Search Engine Optimization Series: The Top Google Page Ranking Factors
In our Search Engine Optimization Blog Series, we’ve covered many aspects of SEO. In this expert article, we’re covering The Top Google Page Ranking Factors.
When you’re developing the Search Engine Optimization for your website, it important to focus on the top ranking factors for Google. By following guidelines from Google on the top factors that affect your ranking in internet searches, it can help your website pages rank higher.
So, let’s start with the basics on the top Google page ranking factors.
What Is A Google Page Ranking Factor?
A Google page ranking factor is a specific attribute that Google’s search engine algorithm uses to evaluate website pages and then determine how to order website pages when people conduct internet searches. There are many different ranking factors that affect how a website page will rank in internet searches. Over the years, the Google algorithm has changed and evolved – and the top ranking factors have changed and evolved as well.
Quick History of the Google Algorithm
The Early Years (1998-2010) – Google began as a research project by Stanford University PhD students Larry Page and Sergey Brin. This algorithm revolutionized internet searches by evaluating the quality and quantity of links pointing to a specific web page. However, unscrupulous SEO people began sending all sorts of irrelevant links to website pages – just to get them to show up higher in the searches. As a result, there was a lot of scamming and click-baiting to get people to go to specific website pages. Example: Someone would create a backlink from Joe’s Bar & Grill in New York to a website for a bicycle shop in Colorado. There’s no relevance between the two entities. The backlink was just there to provide a backlink to help the page rise in the rankings.
Named Algorithm Updates (2011-2019) – To combat all the spammy pages that were showing up at the top of the searches, Google embarked on a huge series of changes to the algorithm. The most significant changes to the Google search algorithm during this period were named, including:
- Panda Update (2011) – This algorithm update targeted low-quality pages with duplicate content generated by “content farms” and instead rewarded high-quality websites. Overnight, many spammy websites and pages just disappeared.
- Penguin Update (2012) – This algorithm update targeted manipulative and unnatural backlink building. Again, thousands of spammy websites disappeared from high rankings.
- Hummingbird Update (2013) – This algorithm update was a major overhaul that allowed the algorithm to better understand complex search queries rather than just matching keywords.
- Mobilegeddon Update (2015) – This algorithm update searched out and rewarded websites that were mobile-friendly (websites with dynamic page designs that morphed depending on the device used to access the website – a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop).
- RankBrain Update (2015) – This algorithm update introduced machine learning which allowed the search algorithm to better process unclear or unusual search queries and deliver more accurate search results.
- BERT Update (2019) – This algorithm update included new technology for processing natural language, which significantly improved Google’s ability to understand nuance and context in search queries.
The Focus on User Experience and AI (2020 to Present) – From 2020 to date, changes to the Google algorithm have focused on two key aspects: 1) Technical performance of the website, and 2) Quality of content.
- Core Web Vitals / Page Experience (2021) – This algorithm update focused on website performance factors including page load speed as a means of improving the user experience.
- Helpful Content System (2022) – This update focused on rewarding websites with quality content designed to genuinely help users vs. content written primarily to manipulate search rankings. This algorithm update is why it’s so important to generate quality, helpful, well-written content for website pages & blogs.
- E-E-A-T Emphasis (In Process): This update is a work in progress. The algorithm is programmed to assess Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness of websites and website pages.
- AI Overviews (2024): The Google algorithm now features AI summaries at the top of search results – which is changing how people use information from internet searches. The AI summaries that are positioned at the top of the search results, just under paid, sponsored content, are sometimes all the internet user needs – which stops them from searching any further.
The result of all these changes to the Google algorithm is that ranking factors that help determine where a website / website page should be positioned in search results have changed as best practices for website page development have changed.
How Do Google Ranking Factors Work?
When an internet user types or speaks a search, the Google algorithm goes to work, assessing millions of websites – to find the information that best meets the searcher’s query. The algorithm will assess options that might be relevant for the search. The algorithm will choose and display what it considers to be the best options for the internet search results – based on the websites that meet the search query, as well as adhering to the latest Google page ranking factors.
What Are The Top Google Page Ranking Factors?
At this time (December 2025), there are 4 main Google page ranking factor categories:
1) Relevance: The algorithm will determine which website pages best match the user’s search query. Relevance will include finding pages with the matching keyword search phrase, and/or providing a specific answer to a search question.
2) Quality and Expertise: The algorithm assesses websites for their authority, trustworthiness, quality of the content, and the website overall.
3) Functionality and User Experience: The algorithm assesses websites on:
- Page speed, i.e., how fast a page loads
- Mobile friendliness, i.e., How well the page works on mobile devices
- Security, i.e., Whether a website is secure, and whether it has an SSL certificate tied to the website
4) Authority: The algorithm assesses the credibility of a website primarily based on the number and quality of backlinks coming to the website from other relevant, reputable websites.
How To Make Your Website Meet Google Ranking Factor Best Practices
There are a whole host of best practices to apply to your website to meet the requirements of the top Google Page Ranking Factors. Here are highlights of website best practices:
Website Best Practice 1: Properly Optimize Your Website and Website Pages
In this step, you should follow SEO best practices and apply one relevant keyword phrase to each page on your website – and then include that keyword phrase in on-page content, as well as the SERP headline and SERP Meta descriptor.
Website Best Practice 2: Develop Quality Content For Your Website
Your website should include clear, well-written content on website pages and blogs. Sentences should be complete but short. If you’re using a lot of commas, the sentences are too long. Information should be helpful vs. sales-y. Proper spelling and grammar should be applied.
Website Best Practice 3: Add At Least One New Content Asset Per Month
The Google algorithm does not reward websites that have been sitting dormant for months or years with no new content. The algorithm does reward websites with higher rankings when new content is added regularly that’s helpful, well-written, and relevant to your website. The fastest, easiest way to meet this requirement is to post a new blog of at least 500 words in length at least once a month.
Website Best Practice 4: Seek Out Relevant Backlinks To Come To Your Website
The best backlinks for websites should come from a source that is relevant to your website’s content. Quality backlinks would include: backlinks from an industry association related to your website offerings; backlinks from reputable media sources such as industry trade journals; backlinks from positive reviews, and more.
For websites to rise in the Google searches, it’s imperative that they follow Google page ranking factor best practices.
Need help with improving your website, or building a new website that follows Google page ranking best practices? Contact DeWinter Marketing & PR USA for help with website refreshes & new websites built to current standards.
