Google looks at over 200 factors to decide where a webpage appears in search results. Users often understand higher-ranking pages as more authoritative and reliable sources of information. The purpose of SEO Anomaly Core Web Vitals is to measure how good (or bad) is the experience for users on the webpage. It even became a stronger signal in 2016 when Google rolled out another update that put more emphasis on mobile optimization. Furthermore, including keywords unnaturally into your pages may lead to keyword stuffing. On the other hand, Google does use a specific algorithm as a signal that determines the relative importance of the web page in Google Search – PageRank.

How Googlebot treats robots.txt files

Undoubtedly now more than ever before, local results are being influenced by real-world data. This interactivity is how searchers interact with and respond to local businesses, rather than purely static (and game-able) information like links and citations. SEO best practices also apply to local SEO, since Google also considers a website’s position in organic search results when determining local ranking. A search engine like Google has its own proprietary index of local business listings, from which it creates local search results. All those can play a role in how well a page performs in search, but the focus should be on the users who will be reading the content.

Optimization tactics

For example, if you search for “best gaming chairs,” the first few results may be paid ads, but the top organic result will likely have the highest SEO ranking. This is because Google has determined that this page is the most relevant based on its ranking factors. High-ranking pages in search engine results will always receive more clicks, making their search engine ranking a vital element for online success. Most Google Maps searches happen on mobile, so a slow or poorly designed website can drive potential customers away before they even step foot in your business. Google also prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search rankings, making mobile optimization essential for local SEO. Using local keywords strategically improves your relevance, increases visibility in search results, and helps customers find you when they’re searching for businesses in your area.

• It’s possible to block search engine crawlers from part or all of your site, or instruct search engines to avoid storing certain pages in their index.
• Regularly check and update these details to ensure their accuracy.
• You can also see the exact keywords that people use to find your content… and where you tend to rank.
• If you’re a WordPress user, I can also recommend All in One SEO (AIOSEO).
• They’re crucial for SEO because they signal credibility and domain authority.
• Front-end performance and metrics like “document loaded” and “fully rendered” show no correlation with search engine rank.

Knowing where you stand can help you refine your strategies to outshine your competitors. Unfortunately, while you can optimize many aspects of your online presence, changing your business’s physical location isn’t exactly feasible. However, this doesn’t mean that you’re helpless against the algorithms. There are still ways you can optimize for proximity and give your local SEO a healthy boost. Picture this – when you conduct a search on Google, let’s say for the “best coffee shop near me,” a few specific results stand out. Firstly, you’ll notice a group of three businesses displayed prominently at the top, complete with their contact details and pinpointed locations on a mini Google Maps window.

Regardless of how it’s measured, Google analysts John Mueller and Greg Illyes have stated bounce rate is not a ranking factor. Precise, descriptive alt text, along with the surrounding article text, provides context to search engines about the purpose of the image and how it relates to the web page content. For businesses looking for impactful digital marketing services, Marko & Brando is the name to trust. Our data-driven strategies ensure maximum ROI, helping your brand reach new heights. Experience the power of digital transformation with our expertise. Search Engine Journal investigated the effect of a page’s loading time on SEO and confirmed that page speed is a ranking factor in search results.

For example, searchers landing on a page from a query like ‘what day is Christmas on in 2025? ’ won’t stay on the page as soon as their problem has been solved. I recommend signing up for our free Ahrefs Webmaster Tools and running a crawl of your website. Catching and fixing glitches early can save you from mysteriously missing out on search traffic. So, whether you want to call it LLMO, GEO, or the name of the week, it’s no different from SEO.

Ensure your backlinks come from reputable sources within your industry, as spammy or irrelevant links can harm your rankings. For businesses catering to a local audience, it is important to include local keywords in your meta tags, headers, and content to increase visibility in your area. Regularly updating your blog with fresh industry insights will also enhance your SEO efforts and keep your content relevant.

A “conversion” can vary depending on your goals, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form. A robots.txt file is a set of instructions for search engine bots. It tells search engine crawlers which URLs to access or cannot access on your website. Core Web Vitals are metrics Google uses to score a user’s experience with a web page.