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Local Citations: Is it a   organic search ranking factor ?What is Local Citations ?In local SEO, a citation is a mention...
18/10/2021

Local Citations: Is it a organic search ranking factor ?

What is Local Citations ?

In local SEO, a citation is a mention of key business information – your name, address, and phone number (NAP) – anywhere else on the web.

Local citations might appear in directories, on social networking or review sites, in apps, and on all kinds of other websites.

Clearly, these are an important part of a searcher’s experience;

NAP info is how a local consumer will find their way to your store or give you a call.

Why is Local Citations considered as a Google ranking factor ?

The idea here is that each of these optimizations will help you rank higher in local search results:

Having your NAP info appear on more external sites.
Ensuring the accuracy of your citations.
Optimizing each one by adding as much supporting detail as the fields on that site allow.

Some citations allow only for the location’s name, address, and phone number.

However, you may be able to add a website link, business description, photos, and more, depending on the directory or platform.

Is there any evidence for Local Citations as a Google ranking factor?

Google confirms that local results are based primarily on relevance, distance, and prominence.

And while you cannot control all of these factors, they say:

“First, make sure all of your business information is complete. It’s important to have accurate information including your phone number, address, and business category.”

Google also recommends that in order to ensure the accuracy of your GMB listing and “help you stand out”, you should:

What’s the Verdict ?
Probably!!
It is all but confirmed officially by Google that Google uses local citations as a ranking signal in Local Pack/Finder and localized organic search results.

Google’s aim is to provide the best, most trustworthy answers to every searcher. Citations are an important signal as to whether key business information is correct and that location is the best answer for a local searcher’s relevant query.

Schema Markup: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?What is schema markup ?Schema markup is a type of microdata...
18/10/2021

Schema Markup: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?

What is schema markup ?

Schema markup is a type of microdata that creates an enhanced description Google might use in search results as a rich snippet. In essence,

it’s a shared vocabulary that enables search engines including , , and to better understand the content on any given webpage.

The ability for search engines to understand the content on your page is integral to its ability to match it to a relevant query.

Is there any evidence against Schema Markup as a Google ranking factor?

Gary Illyes said at Pubcon 2017:

“…add structure data to your pages because during indexing, we will be able to better understand what your site is about.”

“It will help us understand your pages better, and indirectly, it leads to better ranks in some sense, because we can rank easier.”

Illyes is clear here that the ranking benefit of using schema is indirect. It makes ranking easier when Google has a better understanding of which entities appear on the page and what they’re about.

Google’s John Mueller reaffirmed that schema is not a ranking factor in a tweeted response to a question in 2018, in which SD = structured data:

There's no generic ranking boost for SD usage. That's the same as far as I remember. However, SD can make it easier to understand what the page is about, which can make it easier to show where it's relevant (improves targeting, maybe ranking for the right terms). (not new, imo)

So simply using schema markup doesn’t give you a ranking boost.

In 2020, Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, said structured data was optional, adding that it has “no impact on ranking in web search.”

What’s the Verdict ?

Absolutely NOT!!

Schema does exactly what Google said it would in its 2011 Schema. org launch announcement: It improves how sites appear in major search engines.

There is no evidence it’s used by Google to determine search rankings, but those are all good things.

If you are from the   industry the following data is going to impact the way you see your social media calendar. Everyon...
18/10/2021

If you are from the industry the following data is going to impact the way you see your social media calendar. Everyone’s been there where you spent a tremendous amount of time creating the post, working on the copy and then waited till the weekend assuming that we would get the maximum impact for your post but failed miserably and more than 90% of the time you never thought that the time you posted would have created the negative impact.

But here we are now knowing that the time you post will also have an impact on your reach in social media channels

But each and every social media platform has a different timing where you get best impact

Best times to post on for education
Best times: Wednesday and Thursday at 10 a.m.
Best day: Tuesday, Wednesday
Worst day: Sunday

Best times to post on for education
Best times: Friday 4–5 a.m., Thursday 2 p.m.
Best day: Friday
Worst day: Sunday

Best times to post on for education
Best times: Monday 6– 9 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m.
Best day: Monday
Worst day: Sunday

Data is based on Sprout social analysis of more 20,000+ social media accounts. Try these timings for your next social media posts and observe the impact that posting on the right time creates

Number of Images: Is it a  organic search ranking factor ?Why is Number of Images  considered as a Google ranking organi...
18/10/2021

Number of Images: Is it a organic search ranking factor ?

Why is Number of Images considered as a Google ranking organic factor ?

Adding images to written content can help add context for readers and keep them engaged for longer periods.

In turn, that could lead to more time on site, which increases the potential for more pageviews per visit.

There are SEO benefits associated with images as well, such as the ability to earn traffic from more surfaces in Google.

It’s claimed that using too many images will impact rankings in a negative way. This is due to the fact images can impact page speed, and slower pages tend to not rank as well as faster ones

There’s another claim suggesting a lack of images in web content can work against a site’s SEO, or that a webpage needs images in order to rank well.

Is there any evidence against Number of Images as a Google ranking factor?

In theory, the number of images on a webpage could negatively impact rankings as the claims suggest.

However, this is not a hard and fast rule, and there’s no exact threshold for determining how many images are “too many.”

The extent to which images impact search rankings depends on how long they take to load.

If a website employs techniques that allow images to load fast, it can publish galleries of images without issue.

The claim that images are required in order to earn high rankings in Google – there’s no truth to that at all.

What’s the Verdict ?
Absolutely NOT!!
There’s no evidence to suggest that the number of images on a webpage, whether too many or too few, is inherently a factor for search rankings.

So don’t feel like you need to limit your use of images in order to rank well. On the other side, don’t feel obligated to add images on all your pages to appease Google’s algorithms.

Just like word count, there is no magic number of images that will help you rank better.

If you are from the   industry the following data is going to impact the way you see your social media calendar. Everyon...
18/10/2021

If you are from the industry the following data is going to impact the way you see your social media calendar. Everyone’s been there where you spent a tremendous amount of time creating the post, working on the copy and then waited till the weekend assuming that we would get the maximum impact for your post but failed miserably and more than 90% of the time you never thought that the time you posted would have created the negative impact.

But here we are now knowing that the time you post will also have an impact on your reach in social media channels

But each and every social media platform has a different timing where you get best impact

Best times to post on for media
Best times: Friday 7 a.m., Tuesday 6–9 a.m.
Best days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
Worst day: Saturday

Best times to post on for media
Best times: Tuesday 1–5 p.m. , Wednesday 11 a.m. , Thursday 8–9 a.m.
Best day: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Worst day: Sunday

Best times to post on for media
Best times: Monday 6 a.m. & 9 a.m., Tuesday 7 a.m.
Best day: Monday, Tuesday
Worst day: Saturday


Data is based on Sprout social analyses on more 20,000+ social media accounts. Try these timings for your next social media posts and observe the impact that posting on the right time creates

Syndicated content: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?What is syndicated contentContent syndication is a met...
18/10/2021

Syndicated content: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?

What is syndicated content

Content syndication is a method of republishing existing content on other websites in order to reach a broader audience

The syndicated content piece, when it appears on the third-party site, could end up being:

Identical (all content is the same except for the URL where it lives)
Condensed (e.g., perhaps only the first paragraph or some portion of the article appears).
Edited significantly (e.g., it has a different headline, or has had portions edited, removed, or rearranged)..

When syndication happens without the creator’s consent, this piracy can result in duplicate content rather than syndicated content.

Why is Syndicated content considered as a Google ranking organic factor ?

In some cases, syndicated content is viewed as spam.

In others, it can outrank the original content.

And yet syndication is a widely accepted practice in journalism and content marketing alike.

Some websites use software to “scrape” content from other websites. These websites may only scrape content about a particular topic to syndicate. Others may scrape anything that is popular in an attempt to attract search traffic.

Is there any evidence for Syndicated content as a Google ranking factor?

Google discussed how to handle duplicate content. In regards to syndicated content, in an article published on Google Search Central (2021)

“If you syndicate your content on other sites, Google will always show the version we think is most appropriate for users in each given search, which may or may not be the version you’d prefer.

What’s the Verdict ?
Unlikely !!
If you are using content syndication to reach new audiences on popular networks with high-quality content, you can boost your visibility in search by ranking on other networks.

But simply syndicating content will not help the rankings of the original content in search results. Therefore, we’ve classified it as unlikely to be a ranking factor.

If you are from the   sector the following data is going to impact the way you see your social media calendar. Everyone’...
18/10/2021

If you are from the sector the following data is going to impact the way you see your social media calendar. Everyone’s been there where you spent a tremendous amount of time creating the post, working on the copy and then waited till the weekend assuming that we would get the maximum impact for your post but failed miserably and more than 90% of the time you never thought that the time you posted would have created the negative impact.

But here we are now knowing that the time you post will also have an impact on your reach in social media channels

But each and every social media platform has a different timing where you get best impact
Best times to post on for healthcare
Best times: Monday through Friday at 11 a.m.
Best day: Tuesday
Worst day: Sunday

Best times to post on for healthcare
Best times: Sunday 8–9 a.m., Tuesday 8 a.m.–noon and 5–8 p.m.
Best day: Monday, Tuesday
Worst day: Saturday

Best times to post on r for healthcare
Best times: Monday 9 a.m.–noon, Tuesday 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Best day: Tuesday
Worst day: Sunday

Data is based on Sprout social analyses on more 20,000+ social media accounts. Try these timings for your next social media posts and observe the impact that posting on the right time creates

Best & Worst days to post in social media 2021 editionWhat are the best times to post on  ?Best times: Tuesday, Wednesda...
16/10/2021

Best & Worst days to post in social media 2021 edition

What are the best times to post on ?

Best times: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Best days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
Worst day: Saturday
With Facebook’s status as the most used social media platform in the world, it’s no surprise that there was virtually around-the-clock engagement in 2020.

What are the best times to post on ?
Best times: Tuesday 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Monday through Friday 11 a.m.
Best day: Tuesday
Worst day: Sunday
Throughout 2020, Instagram continued to step up new features such as Reels, enhance Stories, and push discovery on its Explore page.

What are the best times to post on ?
Best times: Wednesday 9 a.m.– 3 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 9–11 a.m.
Best day: Wednesday
Worst day: Saturday

Twitter peak times for engagement remained high throughout all weekdays in 2020, with increased periods of high engagement going into the evenings.

What are the best times to post on

Best times: Tuesday through Thursday 9 a.m.–noon
Best days: Tuesday and Wednesday
Worst day: Sunday
LinkedIn engagement has become extremely consistent throughout the US work week, unsurprising for this professional-focused social platform. You’re less likely to get eyes on your LinkedIn content on the weekend, where engagement drops more significantly compared to weekdays than on other social networks we reviewed.

Trust the data - Many would assume people spent a lot of time on social media on Weekends, but the research from Sprout social , Pastell and many others suggest otherwise. People are also very active in social media in what is called as “Office hours”

Weekends - Weekends are the worst, when it comes to engagement. So dont save that good post to be posted on a weekend !

Experiment & Analyse - The data provided here holds true for most of the verticals, we still encourage you to experiment & analyse, what timing works best for you

Internal Links: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?Why is Internal Links  considered as a   ranking organic f...
16/10/2021

Internal Links: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?

Why is Internal Links considered as a ranking organic factor ?

An internal link is a hyperlink to a page on a domain to another page on the same domain. Internal links help people navigate websites and create a site architecture for hierarchy.

In other words, Internal links increase the site usability through navigation. Its assumed that google uses factors that increase user experience as a part of their ranking algorithm

Google’s “How Search Engines Work” establishes internal links as a ranking factor

Some pages are known because Google has already crawled them before. Other pages are discovered when Google follows a link from a known page to a new page.

Is there any evidence for Internal Links as a Google ranking factor?

Google confirms internal links are a ranking in their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide. Google states:

Create a naturally flowing hierarchy Make it as easy as possible for users to go from general content to the more specific content they want on your site. Add navigation pages when it makes sense and effectively work these into your internal link structure. Make sure all of the pages on your site are reachable through links, and that they don’t require an internal “search” functionality to be found. Link to related pages, where appropriate, to allow users to discover similar content.

What’s the Verdict ?
Absolutely Yes !!

Yes, there is a bit of truth in the myth that internal links and your ranking in search engines have a connection.

Think about it this way, as Cutts said:

“...if there’s a page that’s important or that has great profit margins or converts really well - escalate that. Put a link to that page from your root page that’s the sort of thing where it can make a lot of sense.”

Meta Keyword: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?Why is Meta Keyword  considered as a Google ranking organic ...
16/10/2021

Meta Keyword: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?

Why is Meta Keyword considered as a Google ranking organic factor ?



Because meta keywords give you the ability to add a seemingly unlimited number of keywords to your page, their impact on search rankings has always been questioned.

Is there any evidence for Meta Keyword as a Google ranking factor?

There is little to no evidence about Google using meta keywords . Even other search engines Yahoo and Bing also disregard the meta keywords tag before 2009

Why did Google begin to disregard the meta keywords tag?

“Because the keywords meta tag was so often abused, many years ago Google began disregarding the keywords meta tag.”

Is there any evidence against Meta Keyword as a Google ranking factor?

In Google Search Central’s Advanced SEO documentation, Google goes on to list the meta tags that they recognize for search. They include the meta Keyword and meta robots.

Meta keywords, however, were not mentioned in the documentation about meta tags.

In 2014, Bing wrote a blog post, “Blame The Meta Keyword Tag.” In it, they wrote the following.

“Today, it’s pretty clear the meta keyword tag is dead in terms of SEO value. Sure, it might have value for contextual ad systems or serve as a signal to ‘bots plying the web looking for topics to target, but as far as search goes, that tag flat lined years ago as a booster.”

What’s the Verdict ?
Not Anymore!

We know, based on what Google told us in 2009, that meta keywords are definitely not a Google ranking factor – and even at that time, they hadn’t been used for “many years” before that.

Bottom line: Meta keywords are a relic of a bygone SEO era.

Meta Description: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?Why is Meta Description  considered as a Google ranking ...
16/10/2021

Meta Description: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?

Why is Meta Description considered as a Google ranking organic factor ?

If you run a site audit using one of many SEO tools, you may find a flag or warning about missing or duplicate meta descriptions.

This could suggest that you need to make sure each page has a unique meta description, as part of your SEO strategy.

This might have led you to believe that meta description is something that Google takes very seriously

Is there any evidence for Meta Description as a Google ranking factor?

In a video published on the Google Search Central channel in August 2020, Google’s Search Advocate Martin Splitt said of meta descriptions:

“Please don’t forget to add them to your mobile pages. They matter a lot for Googlebot, as well.”

This created unrest among the SEO professionals, to which split responded by saying that the meta description and page title not only provide searchers a first impression but also:

“...helps Google Search to get a short summary of what you consider important about the page.”

The widely-held belief among SEO pros is that meta descriptions lost any ranking value they may have had a long time ago.

Is there any evidence against Meta Description as a Google ranking factor?

Matt Cutts’ 2009 explanation of why meta keywords were removed from the algorithm sheds some light on their thinking around meta descriptions at the time, as well:

“About a decade ago, search engines judged pages only on the content of web pages, not any so-called ‘off-page’ factors such as the links pointing to a web page
...Because the keywords meta tag was so often abused, many years ago Google began disregarding the keywords meta tag. Even though we sometimes use the description meta tag for the snippets we show, we still don’t use the description meta tag in our ranking.”

What’s the Verdict ?
Not Anymore!

Google does not use the meta description as a search ranking signal and hasn’t since sometime between 1999 and 2003-04.

Text Formatting: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?Why is Text Formatting  considered as a Google ranking or...
15/10/2021

Text Formatting: Is it a Google organic search ranking factor ?

Why is Text Formatting considered as a Google ranking organic factor ?

Google rewards websites that provide a good user experience, & enhanced security is a way to make sites better for users. This claim also stems from the fact that

Google’s Chrome browser displays a warning before users visit non-Text Formatting websites. The warning is enough to make even the most non-SEO savvy individual recognize that Google treats Text Formatting differently

Is there any evidence for Text Formatting as a Google ranking factor?

Google’s Matt Cutts seemed to indicate in a 2013 Google Search Central video that HTML text formatting is indeed a ranking factor… or did he?

“Back then, whenever we checked, and were treated the exact same in terms of ranking and scoring and how they’re indexed and all that sort of stuff. Likewise, there’s also the and the that stands for italics, and those were treated exactly the same. You could use either one, and it wouldn’t make a difference in terms of Google ranking.”

John Mueller responded to a tweeted question about bold text in particular in 2017 but again, the response is somewhat ambiguous and open to interpretation:

You'll probably get more out of bolding text for human users / usability in the end. Bots might like, but they're not going to buy anything.

What’s the Verdict ?
Possibly
There is some evidence that Google is using HTML text formatting as a signal, but we’ve had no official confirmation.

Further, it’s likely that text formatting was a ranking factor circa prior to 2010 and its weighting has gradually been reduced as new, more reliable factors have been introduced.

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