For years, Google has been quite secretive about the specifics and processes of how the algorithm works in ranking web pages. While they have provided some brief insights over the past years, most strategies we know are still based on studies and trials of marketers and SEO experts. However, with the recent Google Search Algorithm Leak, wherein over 2,500 pages of documents containing thousands of attributes and modules about Google’s API were leaked through GitHub, things are about to change.
If your SEO needs improvement, then this API Leak will tell you why your methods are not working and what factors you should invest your time and effort in for maximum results. Digital marketers and SEO professionals are all scrambling to understand what this new information entails, and that is no surprise, considering how some of the details found in the leak contradict Google’s statements.
Here are a few notable takeaways to optimize your SEO strategies:
Website Authority
Previously, the prevailing belief was that the quality of the web page itself was the sole determinant of its search ranking. However, the leak has shattered this notion. One of its significant revelations is the existence of a ‘siteAuthority’ attribute, indicating that the algorithm also considers the authority of the entire website, not just the specific web page where the content is located.
With this information, optimizing your entire website instead of focusing on individual pages will help you reach the top page of Google searches. Build your website’s authority through various backlinks to reputable sites and link-worthy content, develop your entire website accordingly, and show consistency in quality and credibility across all web pages.
User Engagement
Clicks and user engagements were found to have a significant role in the ranking system with the existence of the ‘NavBoost’ attribute. The more clicks, shares, comments, and visits your webpage has, the more likely it is to be at the top of the searches. Start spending your efforts on utilizing other platforms to increase engagement, such as linking the web pages in your social media, press releases, and other publications. Establishing relationships with other businesses and organizations will also help improve reach and engagement.
Google Analytics is a must for tracking website interactions, as it provides metrics such as the number of visits, the top pages clicked/visited, the time on page, etc. Make sure to use these insights to see how well your content is received and where further improvement is needed.
Content Utility
While it is essential to write keyword-optimized content, context and relevance still play a much more significant role. A considerable component of Google’s Algorithm is the ‘Neural Search Ranking (NSR),’ which analyzes whether your content answers the user’s queries about the presented topic. This means that adding a diverse range of information and materials, such as videos, graphics, and other interactive tools that will improve your content’s utility to the users, will boost your website ranking. Adding fresh numerical data and statistics also seems to be favorable.
Writing well-structured, concise, meaningful, and highly informative content is essential in crafting any web page to meet the demands of the algorithm. This will also showcase your expertise, further improving your reputation, as users will likely see you as a credible source of information.
These new concepts and ideas for improving SEO are sure to change the industry. We are all ecstatic to finally grasp the mysterious Google Search Algorithm better after years of being in the dark. However, it is still important to keep in mind that these factors may change at any given moment or that Google might introduce new systems to its API. Therefore, like what we have continuously done in the past, we must keep on testing and analyzing results to improve strategies.
C2 Communications provides website development, content writing, and digital marketing services to help your business’s SEO journey. We work on helping you reach the top of the page of Google searches and ensure that all content aligns with your brand identity and showcases your expertise to your target audience.
