Recently, internal documents detailing Google’s search algorithm were accidentally leaked online, revealing the intricate workings behind how Google ranks websites. PullRank has broken down the leak and shed light on claims Google has nixed them in the past, exposing some secrets to their algorithm. This unprecedented leak exposes over 14,000 factors that influence search rankings, providing a treasure trove of information for anyone looking to improve their website's visibility. By understanding these ranking signals, users can optimize their websites more effectively, enhance their content strategy, and improve their search engine rankings, ultimately driving more traffic and achieving better online success.

Here’s the TL;DR details to understand what’s happened:

• Google's secret code for how it decides what shows up when you search was leaked.

• These papers tell us a lot about how Google picks which websites show up first.

• Google keeps lots of details about every website, like links and how people use them.

• They have over 14,000 different things they look at to decide what shows up.

• Google has said some things that aren’t true about how they rank websites.

• We learned that they do use clicks to decide which websites are good.

• They also have something like a “sandbox” where new websites are kept to see if they’re trustworthy.

• Google uses data from Chrome (their web browser) to help rank websites.

• They have a special score for how good a website is overall.

• Google’s secret papers show us a lot of tricks they use, and now we know more about them.

120 features Google's API seeks for its search algorithm

Out of the The 14,000 features that Google looks at to decide which websites show up first when you search, we’re offering you 120 to focus on. Some features are not required for all websites, like a business with an online store might consider options like product reviews or a website dedicated to subject may have a forum. This list attempts to order the factors by their general importance in SEO, but it's important to note that the significance of these factors can vary based on specific circumstances and updates to Google's algorithms and technical features that are mostly hidden or depending on the your preferred Content Management Service (CMS) / website builder; we have a guide on that.

1. Content Quality: How good and relevant the content on the website is.

2. Backlinks: Links from other websites pointing to this one.

3. User Engagement: How long people stay on the site and what they click on.

4. Page Load Speed: How fast the webpage loads.

5. Mobile-Friendliness: How well the website works on mobile devices.

6. Secure Connection (HTTPS): Whether the website is secure.

7. Domain Authority: The overall trust and authority of the website.

8. Content Freshness: How recent the content is.

9. Keywords: Words that match what you searched for.

10. User Experience (UX): How easy and pleasant it is to use the website.

11. Click-Through Rate (CTR): How often people click on the website in search results.

12. Bounce Rate: How often people leave the website quickly.

13. Content Relevance: How relevant the content is to the search query.

14. Dwell Time: How long people stay on the page after clicking.

15. Internal Links: Links within the website that connect different pages.

16. Structured Data: Organized data that helps search engines understand the content.

17. Content Depth: How detailed and comprehensive the content is.

18. Content Uniqueness: How unique and original the content is.

19. Schema Markup: Implementation of various types of schema markup to help search engines understand and display content more effectively. This includes local business, events, job postings, products, reviews, FAQs, how-tos, videos, images, recipes, news articles, courses, software applications, aggregate ratings, breadcrumbs, organizations, persons, places, websites, webpages, search actions, offers, services, opening hours, licenses, and delivery information.

20. Meta Tags: Information in the webpage's code that helps search engines understand the content.

21. User Interaction Signals: Various ways users interact with the site.

22. Geographic Location: Where the website’s visitors are located.

23. Alt Text for Images: Descriptions for images on the website.

24. Social Signals: Shares, likes, and comments from social media.

25. Update Frequency: How often the content is updated.

26. Content Readability: How easy the content is to read and understand.

27. Local Relevance: How relevant the content is to local users.

28. Navigation: How easy it is to navigate the website.

29. Domain Age: How old the website’s domain is.

30. Brand Mentions: How often the brand is mentioned online.

31. Page Authority: The trust and authority of a specific webpage.

32. Link Quality: The quality of links pointing to the website.

33. Keyword Placement: Strategic placement of keywords within the content.

34. Domain History: The past history of the website’s domain.

35. Server Response Time: How quickly the server responds to requests.

36. URL Structure: How the website’s URLs are organized.

37. User Reviews: Reviews and ratings from users.

38. Session Duration: The average time users spend on the site.

39. Content Themes: How well the site covers a specific topic or theme.

40. Voice Search Compatibility: How well the site answers voice search queries.

41. Presence of Contact Information: Availability of contact information like phone number, address, and email.

42. Social Proof: Testimonials, reviews, and social media mentions.

43. Header Tags: Proper use of H1, H2, H3 tags for content structure.

44. Image Optimization: Use of optimized images (e.g., size, alt text).

45. Content Engagement: How engaging the content is (e.g., time on page, scroll depth).

46. Content Clarity: How clear and easy to understand the content is.

47. Content Formatting: Use of bullet points, lists, and other formatting tools.

48. Structured Data Markup: Implementation of schema markup for rich snippets.

49. NEEATT (Notability, Experience, Expertise, Authority, Transparency, Trustworthiness): Signals indicating expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
    
    Notability: The recognition and significance of the content creator or the subject within its field.

50. Experience: First-hand or life experience relevant to the topic.

    Expertise: The depth of knowledge and skill in a particular area.

    Authoritativeness: How well-recognized and respected the content creator or site is in its field.

    Transparency: Clarity about who created the content, including detailed author bios and contact information.

    Trustworthiness: Ensuring the content is reliable, accurate, and safe.

51. Geotagging: Use of geotags for local SEO.

52. Negative SEO Protection: Protection against negative SEO attacks.

53. Google My Business: Optimization of Google My Business profile.

54. Rich Snippets: Use of structured data to generate rich snippets.

55. Duplicate Meta Tags: Avoidance of duplicate meta descriptions and titles.

56. User-generated Content: Inclusion of user-generated content like comments and reviews.

57. Click Depth: The number of clicks it takes to reach a page from the homepage.

58. Trust Seals: Presence of trust seals like SSL certificates.

59. Ad Placement: Impact of ad placement on user experience.

60. Mobile Page Speed: Page load speed on mobile devices.

61. Desktop Page Speed: Page load speed on desktop devices.

62. URL Path: The structure and readability of the URL path.

63. Canonical Tags: Proper use of canonical tags to avoid duplicate content.

64. Local Listings: Presence in local business listings and directories.

65. Microdata: Use of microdata to help search engines understand the content.

66. Presence of FAQs: Availability of frequently asked questions (FAQ) sections.

67. User Interaction Metrics: Metrics like clicks, scrolls, and other interactions.

68. Web Vitals: Core Web Vitals metrics (Largest Contentful Paint, First Input Delay, Cumulative Layout Shift).

69. Internal Linking Structure: The structure and quality of internal links.

70. Outbound Link Quality: The quality of links to external sites.

71. Content Readability Score: Readability score of the content.

72. Historical Performance: Historical performance of the website over time.

73. Spam Reports: Number of spam reports against the site.

74. Link Diversity: Variety of sources that link to the site.

75. User Bookmarks: How often users bookmark the site.

76. Search Intent: How well the content matches user search intent.

77. Brand Signals: Mentions of the brand across the web.

78. Affiliate Links: Presence and number of affiliate links.

79. User Feedback: Direct feedback from users about the site.

80. Content Sharing: How often content is shared on social media.

81. Authoritativeness of Outbound Links: Quality of sites linked to from the website.

82. Keyword Density: Density of keywords within the content.

83. Presence of Sitemaps: Availability of XML and HTML sitemaps.

84. Robot.txt: Proper configuration of the robots.txt file.

85. Host Reliability: Reliability and uptime of the web host.

86. Review Rating: The overall rating given by users.

87. Citation Flow: How often the site is cited or referenced.

88. Trust Flow: The trustworthiness of the site based on backlinks.

89. Page Experience: Overall user experience on the page.

90. Ad Experience: How ads are integrated and their impact on user experience.

91. Interactive Content: Presence of interactive elements like quizzes and polls.

92. Customer Support: Availability and quality of customer support.

93. E-commerce Features: E-commerce specific features like cart functionality.

94. Membership Content: Availability of exclusive member content.

95. Email Signups: How many users sign up for email newsletters.

96. Push Notifications: Use and effectiveness of push notifications.

97. User Polls: Integration and results of user polls.

98. Crowdsourced Content: Use of content created by users.

99. Guest Blogging: Presence and quality of guest blog posts.

100. Forum Engagement: Activity and engagement in website forums.

101. Content Curation: Quality and relevance of curated content.

102. Language Options: Availability of multiple language options.

103. On-page Time Metrics: Detailed metrics about time spent on specific sections of a page.

104. Content Expansion: Frequency and quality of content updates and expansions.

105. Professional Design: Quality of the website’s design and aesthetics.

106. User Journey: How well the website guides users through their journey.

107. Heatmap Analysis: Insights from heatmap analysis on user behavior.

108. Session Recordings: Analysis of session recordings for user interactions.

109. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Strategies for improving conversions on the site.

110. Content Syndication: How content is syndicated across different platforms.

111. Affiliate Programs: Presence and quality of affiliate programs.

112. Live Chat: Availability and effectiveness of live chat support.

113. User Demographics: Insights into the demographics of the website’s users.

114. Audience Segmentation: How well the site segments and targets different audience groups.

115. Influencer Collaborations: Partnerships with influencers to boost content reach.

116. UGC Moderation: How user-generated content is moderated and maintained.

117. Seasonal Content: Content targeting seasonal trends and events.

118. Event Coverage: Coverage of live events and timely updates.

119. Podcasting: Integration and popularity of podcast content.

120. Webinars: Use of webinars to engage with the audience.

121. Case Studies: Presence and quality of case studies.

Many of these features are native to website builders like PhotoBiz, but understanding and optimizing them can significantly boost your website’s search engine rankings. Take control of your online presence today by leveraging these insights to improve your site’s visibility and performance. Whether you're updating your content, refining your schema markup, or enhancing user experience, every improvement can make a difference. Don't wait—start optimizing your PhotoBiz website now and watch your traffic and engagement soar. Visit PhotoBiz to get started on your journey to higher search rankings and greater online success!