- Category
- Search and keywords
- Level
- Intermediate
- Main groups
- Relevance, quality, usability and context
- Published list
- None: Google describes principles, not weights
- Check it free
- AI Search Readiness Checker
What are ranking factors?
Search engines rank pages using many signals combined by their ranking systems. Google doesn't publish a list or weights, but it describes the main areas:
- Meaning and relevance: does the page match what the query is looking for?
- Quality: is the content helpful, reliable and created with expertise? Do other sites link to or reference it?
- Usability: does the page load well and work on mobile?
- Context: the searcher's location, language and settings.
Why it matters
Knowing the areas stops you over-investing in one tactic. A fast page with thin content won't rank; strong content that can't be crawled won't either.
Common mistakes
- Treating numbered "200 ranking factors" lists as official.
- Optimizing for a single factor, such as keyword density or links, in isolation.
- Ignoring search intent, which often decides rankings more than any on-page tweak.