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Is There A Perfect Organic Ranking Page Formula?
It's the kind of debate that's been dividing SEO and web marketing communities for decades, compounded by no shortage of false promises from those who claim to know what they are talking about. Hence, in an effort to set the story straight once and for all, the world's biggest search engine has gone on record to state outright that the elusive magic formula for high SERP rankings does not exist.
By way of a statement published online, Google has made it clear that there is no secret recipe for creating the "perfect page" that will ensure high rankings in search results. This statement dismisses the idea that rigid formulas can lead to SEO success. Instead, Google emphasises the importance of being helpful and relevant to users rather than depending on ranking tricks.
"Today I wanted to share about the belief that there is some type of 'perfect page' formula that must be used to rank highly in Google Search," said a spokesperson from Google. The tech giant is countering a long-held assumption that strict guidelines must be followed for higher visibility on the search engine.
Chasing Unicorns
Many third-party SEO tools and experts claim they know the secret to top rankings and push a set formula. However, Google says these formulas do not predict success accurately. Sometimes, the advice from these tools is based on common features of top-ranking pages, but Google insists that its search algorithms are more complex and nuanced.
"Third-party advice, even news articles, might suggest some type of thing. Following such advice doesn't guarantee a top ranking. Moreover, such predictions and advice are often based on looking at averages - which misses the point that completely different and unique pages can and do succeed in search," the statement from Google's Search Liaison continues.
Quality Counts
Rather than formulas, Google recommends website owners concentrate on providing value to their users. This can include making sure that the content is informative, engaging and meets the needs of those who visit your web pages. Google's algorithm looks for content that is beneficial to users, not content that simply ticks boxes for the sake of SEO.
"For example, if it makes sense for your readers to see a byline for an article (and it might!), do it for them. Don't do it because you've heard having a byline ranks you better in Google (it doesn’t)," the statement adds. The focus should be on what is useful for the audience rather than what is supposed to be a ranking factor.
"Put your readers and audience first. Be helpful to them. If you do this, if you’re doing things for them, you are more likely to align with completely different signals we use to reward content," Google’s advice concludes.
In essence, Google is reinforcing that websites should prioritise providing high-quality, user-focused content over trying to game the system with supposed ranking formulas. This approach will not only help build trust and authority but also ultimately align better with Google’s various ranking signals.
Trusting this ethos and letting go of the myth of the "perfect page" might just be the most effective SEO strategy moving forward into 2024.