SEO ranking is harder to crack than ever before. Why is that the case? Well, for starters, the rules keep changing all the time. For proof of that, you only need to look at what factors affect SEO ranking on Google today vis-à-vis what it did in the past to rank websites. Small businesses seem to be suffering more than the rest. Google determines the direction that website SEO ranking can take. The recent changes to SEO ranking that Google has introduced have made it easier for many sites to rank higher. However, some changes have made the task harder for older websites.
What do you need to know about it all?
Mobile First Searching
Mobile first searching or indexing has become a crucial component for determining how websites rank in Google. What this means is this dominant search engine will prioritize the mobile version of websites in ranking. Therefore, any old website that lacks a mobile friendly version is more likely to suffer poor ranking. After all, more users appear increasingly likelier to use their mobile gadgets to browse the Internet for different information or content. Find a way of bringing your older website to the modern era by making it mobile friendly.
Older websites should not discard the older versions though.
Websites that have been around for ages tend to rank higher.
SSL Certificate
SSL certificates prove whether websites are secure and safe to use or not. Websites with this certification, therefore, are more likely to benefit from improved ranking. The certificate is crucial for e-commerce websites. You need it if you intend to use the website to sell different products. The certification is highly necessary in situations where clients pay money or enter critical financial information to make purchases. It also provides the encryption for protecting your clients’ data. SSL certificate is all about the HTTPS protocol.
SSL certificate has not lost its importance despite the recent changes to SEO ranking.
Page Speed
How fast does your website take to load? Older websites may or may not load faster depending on several factors. Your task is to find ways of improving the loading speed. Why? Your website’s SEO ranking depends on it. Slow loading messes with the ranking, which then leads to more losses as visitors or clients move to your competitors. The average time it should take your clients/visitors to load each web page on your site is roughly 3 seconds. In other words, your website should load as fast as a Ferrari accelerates from zero to 60mph.
Content Quality and Length
Google recognizes quality content. The structure and length of the content also plays a critical role in determining where your site ranks. The content should be relevant to the clients. Despite recent changes to SEO ranking that Google has introduced, the quality of content still matters greatly. The changes do not reduce or negate the importance of quality content. If anything, these recent changes to SEO ranking have prioritised content more. What about length? In the past, length of the content also referred to keyword density.
However, recent changes to ranking no longer prioritise keyword density as a ranking factor.
Instead of density, your old website should be full of keyword synonyms and variations.
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