Google evaluates websites based on their 200+ ranking factors. These ranking factors are part of Google’s famous algorithm. This algorithm dictates which websites are ranked on top and well which do not. The ranking factors are more or not public knowledge. The information has been plenty publicized by Google experts, marketing agencies, and professionals.
The problem tends to be that it is simply overwhelming. To evaluate a website, there are over 200+ factors and many are not something a regular business person would be familiar with. So, in short how does Google evaluate a website? Here are some general details that are more for business people and retailers that want to gain some clarity and understanding.
How Does Google Evaluate A Website?
Here are some of the most important factors how Google evaluates a website. Keep in mind that Google changes their algorithm a few times over the course of a year. Therefore, some of these factors may increase or decrease in importance.
Website Backlinks
Backlinks carry the most value. Of course, they have to be relevant and of quality. For man-years, backlinks (other valuable and authority websites that are relevant linking to yours) have been a cornerstone of online marketing strategies.
Unique and Quality Content
Content is still king and websites that want to rank high in search results must produce unique and quality content. For best results, content should be optimized and frequently properly published on platforms such as company blogs.
Content Length Matters
The content that is produced and published on websites must be of proper length. The proper length gets the best results in search results. Short text on pages does not get the results. These days, search engines such as Google demand much longer, unique and useful content to rank in the top of search results.
Website Loading Speed
Search engines such as Google give more credit to websites that load faster. This is true for all search engines. Most consumers and potential customers will expect the website to load within a couple seconds. Websites that load slow rank lower automatically.
Page Optimization
Google and other search engines look for title tags, meta descriptions, and keywords for each website page. It is how a website owner optimizes the website for search results. Failure to do so has a negative impact on marketing efforts.
HTML Improvements
Google Webmaster Central is a critical (free) tool by Google to analyze many aspects of a website. It is also the tool used to check the HTML health of a website. To rank high in search results, a website must be free of errors.
There are many more factors that can be reviewed and analyzed for performance improvement of websites. Businesses and entrepreneurs that want to improve their website can always work with professionals and experts. Experienced professionals can quickly review the status of a website and provide the owner a complete report.