What is Ranking: A Complete Guide
Search engines are constantly sorting sites by importance and usefulness. When you search for something on the Internet, the system instantly selects from millions of pages the most relevant to your request.
The best results appear at the top of the search results - this is ranking. The search engine, like an experienced librarian, instantly finds and shows you exactly those materials that best answer your question.
The main principles of ranking
Search engines use a certain set of criteria to evaluate websites and determine their position in the search results. These criteria are called ranking factors. All factors can be divided into several main categories:
Content factors include:
• Quality and uniqueness of the text content of the site
• Correspondence of the content to user requests
• Correct structuring of the material and its design
• Regularity of information updates
Technical parameters cover:
• Page loading speed
• Correct display of the site on smartphones
• Availability of a secure HTTPS protocol
• Logical and understandable structure of the site
Behavioral factors are a set of characteristics that show how visitors interact with the site and how satisfied they are with this interaction:
• Duration of stay on the resource
• Number of pages viewed
• Percentage of bounces
• Frequency of users returning to the site
External signals characterize:
• Number and authority of links to the site
• Activity in social networks
• Availability of brand mentions on the Internet
All these factors work together, and their importance may vary depending on the algorithms of search engines. For successful website promotion, it is necessary to pay attention to each of these aspects.
Ranking Algorithms
Ranking algorithms are complex systems of evaluating web resources that search engines use to determine the relevance of sites to search queries.
Google uses the following key algorithms:
PageRank is a fundamental algorithm that determines the relevance of web pages based on an analysis of the number and quality of links that. Since its inception, the algorithm has been repeatedly improved to take into account not only links, but also the quality of the content.
Core Web Vitals focuses on measuring the quality of user interaction with a site, evaluating page loading speed, level of interactivity, and the stability of visual content.
BERT is a revolutionary method of natural language processing that has changed the way search engines work. Unlike previous algorithms that analyze text only in one direction, BERT simultaneously processes the context from both the left and right, which allows for a more accurate understanding of the meaning of queries and texts.
The Panda algorithm is designed to analyze the quality of content on sites. It helps to identify low-quality and copied content, due to which resources with original and high-quality materials are promoted in search results.
Penguin specializes in combating manipulative promotion methods that artificially increase the rating of sites through spam links.
In turn, Yandex uses the following main algorithms:
Matrixnet is a machine learning technology that analyzes a large number of parameters when evaluating sites and ranking them. The system is constantly evolving and being optimized to improve the accuracy of determining the compliance of sites with search queries.
Palette is responsible for analyzing behavioral factors and assessing the quality of sites based on user interaction with the resource.
Toxin fights various types of spam and unfair methods of promotion in search results.
Arhat is an algorithm aimed at improving the quality of search results and combating manipulative optimization techniques.
Each of these algorithms contributes to the formation of search results and helps provide users with the most appropriate and high-quality search results. Impact on SEO
Optimization for ranking
Optimization of the technical aspect of the site includes:
correcting the robots.txt file;
improving the sitemap;
refining meta tags;
increasing the page loading speed.
Content optimization
Using keywords
Creating high-quality content
Text structuring
Working with headings
External optimization
Working with links
Promotion in social networks
PR activities
Development trends
Growing importance of artificial intelligence
Personalization of results
Increasing role of voice search
Development of semantic search
Strengthening role of local factors
Conclusion
Ranking is a complex and changing process that is constantly evolving as search engines improve and adapt to new trends in user behavior.