Google’s True Ranking Factors Revealed?

Not long ago, an internal Google document leak emerged. The documents unveiled some factors Google takes into consideration when ranking websites in search results. What’s even more interesting is that some of the details from the leak contradict what Google has publicly stated.

Content as a Ranking Factor

It’s well-known that content is a key factor for SEO ranking. Google claims to reward websites with high-quality, informative content that is relevant to the user’s search query. The more valuable your content is to the user, the higher it will rank you in search results.
However, the leak confirms that your content should comprehensively cover the topic to achieve a good ranking. To determine whether a document is a core topic of the website, Google vectorizes pages and sites, then compares the page embeddings (siteRadius) with the site embeddings (siteFocusScore).
So, if your site is about SEO and you suddenly write an article about hiking gear, you’re unlikely to stand a chance of ranking well with such content.

Optimization Tips

1. Analyze your most successful content and identify common topics and entities that tie them together. This will help you refine your content strategy in line with your website’s main focus.
2. Create content clusters around your primary topic. These clusters should group related subtopics and long-tail keywords that provide comprehensive information on a specific aspect of your main theme. This structure helps Google understand the depth of your expertise and enhances your website’s topical authority.
3. Go beyond just using keywords. Use synonyms and related terms throughout your content to create a semantic network for your page. This helps Google better understand your content and its connection to the broader topic.
4. Identify key entities related to your topic and strategically integrate them into your content. Research and link to authoritative sources that discuss these entities. This can help establish your content as thought leadership and build trust with Google’s algorithm.
5. Always back up your claims with data, statistics, and relevant research findings. Link to authoritative sources and academic papers to showcase the credibility and completeness of your content.

Content Freshness

We knew that Google preferred fresh content. This means that websites that regularly produce new or updated content have a better chance of ranking higher in search results.

The leak confirms that content freshness continues to be a significant ranking factor for Google. We can assume freshness is important as Google looks at dates in the byline (bylineDate), in the URL (syntacticDate), and in the page content (semanticDate).

Optimization Tips

1. Create an editorial calendar and stick to it.
2. Ensure you specify the publication and update dates of your content.
3. Regularly update your website with new content. Outdated content also deserves to be updated when necessary.
4. Be consistent with the date you specify across your structured data, page titles, and XML sitemaps.
5. Do not include dates in URLs. Years later, when you update content, this date might conflict with the dates in the body of the text.

Page Titles

Page titles are still important. Google has a feature called titlematchScore which is believed to measure how well a page’s title matches a query.

Optimization Tips

1. Ensure your title is well-written and easy to read. Pay attention to grammar, sentence structure, and clarity.
2. Aim for clear and concise titles that accurately reflect your content. While length may not be a de-ranking factor, prioritize user readability and avoid keyword stuffing.
3. Structure your title as a question or a statement that directly answers the user’s query. This increases your chances of appearing as a featured snippet, which can significantly boost click-through rates.
4. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different title variations. Use A/B testing tools to see which titles drive the most clicks and conversions for your target audience.

Content Length

Actually, content length isn’t quite what we thought: there’s the OriginalContentScore metric suggesting short content is valued for its originality. This is likely why thin content isn’t always a function of length.

Optimization Tips

1. Don’t prioritize length over value. Focus on creating high-quality, informative content that comprehensively addresses the user’s search query.
2. Aim for user intent. Analyze what users are looking for with specific keywords and adjust your content length accordingly. Informational topics might require longer explanations, while transactional queries might be best suited for shorter, focused content.
3. Consider user attention spans. While long-form content can be valuable, keep in mind how long users can stay engaged. Strategically structure your content to deliver key information upfront and maintain user interest throughout.
4. Experiment with different lengths. Track your content’s performance and experiment with varying lengths to see what resonates best with your target audience.
5. Create content clusters that combine long-form pillar content with shorter, supporting pieces. This allows you to comprehensively cover a topic while catering to your users’ content consumption preferences.

Backlinks

The leak confirms that backlinks are still a very important ranking factor. However, it also suggests that Google may place more emphasis on the quality of backlinks rather than the quantity. This means that backlinks from high-authority, relevant websites are more valuable than backlinks from low-quality sites.

Optimization Tips

1. Create exceptional content that deserves to be linked to. Focus on in-depth analysis, unique data, and valuable insights that establish you as a thought leader in your industry. This will naturally attract backlinks from high-quality sources.
2. Prioritize backlinks from websites thematically relevant to yours. Links from complementary sites within your niche carry more weight than generic backlinks from unrelated sources.
3. Focus on acquiring backlinks through organic strategies like guest blogging, creating infographics, or participating in industry discussions. Avoid black-hat tactics such as buying links or link schemes, as they can lead to your site being penalized.
4. Utilize tools like SEO SpyGlass to assess the authority, relevance, and penalty risk of potential linking sites.
5. Build a diverse backlink profile with links from a variety of high-quality sources. This demonstrates a more natural linking pattern and avoids appearing suspicious to Google’s algorithms.

Indexing and Crawling

The leak confirms that the level of indexing plays a role. Websites in the higher tiers might be crawled and indexed more frequently.

This also applies to backlinks. The higher the tier, the more valuable the link. Newly published pages are also considered high quality. Therefore, you want your links to come from pages that are either recent or present in the top tier. This partly explains why getting links from well-ranked pages and news pages yields better performance.

Optimization Tips

1. Ensure your website adheres to Google’s core standards (Webmaster Guidelines). This includes having a mobile-friendly design, fast loading speed, and a clean code structure. A technically sound website is more likely to be crawled and indexed efficiently.
2. Regularly update your website with fresh, valuable content. Google prioritizes recently created content, so a consistent stream of high-quality updates can improve your indexing tier.
3. Focus on acquiring backlinks from high-authority, well-established websites in your niche. Prioritize links from pages that are updated frequently and rank well in search results.
4. Create a strong internal linking structure that efficiently connects your web pages. This helps Google understand your website’s hierarchy and navigate your content effectively, potentially improving your overall indexing tier.
5. Submit an optimized sitemap to Google Search Console (GSC). A well-structured sitemap assists Google in discovering and indexing all your important pages efficiently.
6. Regularly monitor your website’s indexing status in GSC. This allows you to identify any indexing issues and address them promptly to maintain a good standing within the indexing tiers.

Backlink Acquisition Speed

The leak highlights that Google tracks both the percentage of anchor spam and the speed at which low-quality backlinks appear. Therefore, a sudden spike in low-quality backlinks could be a red flag for Google, and your ranking might drop.

Optimization Tips

1. Prioritize building backlinks organically over time. Earning links through high-quality content creation, guest blogging, and industry engagement fosters a more natural linking pattern.
2. Avoid sudden spikes in backlinks. This can trigger spam alerts in Google’s algorithms. Focus on acquiring backlinks consistently and gradually over time.
3. Use backlink monitoring tools like SEO SpyGlass to track your link acquisition rate. Identify any unusual spikes and investigate their origin. Disavow any low-quality backlinks that could lead to a Google penalty.
4. Maintain a high standard of link quality. Acquire backlinks from relevant and authoritative websites with a clean link profile.
5. Encourage natural anchor text usage when other websites link to you. Avoid keyword stuffing or manipulative anchor text practices.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

The leak suggests that Google might place more emphasis on clicks than we previously thought. This means CTR is likely a very important ranking factor.

Optimization Tips

1. Focus on creating informative and engaging content that addresses user search intent. This will naturally lead to higher CTRs.
2. Craft clear, concise, and compelling meta descriptions that accurately represent your content and encourage users to click on your snippet. Highlight the value proposition and benefits users will gain by visiting your site.
3. Write catchy titles and headlines that grab users’ attention in the search results. Use strong verbs, keywords, and benefit-oriented language to stand out and encourage clicks.
4. Implement relevant schema markup to provide search engines with richer information about your content. This can lead to richer search snippets and potentially increase click-through rates.

User Dwell Time

The leak confirms that user dwell time is an important ranking factor. Google may consider factors such as how long users stay on a website, how many pages they view, and whether they click on any outbound links.

Optimization Tips

1. Create high-quality, informative, engaging, and visually appealing content. Break up text with images, infographics, and videos to keep users hooked on your site.
2. Ensure your website is user-friendly with a clear navigation structure. Make it easy for users to find what they are looking for. Additionally, use website analytics tools to track user behavior and identify areas for improvement. Identify pages where users quickly bounce off and optimize them to improve engagement metrics.

Chrome Browsing Data

The leak suggests that Google might use Chrome data (browsing history, search history, and bookmarks) to personalize search results. This means that a user’s browsing and search history might influence how websites rank in search results.

Optimization Tips

1. Even with personalization at play, prioritize creating high-quality content that satisfies the general search intent within your niche. This increases the likelihood of your content being relevant to a broader audience, regardless of their specific browsing history.
2. Focus on optimizing your content for core search queries within your topical scope. This ensures your website surfaces for users who are generally interested in that topic, even if their search history differs slightly.
3. Maintain a consistent content strategy that delivers valuable and informative content. This establishes your website as a credible source within your industry, making it more likely to be shown to users regardless of personalized results.

Domain Authority

The leak confirms that domain authority is still a very important ranking factor. It also suggests that Google may consider a range of factors when determining domain authority, such as the website’s age, the quality of its backlinks, and its overall site traffic.

Optimization Tips

1. Don’t just create informational content, aim for topical authority. Focus on creating in-depth content clusters that comprehensively cover subtopics within your niche. This establishes your website as a go-to resource for users seeking detailed information on a specific subject.
2. Back up your claims with verifiable data, statistics, and research findings. Link to authoritative sources and academic studies to demonstrate the credibility and depth of your content.
3. Focus on acquiring high-quality backlinks from relevant websites within your niche. Prioritize links from established websites with a strong domain authority.
4. Target guest blogging opportunities on high-authority websites in your industry. Contribute high-quality guest posts that showcase your expertise and provide value to their audience. This earns you a backlink from a relevant source and expands your reach.
5. Encourage brand mentions and positive online reviews. Positive brand mentions, even without backlinks, can contribute to your overall online reputation and potentially influence domain authority.
6. Maintain an active social media presence and engage with your audience. Share valuable content, participate in relevant conversations, and network with influencers within your industry. Social media engagement can drive traffic to your website and potentially enhance brand awareness, which can contribute to domain authority.

Homepage PageRank

The leak suggests that a website’s homepage PageRank and trustworthiness might specifically influence the ranking of all its pages.

Optimization Tips

1. Create compelling content on your homepage that highlights your website’s value proposition and key offerings. Use high-quality visuals, clear messaging, and a strong call-to-action to engage users and encourage them to explore further.
2. Structure your homepage content with a clear hierarchy, emphasizing the most important content sections and linking to relevant sub-pages within your website. Users should easily grasp the breadth of information you offer and navigate seamlessly to the content they need.
3. Regularly update your homepage with fresh content and announcements. This demonstrates your website’s ongoing activity and relevance, sending positive signals to search engines.
4. Create a transparent and informative “About Us” section that tells your website’s story, introduces your team, and highlights your expertise. This builds trust with users and establishes your website as a credible source.
5. Make your contact information easily accessible on your homepage. This fosters trust and reassures users that you are a legitimate and reachable entity.
6. If your website handles sensitive information, prominently display security seals and trust signals (e.g., SSL certificates) on your homepage. This reassures users that their data is safe and protected.
7. Target guest blogging opportunities on high-authority websites within your niche. Negotiate guest posts that link directly to your homepage, not just a specific sub-page. This directly boosts your homepage’s authority and passes trust signals to other pages on your site.
8. Design a robust internal linking structure that strategically links your homepage to high-quality, relevant internal pages. This distributes your homepage’s authority throughout your website and ensures search engines can efficiently discover and index all your valuable content.

Domain Age

The leak suggests that domain age might be a factor, but its exact weight remains unclear.

Furthermore, the “Google Sandbox” appears to exist, contradicting Google’s denial of a sandbox.

Optimization Tips

1. Focus on creating high-quality content and building a strong online presence. There’s no shortcut to building a trustworthy website overnight.
2. Invest in building brand awareness through online and offline marketing efforts. A strong brand presence establishes trust and positions your website as a reliable source, potentially influencing rankings over time.
3. Maintain a consistent content creation strategy. Regularly publish fresh, informative content to keep your site active and relevant. This demonstrates your commitment to providing value to your audience.
4. If you’re considering purchasing a domain that was previously in use, use a WHOIS lookup tool to find the domain’s creation date and registrant information. Also, research the domain name on reputation monitoring sites to identify any potential negative associations.
5. Analyze the domain’s backlink profile to ensure it’s clean and free of spammy links. Again, SEO SpyGlass is your go-to tool for such analysis.

E-E-A-T

The leak confirms that E-E-A-T is a significant ranking factor, particularly for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content. Google may consider factors such as author credentials, website reputation, and overall content quality.

Optimization Tips

1. Build relationships with other experts in your field.
2. Get your website linked to by high-authority sites in your niche.
3. Create comprehensive content clusters that cover various subtopics in detail.
4. Highlight author credentials and expertise. If you are a medical professional writing health advice, ensure your bio clearly states your qualifications.
5. Use author schema markup so Google can understand author information more quickly. You can also use ChatGPT to produce schema markup for you.
6. Prioritize creating high-quality, well-researched content that adheres to the highest editorial standards. Fact-check, cite authoritative sources, and ensure your content is up-to-date and reflects the latest developments in your field.
7. Showcase testimonials, reviews, and positive case studies to build social proof and demonstrate the value you provide.

Font Size

The leak mentions font size as a potential factor, though its importance is unclear.

Optimization Tips

1. Prioritize font sizes that render well across various screen dimensions. Utilize responsive design principles to ensure your website automatically adjusts font sizes for optimal viewing on all devices.
2. Aim for font sizes that meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This ensures readability for users with visual impairments and promotes inclusivity. A general guideline is to use a minimum font size of 16px for body text.
3. Maintain a balance of font sizes to create visual hierarchy on your web pages. Use larger font sizes for headings and subheadings to establish a clear structure and guide users through your content.
4. If your target audience is older, consider opting for slightly larger font sizes to ensure optimal readability.
5. You might consider slightly increasing the font size for links or super important terms.

There are 14,000 factors in the document. I tried to pick the most interesting ones above. But there are a couple of other points worth mentioning.

Some modules indicate that Google whitelists certain election and COVID-19-related domains – isElectionAuthority and isCovidLocalAuthority. Well, we’ve known for a while that Google (and Bing) have “exception lists” when “specific algorithms inadvertently affect websites.”

Content can be demoted for a variety of reasons, such as:

According to the leaked document, websites comprised of 50% or more video content are treated differently. The document mentions the use of a metric called isVideoFocusedSite to differentiate these video-focused sites from others.

Google’s ranking factors are complex and constantly changing. Furthermore, Google’s algorithms don’t operate in isolation but rather in concert. Therefore, their influence is constantly distributed differently. Additionally, it appears Google has some equalization coefficients, meaning the same factor can play a more or less significant role in different situations.

In summary, the most effective approach to SEO remains creating high-quality content, optimizing for user experience, and adhering to SEO best practices. What are your thoughts on these insights? Have you discovered any other Google ranking factors in the leaked document? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

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