate with higher rankings.
• Keyword in H2, H3 Tags: Subheadings signal content structure to Google.
• Outbound Link Quality: Linking to authoritative sites can send trust signals to Google.
• Outbound Link Theme: Linking to related content aligns with content quality.
• Grammar and Spelling: Proper grammar and spelling are quality signals.
• Syndicated Content: Original content ranks better than copied or scraped material.
• Mobile-Friendly Update: Mobile optimization is crucial for ranking on mobile devices.
• Mobile Usability: Mobile-friendly sites may perform better in Google’s mobile-first index.
• “Hidden” Content on Mobile: Hidden content may not be indexed or weighed as heavily unless it’s essential.
• Helpful “Supplementary Content”: Value-added content, such as currency converters, can indicate a page’s quality.
• Content Hidden Behind Tabs: Google may not index content hidden behind tabs.
• Number of Outbound Links: Too many outgoing links can dilute PageRank.
• Multimedia: Images, videos, and other media elements can signal content quality.
• Number of Internal Links Pointing to Page: More internal links indicate importance.
• Quality of Internal Links Pointing to Page: Links from authoritative internal pages are more influential.
• Broken Links: Excessive broken links can lower site quality.
• Reading Level: Google estimates reading levels on webpages.
• Affiliate Links: Excessive affiliate links may be a sign of low-quality content.
• HTML Errors/W3C Validation: Well-coded pages are considered a quality signal.
• Domain Authority: Pages on authoritative domains tend to rank higher.
• Page’s PageRank: Pages with higher authority often outrank lower-authority pages.

URL Ranking Factors

• URL Length: Excessively long URLs may negatively affect visibility.
• URL Path: Proximity to the homepage may influence rankings.
• Human Editors: Google has filed a patent for human editors influencing SERPs.
• Page Category: Relevant categories may boost relevance and rankings.
• Keyword in URL: Keywords in URLs signal relevance.
• URL String: Categories in the URL can provide thematic signals.
• References and Sources: Citing authoritative sources can indicate quality.
• Bullets and Numbered Lists: Lists improve content readability.
• Priority of Page in Sitemap: Sitemap priorities may influence ranking.
• Too Many Outbound Links: Excessive outgoing links can lower PageRank.
• UX Signals From Other Keywords Page Ranks For: Ranking for related keywords may indicate quality.
• Page Age: Older pages regularly updated may outperform newer ones.
• User-Friendly Layout: Quality pages present main content immediately.
• Parked Domains: Google’s update in 2011 decreased visibility of parked domains.
• Useful Content: Google distinguishes between quality and useful content.

Site-Level Ranking Factors

• Content Provides Value and Unique Insights: Google penalizes sites lacking value.
• Contact Us Page: Sites with appropriate contact info are favored.
• Domain Trust/TrustRank: Trustworthiness is a vital ranking factor.
• Site Architecture: A well-structured site is favored by Google.
• Site Updates: Regular updates may positively affect freshness.
• Presence of Sitemap: A sitemap helps with indexing and visibility.
• Site Uptime: Downtime can harm rankings.
• Server Location: The server’s location can impact local search results.
• Mobile Optimized: Mobile-responsive sites perform better on mobile SERPs.
• SSL/HTTPS: Secure sites receive a ranking boost.
• Terms of Service and Privacy Pages: These pages demonstrate site trustworthiness.
• Breadcrumb Navigation: Breadcrumbs enhance user navigation.
• Breadcrumb Structured Data: Implementing structured data for breadcrumbs can enhance site appearance in search results.
• Site Over-Optimization: Over-optimized sites may be penalized.
• XML Sitemap Priority: Indicate page importance in XML sitemaps.

Backlink Factors on SEO Rankings

• Number of Backlinks: The more high-quality backlinks, the better.
• Linking Domain Age: Older domains may carry more weight.
• Linking Page’s Relevance: Links from relevant pages are more valuable.
• Links from .edu or .gov Domains: These are often considered high-quality backlinks.
• Anchor Text Optimization: Natural anchor text diversity is key.
• Link Placement in Content: Contextual links are more powerful.
• Backlink Velocity: A sudden influx of links can raise red flags.
• No follow vs. Follow Links: Both types of links are essential for link profile diversity.
• Linking IP Address: Links from unique IPs are more valuable.
• Linking C-Class IP: Diversity in IP addresses indicates natural link acquisition.
• Linking Root Domains: The number of unique domains linking matters.
• Links from “Bad Neighborhoods”: Links from spam sites can harm rankings.
• Guest Posting: Overused guest posting may be seen as spam.
• Links from Articles and Press Releases: Links from such sources are devalued.
• Manual Penalties: Google can penalize sites for manipulative link building.
• Link Quality of Outbound Links: Low-quality outbound links can affect your site’s credibility.
• Reciprocal Links: Excessive reciprocal linking may be penalized.
• Natural Link Profile: A natural link profile is diverse.
• User Engagement with Content: High user engagement can lead to more backlinks.

User Interaction Factors

• RankBrain: Google’s AI algorithm, RankBrain, is believed to measure user interactions with search results and adjust rankings accordingly.
• Organic Click-Through Rate for a Keyword: Pages with higher organic click-through rates (CTR) for specific keywords may receive a ranking boost.
• Organic CTR for All Keywords: A site’s overall organic CTR across all keywords it ranks for may serve as a user interaction signal, similar to a quality score.
• Bounce Rate: High bounce rates could indicate poor user satisfaction and may impact rankings. Studies have shown a correlation between bounce rate and Google rankings.
• Direct Traffic: Google considers data from Google Chrome to track site visits. Sites with substantial direct traffic are likely to be of higher quality.
• Repeat Traffic: Sites with repeat visitors may receive a ranking boost.
• Pogo Sticking: Pogo Sticking occurs when users quickly return to search results after clicking on a page. Google may penalize pages with high Pogo Sticking rates.
• Blocked Sites: Although Google has discontinued this feature in Chrome, it may still use variations of it as a quality signal.
• Chrome Bookmarks: Google collects Chrome browser data, and pages bookmarked in Chrome might receive a ranking boost.
• Number of Comments: Pages with numerous comments may indicate user interaction and content quality, which can positively impact rankings.
• Dwell Time: Google closely monitors dwell time, which measures how long users stay on a page from a Google search. Longer dwell times signal better content quality.

Special Google Algorithm Rules

• Query Deserves Freshness: Google tends to boost newer pages for specific searches that demand fresh content.
• Query Deserves Diversity: For ambiguous keywords, Google may introduce diversity in search results to provide varied information.
• User Browsing History: Google considers user browsing history when determining search results, favoring frequently visited websites.
• User Search History: Previous search queries influence subsequent search results. For example, if a user searches for “reviews” and then “toasters,” toaster review sites may rank higher in the results.
• Featured Snippets: SEMRush research suggests that Google selects Featured Snippets based on factors such as content length, formatting, page authority, and HTTPS usage.
• Geo Targeting: Google prioritizes websites with local server IPs and country-specific domain extensions for local searches.
• Safe Search: Safe Search filters explicit content from search results when enabled.
• “YMYL” Keywords: Google imposes higher content quality standards for “Your Money or Your Life” keywords, particularly in health and finance niches.
• DMCA Complaints: Pages that are the subject of valid Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) complaints may be ranked lower.
• Domain Diversity: More domains are purportedly shown on each SERP page as a result of the infamous “Bigfoot Update.”
• Transactional Searches: When a user searches for a flight, for example, Google occasionally returns different results.
• Local Searches: Google frequently displays local results atop the “regular” organic SERPs for local queries.
• Box of Top Stories: Some keywords cause the Top Stories box to appear:
• Major Brand Preference: Following the Vince Update, Google started prioritizing major brands for certain keyword rankings.
• Shopping Outcomes: In organic search results, Google occasionally shows Google Shopping results:
• Image Results: Occasionally, Google photos show up in the standard, organic search results.
• Easter Egg Results: There are around a dozen Easter Egg results on Google. When you use Google image search and type in “Atari Breakout,” for instance, the search results transform into a playable game (!). For this one, I’d like to thank Victor Pan.
• Results from a Single Site for Brands: Keywords related to domain names or brands display many results from the same website.
• Payday Loans Update: This unique algorithm was created to eliminate “extremely spam queries.”

Brand Signals

• Brand Name Anchor Text: Branded anchor text serves as a strong brand signal.
• Branded Searches: Users frequently searching for a brand in Google indicates that the site is recognized as a real brand.
• Brand + Keyword Searches: When users search for specific keywords alongside a brand name, it may lead to a rankings boost for the non-branded version of that keyword.
• Site Has Facebook Page and Likes: Brands often have Facebook pages with a significant number of likes.
• Site Has Twitter Profile with Followers: Twitter profiles with many followers indicate a popular brand.
• Official LinkedIn Company Page: Most legitimate businesses maintain company LinkedIn pages.
• Known Authorship: Verified online profiles tied to search results rank higher, according to Google’s former CEO Eric Schmidt.
• Legitimacy of Social Media Accounts: Google filed a patent for distinguishing real from fake social media accounts.
• Brand Mentions on Top Stories: Prominent brands are frequently mentioned in top news stories, which can influence search results.
• Unlinked Brand Mentions: Even without links, brand mentions can serve as brand signals to Google.
• Brick and Mortar Location: Physical business locations are a sign of a legitimate brand.

On-Site Web-spam Factors

• Panda Penalty: Sites with low-quality content, particularly content farms, may experience reduced visibility after receiving a Panda penalty.
• Links to Bad Neighborhoods: Linking to spam or low-quality websites can negatively impact search visibility.
• Redirects: Sneaky redirects can result in penalties or even de-indexing if detected by Google.
• Popups or “Distracting Ads”: Pages with excessive popups or distracting ads may be considered low-quality by Google.
• Interstitial Pop Ups: Google may penalize sites using full-page interstitial popups for mobile users.
• Site Over-Optimization: Over-optimization tactics, including keyword stuffing and excessive use of keywords, can lead to penalties.
• Gibberish Content: Google can identify and filter out gibberish content, typically generated by automated tools.
• Doorway Pages: Google discourages the use of doorway pages that redirect users to other pages.
• Ads Above the Fold: Pages with an abundance of ads at the top of the page may be penalized by Google’s Page Layout Algorithm.

Off-Site Webspam Factors

• Hacked Site: Hacked sites can be removed from search results.
• Unnatural Influx of Links: Sudden, unnatural increases in backlinks may indicate suspicious activity.
• Penguin Penalty: Google Penguin targets low-quality or spam backlinks, impacting site visibility.
• Link Profile with High % of Low Quality Links: Backlinks from low-quality sources can lead to penalties.
• Links From Unrelated Websites: An excessive number of backlinks from unrelated sites may result in penalties.
• Unnatural Links Warning: Google sends warnings about detected unnatural links, which may precede a ranking drop.
• Low-Quality Directory Links: Backlinks from low-quality directories can lead to penalties.
• Widget Links: Automatically generated links when users embed widgets on their sites can be frowned upon by Google.
• Links from the Same Class C IP: An unnatural concentration of links from the same server IP may be indicative of a blog network and can affect rankings.
• “Poison” Anchor Text: Anchor text with spam keywords may harm rankings and indicate spam or a hacked site.
• Unnatural Link Spike: Google can identify and devalue unnatural link spikes.
• Links From Article Directories and Press Releases: Links from article directories and press releases are considered a “link scheme” by Google.
• Manual Actions: Manual penalties may be imposed for various black hat link-building tactics.
• Selling Links: Selling links can result in search visibility issues.
• Google Sandbox: New sites with sudden link influxes may be temporarily limited in search visibility.
• Google Dance: Google Dance can temporarily impact rankings, helping Google detect manipulation attempts.
• Disavow Tool: The Disavow Tool can remove penalties for sites targeted by negative SEO.
• Reconsideration Request: Successful reconsideration requests can lift penalties.
• Temporary Link Schemes: Google can identify temporary link schemes and devalue their impact.

Conclusion

In the dynamic landscape of SEO, staying up-to-date with Google’s ranking factors is essential for digital marketers and website owners. While this comprehensive guide covers over 200 ranking factors, it’s important to remember that Google’s algorithm considers many more signals when determining search rankings. As Google continues to refine its algorithm, the importance of some factors may change, and new factors may emerge. Therefore, it’s crucial to stay informed and adapt your SEO strategy accordingly to maintain and improve your website’s visibility in search results.