As technology evolves, search engines continuously improve their ranking algorithms to better assess relevance and provide results that align more closely with searcher intent.
Due to this constant refinement, search engine ranking factors are always changing. Factors that once had significant influence on search rankings may become less important, and new factors, such as mobile-friendliness or HTTPS, may emerge alongside advancing technologies and shifting user behaviors.
What are the most important ranking factors today, in 2017? A panel at SMX East, "SEO Ranking Factors in 2017: What’s Important and What’s Not," addressed this question. The panel included data from extensive studies conducted by SEMrush and Searchmetrics, as well as case studies and practical advice for updating your SEO strategies to align with current realities.
SEMrush Ranking Factors 2.0
The first panelist, Olga Andrienko from SEMrush, shared insights from a major study examining the top 100 positions for 600,000 keywords. Keywords were categorized by search volume:
- Very High: over 10,001 monthly searches
- High: 1,001 to 10,000 monthly searches
- Medium: 101 to 1,000 monthly searches
- Low: 1 to 100 monthly searches
SEMrush analyzed on-page factors, referring domains, and traffic data to identify the most significant ranking factors. Some findings include:
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Website security (HTTPS): 65% of domains in the top three positions for very high volume keywords are secure. Although not a huge factor, switching to HTTPS can aid conversions and build trust.
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Content length: Typically, longer content correlates with higher search rankings; content in the top three positions is 45% longer on average compared to the 20th position. Andrienko advised against simply writing a lot of content for better rankings; instead, focus on creating relevant content that matches user intent by offering greater value than competitors.
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Keywords: SEMrush found that:
- 35% of domains ranking for high-volume keywords did not have the keyword in their title.
- Only 8% of links for very high volume keywords contained a keyword in the anchor text.
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Website traffic: Direct traffic appeared to influence rankings, while search traffic did not.
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User signals: Bounce rate is typically lower for top positions, suggesting top sites offer more relevant content.
- Links: Quality link building is crucial, particularly for sites targeting keywords with fewer than 10,000 monthly searches.
SEMrush indicated that user signals and direct website traffic are strong predictors of top rankings. This might be due to the fact that top-ranking sites are all proficient in on-page optimization, necessitating Google to use new criteria for differentiation.
Why General Ranking Factors Are Dead!
Marcus Tober from Searchmetrics analyzed ranking factors, focusing on general and industry-specific trends rather than keyword search volume.
Tober identified broad trends, including improved page load times and the declining importance of keywords in titles, with only 48% of top websites featuring keywords in their title tags.
Searchmetrics noted that different industries weigh certain ranking factors differently. For example, HTTPS is more critical for finance websites, whereas image usage is more significant for travel sites.
Searchmetrics further analyzed niche-specific trends, such as the high usage of HTTPS on SEO websites and structured data on recipe sites.
Tober emphasized that ranking signals vary by industry and niche, urging a focus on users’ needs and competition analysis.
How to Put These Findings into Action
Herndon Hasty, digital marketing manager for The Container Store, presented practical applications using case studies.
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Site speed: Key recommendations include caching, consolidating external files, managing tags, and optimizing images.
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HTTPS: Despite potential site speed reduction, many advocate for the switch to HTTPS due to future ranking implications.
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Meta data: Titles can impact rankings, especially for lower-ranking pages, while meta descriptions boost click-through rates.
- SERP changes: Due to changes reducing organic results’ real estate, Hasty recommends targeting featured snippets and utilizing structured data.
These comprehensive insights from SEMrush, Searchmetrics, and The Container Store offer strategic guidance for maintaining competitive search engine rankings in 2017.
