Google SEO ranking factors for 2023

Google SEO ranking factors for 2023. Search Engine Optimization is a potent marketing tactic with the ability to expand your brand internationally. 

The practice of SEO has been around since the late 90s. It is not a new concept, but it is a tool that is constantly evolving. Staying up on SEO upgrades and tweaks is of high importance if you want your website to remain relevant on search engine result pages. 

And when it comes to search engines, Google ranks on top as the one most web users turn to when seeking answers to their questions. To be more precise, Google encounters over 3.5 billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year. 

Not surprisingly, Google continues to outshine itself when creating the most effective AI search engine assistant, as seen with the implementation of BERT and the new MUM or Multitask Unified Model technology. 

As machine learning and NLP power continue to progress, you can expect SEO updates to happen often.

What does this mean for SEO ranking in 2023?

As AI becomes smarter at learning user searches you must also learn the best ways to garner the attention of Google web crawlers. To remain competitive on SERP, it’s important to follow the algorithmic trend and stay up-to-date with the latest developments. Therefore, we will present to you the current factors to consider when implementing your 2023 search engine optimization plan. 

First, let’s quickly review the three steps search engines take to find content to display.

• Crawling- an automated digital bot called Googlebot employs the process of crawling to visit, download, and extract links from your website. 
• Indexing – the data collected is organized, sorted, and stored in a large database known as the Google Index. 
• Ranking -when a query is entered into the search engine the algorithms will sort through billions of web pages and content from the Google Index and will display the best answer or most relevant to the query. This is all done in a fraction of a second. 

How often does Google crawl a website?

Given that Googlebot often looks for new content first, sites that are updated frequently tend to get scanned often. On average, Google may crawl your page every four to twenty days. 

Now, let’s jump right into the Google SEO ranking factors for 2023.

Trustworthiness

With the onset of spreading misinformation occurring, Google has increased its review of content with an algorithm called Google TrustRank. It works by measuring what’s called “trust signals,” which determine the legitimacy of your website. 

Your site’s ranking will be influenced by how trustworthy it is. 

How do I get google to trust my website?

To gain the trust of Google’s algorithms it is recommended that you provide content free of any false claims, and any claims made should be verified with trustworthy sources. Also, be sure to include on your website the following pages for extra credibility:

• About us 
• Privacy Policy and Terms of Service 
• Contact 

Additionally, be consistent with your publishing cadence as Google tends to seek this out. 

Mobile Optimization

According to Statista, 84% of Americans use their mobile phone to access the Internet.  Google recognized this trend and implemented mobile-first indexing. Google will index and crawl your website using its mobile-friendly bots to determine if it is mobile-ready and prioritize mobile websites over the desktop version.

Therefore, it is important to create a responsive design for mobile users because a responsive website will adapt to the device you’re using to see it. 

Also, Google offers an online tool that checks if your website is mobile-friendly. Simply type in the search button – Mobile-Friendly Test.  

Voice Search

As more and more homes are outfitted with digital voice assistants like Alexa and Google Home, optimizing your website for voice search queries will be an important SEO factor for 2023. 

Currently, 43% of people are shopping online via voice-enabled gadgets.

While 32% of people are using voice-activated search instead of typing.

How do I optimize for voice search?

Well, the good news is that you don’t have to abandon your SEO strategy entirely to take voice search queries into account. You may significantly improve your Google ranking in this area with only a few minor adjustments.

Here are some suggestions.

• • Use long-tail keywords in your content as most people tend to use conversational phrases when searching by voice. 
  • Test the speed of your website. If a website takes longer than two seconds to load it will likely affect how your site ranks with voice queries. 
  • For local, brick-and-mortar businesses, create a Google Business Profile if you haven’t already, as these profiles are frequently the source of voice search results. 

Engaging and Relevant Content 

Content is recognized as expressive works that are delivered through a variety of formats such as text, videos, audio, and images. 

Through signals that determine whether content demonstrates expertise, authority, and trustworthiness, Google will choose a website’s place on SERPs.  

One of the factors that Google algorithms take into consideration when scanning content is the presence of authoritative website links that mention your work. Google typically takes this as a positive indicator that your content is trustworthy.

Are you an authority in a particular niche supplying factual and informative data? If so, Google systems will likely display your site first.  

Overall, providing consistent and useful subject matters can have a significant impact on your position in Google’s ranking formula. Longer-form, educational, and helpful pieces have consistently performed well. 

UX

Optimizing for UX is another aspect of SEO that should not be overlooked. It might even be the most important as UX directly relates to your target audience and how they experience your website and content. 

UX stands for User Experience and optimizing UX for ranking includes design, page speed, and ease of use. Font size, how long a page takes to upload, and a visible hamburger menu bar, for example, will determine the webpage bounce rate. If a site is difficult to navigate through, chances are you will lose potential customers. 

 Not to mention, Google takes UX design and page speed seriously and will not consider your site if it is deemed too slow. Tip: There are free online programs that offer website speed tests. 

In conclusion, keeping your website and brand visible and productive requires daily effort. Consistency is necessary, and keeping track of SEO standards is imperative. 

At BluCactus, our marketing professionals understand the relevance of SEO and its impact. We offer guidance in the form of SEO online workshops, blogs, and free consultations to help you steer your site in the right direction.  

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to keep up to date with all things SEO.  If you have further questions or concerns, contact us at BluCactus.