Google has at least 200 (known) factors for evaluating websites, using these criteria in determining the ranking. Are any of these happening on yours? Come on! 😊

1) Website with technical problems

Errors can occur on a WordPress site, such as incorrectly configuring the robots.txt file or tags, resulting in reputational damage to the ranking of the website.

2) Backlinks

No or insufficient backlinks with good reputations can contribute to a lower ranking. Google understands each backlink as a reputational guarantee given by another entity. If the attesting individual or entity is themselves known and respected, such as a popular site in the area or an influencer, this validation is even more effective and helpful.

On the other hand, a corrupted backlink has a big negative impact. If you click on a link when browsing a website and encounter a “4xx” or “5xx” error, what image do you get? Trust? Probably not, as well as all the other visitors. Google takes these aspects into account, as do you.

3) Security

The occurrence of failures and security risks such as the detection of malware or hacking by Google also have a negative weight.

4) Seasonality

Its contents may not arouse interest at a certain time of the year. For example, if you sell toys, you might have a pre-Christmas search spike that won't necessarily continue.

5) Competitors

Your competitors are there too, don't forget about them. They may be creating better content, more effective technical SEO, they have more and better backlinks from reputable sites and experts in the field. As in any open market, here too there is competition for the top spots.

6) Stagnant website

If you haven't created content for a long time, this could be another reason for your low ranking. Google may consider your website less relevant to its users, due to the risk of obsolescence of the information and content on your website.

7) Website not optimized for mobile

Mobile devices have had the highest share of Google searches for a long time. Furniture requires a virtually instantaneous load time, related to less heavy files. On the other hand, navigation necessarily has to be simpler and more intuitive. Have you checked if your site is responsive for multiple screens and formats? When you create content, do you take these specificities into account?

8) High bounce rate

If your website visitors only stay on one page and then leave, this behavior indicates to Google a lack of relevance and interest in your content. Provide content that motivates the visitor to explore other areas of the site, Google will reward you!

9) “Keyword stuffing” of search expressions

Another practice with potentially negative effects is “clogging” the site with expressions (keywords or keyphrases) potentially the same as those used in searches carried out by users. The problem is that exaggeration can harm the visitor's experience, as it makes the content repetitive and artificial and meaningless, thus not adding value to the visitor.

On the other hand, you should use synonyms so as not to be repetitive. For example, a condominium cleaning company can vary between expressions such as condominiums, real estate, houses, apartments, apartment cleaning, condominium cleaning, etc.

10) Obsolete titles or keywords

For example, if the title of your text is “Best Page Builders of 2022”, it will surely have less relevance in 2023, and even less in the following years.

11) Bonus Point: Algorithm changes

"It's not you, it's me".

This classic phrase heard in other contexts of human relations could be transported to Google. In fact, sometimes he just changed, you didn't do anything wrong. However, there is only one solution: you will have to adapt to the new rules of the game.

Need help identifying and optimizing all these factors?

We are specialists in Digital Marketing, talk to us: https://www.iflexi.pt/socialize/