16 Mar Technical SEO and New Google Ranking Factors

Technical SEO refers to the optimization of a website’s technical elements to improve its search engine visibility and performance. While the core principles of technical SEO remain relatively stable, search engines like Google continuously update their algorithms and introduce new ranking factors. As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, here are some important technical SEO considerations and potential new ranking factors that could be relevant to your website.

Technical SEO Considerations:

1. Website Speed: Ensure your website loads quickly, as page speed is a crucial ranking factor. Optimize images, minimize server response time, and use caching techniques to improve speed.
2. Mobile-Friendliness: With the mobile-first indexing approach, it’s essential to have a responsive website design that provides a seamless experience across different devices.
3. Site Structure: Create a logical and intuitive site structure with clear navigation. Use XML sitemaps and ensure proper internal linking to help search engines understand and crawl your website easily.
4. URL Structure: Use descriptive, user-friendly URLs that include relevant keywords and make it easier for both search engines and users to understand the content of a page.
5. Canonicalization: Implement canonical tags to address duplicate content issues and specify the preferred version of a page to avoid potential ranking problems.
6. Robots.txt and XML Sitemap: Have a well-optimized robots.txt file to control search engine crawling and ensure you have an up-to-date XML sitemap that includes all relevant pages.
7. HTTPS and Security: Switch to HTTPS to ensure secure communication between your website and users. Google considers HTTPS as a ranking signal.

Google Ranking Factors:

1. Content Quality: Create high-quality, unique, and relevant content that satisfies user intent and provides value. Engaging and well-structured content tends to perform better in search results.
2. Backlinks: Earn high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites. Backlinks are considered a strong ranking factor, as they indicate trust and authority.
3. User Experience (UX): Focus on providing a positive user experience by optimizing website design, layout, and navigation. Factors like low bounce rates, longer dwell times, and good click-through rates may indirectly influence rankings.
4. Page Experience: Google has introduced Core Web Vitals as part of its Page Experience update. These metrics assess a website’s loading, interactivity, and visual stability, including factors like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
5. Mobile-Friendliness: With the mobile-first indexing approach, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial. Google considers the mobile version of a site for indexing and ranking.
6. E-A-T: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness are vital factors for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) websites. Establish your expertise, build authoritativeness, and ensure trustworthy content to rank well in these niches.
7. User Intent: Google strives to deliver search results that best match user intent. Align your content with the search intent behind target keywords to improve rankings.
8. Social Signals: While not directly confirmed as a ranking factor, social signals (e.g., likes, shares, and comments) may indirectly influence rankings by increasing visibility, traffic, and brand authority.

It’s important to note that the SEO landscape is constantly evolving, and search engines like Google regularly update their algorithms. Staying informed about the latest trends, best practices, and official announcements from search engines is crucial for effective technical SEO.