Guide

Google Ranking Factors: What We Actually Know

By Marcus B. Holzhauer · 15 October 2026 · Last updated on 16 October 2026

What Google itself says

In its help pages, Google explains that results are selected according to relevance, the quality of the content, how usable the page is, context and links from other pages. There is no list of weightings, and there will not be one.

Well-established areas

  • Relevance: Does the content match the search query and the search intent?
  • Quality: Is the content helpful, correct, up to date and from a credible source?
  • User experience: The page loads quickly (measurable among other things through the Core Web Vitals LCP, INP and CLS), works well on mobile and is secure (HTTPS).
  • Links: Other trustworthy sites link to or mention you.
  • Context: Location, language and previous searches influence the results.

What is often claimed

Figures such as “exactly 200 ranking factors” or fixed weightings are speculation. Individual effects such as domain age or text length cannot be proven across the board either.

What this means for you

Concentrate on what is proven and what you can influence: good answers, clean technology, genuine trust signals. The guide SEO for businesses gives an overview.

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