Small Buisness Web Sites

SEO website level ranking factors that are important to search engines are a closely guarded secret. However many experts find that the following are considered among the most important factors.  Of course, this also assumes you have fresh up to date content that is original and compelling to your users.

SEO Website level Ranking Factors

HTTPS – security for your customer transactions is extremely important. HTTPS provides an additional level of security for customer transactions involving payment via credit cards etc.

Site speed – If your site does not load quickly, readers will just move to other sites. Fast response, especially for mobile users, is so important these days, that Google considers this factor a major criterion for ranking purposes.

Mobile-friendliness – your content must be readable on a small screen. Users will not take the time to even try to read the small print. There are mobile test sites that will compare your content and give you a pass or fail with respect to mobile-friendliness.

Sitemap – Navigation on your site should appear to be seamless and easy for users to navigate. A site map, an index, and a category map are all tools that users will use to find what they are looking for on your site.

Links to authority sites – links to and from authority sites will also improve your ranking. They give your site credibility in the eyes of the search engines and your users. Consider eliminating links that do not rank well. They could be pulling you down with them.

A number of pages on a site – Regular updates keep posts current. Add new content on a regular basis. It shows a growing healthy site. There is no magic number of pages. Regular updates and additions are most important.

Site downtime – if your site is down, there is no way anyone can get to it. A high downtime for any reason is a death knell for a website. This should be one of the highest priorities for and website owner. Keep your site live all of the time.

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