How Many Google Ranking Factors Are There?
There may be more than 261 but Northcutt Consulting Group, LLC created an easy to read page listing 261 ranking factors indicating which ones are myths and which ones will affect your website’s ranking in the Google search results.
They list the most trustworthy SEO knowledge-based patent filings; statements by Google; and scientific testing. Based upon the results of their research, they found the majority of SEO advice to be either partially wrong or completely wrong.
Scroll down the page at this link to go through all 261 ranking factors or use one of the filter buttons to sort through 18 categories of ranking factors such as on-page ranking factors or off-page ranking factors.
This is an excellent guide that rates the truthfulness of claimed ranking factors as “Concrete”, “Probable”, “Likely”, “Maybe”, “Iffy” or “Myth”.
Are Backlinks From .edu or .gov Websites Worthwhile?
There are services that sell backlinks from .edu or .gov websites. Of course, purchasing backlinks is a great way to get your website penalized but should you spend your time and effort to get legitimate backlinks from .edu or .gov websites?
According to Northcutt Consulting’s research, the answer is no, and any notion that these links will help you is a Myth. They state Matt Cutts dispelled this directly, stating “Google doesn’t treat .edu and .gov links differently”.
It’s not that backlinks from .edu or .gov websites won’t provide any benefit, it’s just that they won’t provide any more benefit than a link from a .com website.
Does Using a Keyword in Your Domain Name Help With SEO?
Matt Cutts says choosing a domain name with your keyword in the domain name (video below) can be beneficial but it’s “…definitely possible to succeed without having keywords in your domain.”
Matt Cutts made this video in 2011. In 2012, Google released an update that lessened the value of exact-match domains. However, even lesser value is good.
Additionally, a keyword in the domain name is quickly identifiable by searchers and when the keyword matches or is related to the search, it instantly attracts those searchers and they will have a greater desire to click on it.
In his article “How to Choose a Domain Name“, December 7, 2020, at SearchEngineJournal.com. Roger Montti says, “Keywords in the domain name quickly tell the potential site visitor that this is your specialty.”
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