Search engine optimization plays a pivotal role in the marketing funnel of any modern businesses, especially in a digitally-oriented world where the market is saturated with competition. 75 per cent of consumers, on the other hand, ignore search results that go beyond the first page of Google, Yahoo, or Bing.
Unfortunately, there are a plethora of ways that impact your brand’s ranking online, and sleuthing all the possible factors that Google recognizes can be a hit or miss. Understanding Google’s ranking signals is crucial if you want to maximize the effectiveness of optimizing your pages, so the list below explores some of the common factors that have higher chances of catapulting your business ahead of the crowd.
Factor #1: Crawlability
Beyond relevant and quality content, your website will not rank properly if the search engine bots can’t find it. Site crawlability is often overlooked when compared to other ranking factors like mobile-friendliness, page load speed, targeted keywords, and more, but it’s one of the first things that can make or mar your SEO.
With that in mind, you first need to provide access to search engines so Google and the likes can index your site properly. You can do this by submitting a sitemap to the leading search engines, and use robots.txt to let crawlers differentiate the pages you want to open and leave unchecked.
Factor #2: Page Load Speed
Your website can have a design that is dressed to impress, but good looks will do nothing if your site loads slowly. If it takes beyond five seconds to load high-resolution images, videos, graphics, and other content, then users will immediately find a different website to explore.
Sluggish websites create a poor user experience, which is why it’s crucial to optimize your content and large media files to ensure it can be up to speed without compromising its quality. You can use a site speed checker like Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool to check if your site is loading smoothly and speedily.
If not, then it’s time to take the steps to speed up your game by adding website caching, compressing files, minimizing redirects, and more for both desktop and mobile use.
Factor #3: Mobile-Friendliness
Many websites have it all – reliable site security, a high authority from quality backlinks, impressive loading speed, and all the right keywords placed smartly throughout the content. However, Google prioritizes other factors like mobile-friendliness more than anything, especially since 52.2 per cent of the total internet traffic in the world derives from mobile usage. In 2020, the number is only rising without any signs of slowing down.
This responsiveness allows your website to tap into a wider range of audiences and ensures all users are provided with a seamless experience, no matter the size of the screen.
The Bottom Line: Exploring Different Ranking Factors for Voice SEO to Improve Your Visibility
Achieving the top ranks on search results is possible by combining a mix of factors that strengthen your SEO strategy and creates the best experience for your viewers. The list above shows one of the top-ranking factors that Google uses, but Local SEO Pro can help you tap into more with our industry-leading tools and data-driven strategies.
If you’re looking to incorporate voice search optimization, for instance, we’re the best agency to call! We offer a multi-service SEO platform in the USA that can help boost your SEO. Get in touch with us today to get the best voice-focused SEO solution on the market!
