1.
Jordan Koene
Chief Evangelist Searchmetrics

2.
2014 Edition

3.
What is a Ranking Factors Study?
The relationship between two variables - namely the
ranking on the one hand and the occurrence / existence of
each factor on the other
• 30 search results for 10,000 keywords = 300k URLS
• Keyword sets from consecutive years (90 percent from the
previous year)
• Searchmetrics database is always current
• Line charts: y-axis indicates the average value for all
10,000 URLs studied at position (ranking) X (x-axis).
• Bar charts: Calculated on the basis of all available data
per feature
10 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014

4.
RANKING FACTORS 2014

5.
Social
RANKING FACTORS 2014
vs 2013
Content/
Techniques

6.
CONTENT ELEMENTS
RANKING FACTORS
2014

7.
vs 2013
CONTENT ELEMENTS
RANKING FACTORS
2014

8.
Description existing
15 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
~98% 휌2014 = 0.05

9.
Description existing
vs 2013
16 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
~95%
휌2014 = 0.05
휌2013 = 0.06
~98%

10.
Keyword in Description
17 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2014 = 0.13 ~7.500
Brand Factor
휌2014 = 0.01 ~55%

11.
18 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2013 = 0.02
Keyword in Description
vs 2013
~62%
휌2014 = 0.01 ~55%

12.
Text Length in Characters
Brand Factor
19 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2014 = 0.13 ~7,500

13.
Text Length in Characters
vs 2013
20 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2014 = 0.13 ~7,500
휌2013 = 0.11 ~6,700

14.
Brand Factor
21 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
~650 휌2014 = 0.13
Word Count

15.
Word Count
22 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2013 = 0.11 ~540
vs 2013
~650 휌2014 = 0.13

16.
BACKLINK ELEMENTS
23 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
RANKING FACTORS
2014

17.
BACKLINK ELEMENTS
24 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
RANKING FACTORS
2014
vs 2013

18.
More Backlinks!
25 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2014 = 0.31
Number of Backlinks

19.
SEO Visibility/ Source URL
Better Links!
26 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2014 = 0.26

20.
BACKLINK ELEMENTS
NEW Features 2014
27 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014

21.
Number of new Backlinks
Fewer fresh Backlinks!
28 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
more
휌2014 = 0.20

22.
29 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2014 = 0.16
Anchor = Domain Name

23.
30 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2014 = 0.15
Anchor = Brand/ URL

24.
MOBILE
vs
DESKTOP MOBILE

25.
32 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
MOBILE
vs
DESKTOP
Sitespeed

26.
33 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
MOBILE
vs
DESKTOP
Filesize

27.
34 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
~7,500
~6,000
MOBILE
vs
DESKTOP
Text Length in Characters

28.
USER TRAFFIC ELEMENTS
35 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
RANKING FACTORS
2014

29.
36 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2014 = 0.09
Time on Site

30.
37 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
Ø
휌2014 = 0.04
Bounce Rate

31.
38 www.searchmetrics.com 11/5/2014
휌2014 = 0.67
Click-Through Rate

32.
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THANK YOU
QUESTIONS