11. Title Tag Starts with Keyword
What it means: This ranking factor examines not just whether your target keyword appears in the title tag, but specifically where it’s positioned within that title. According to research and data from Moz and other SEO authorities, title tags that begin with the target keyword tend to perform better in search rankings compared to title tags where the keyword appears in the middle or at the end. The reasoning behind this is rooted in how search engines parse and weight information. When the keyword appears at the very beginning of the title tag, it receives maximum emphasis and prominence, signaling to Google that this keyword represents the primary focus of the page. Additionally, from a user psychology perspective, people scanning search results tend to read from left to right, and keywords at the beginning catch attention more immediately. However, this doesn’t mean you should awkwardly force keywords to the front if it creates unnatural or unappealing titles. The difference in ranking power between keyword-first and keyword-later titles is relatively modest, and user engagement factors like click-through rate matter significantly. Sometimes a more natural, compelling title with the keyword slightly later will outperform a keyword-first title that sounds robotic or unappealing. The key is finding the balance between SEO optimization and creating titles that genuinely attract clicks from real users.
Example: You’re optimizing a page about organic gardening tips.
Better title: “Organic Gardening Tips: 15 Ways to Grow Vegetables Without Chemicals”
Good but less optimal title: “15 Ways to Grow Vegetables: Essential Organic Gardening Tips”
Both titles contain the target keyword “organic gardening tips,” but the first version places it at the very beginning, giving it maximum prominence. According to Moz’s research, the first version would likely have a slight ranking advantage. However, if the second version generates more clicks because users find it more compelling or natural-sounding, those engagement signals could compensate for the positioning difference.
12. Keyword in Description Tag
What it means: The meta description tag is an HTML element that provides a brief summary of a webpage’s content, typically displayed as the gray text snippet beneath the blue title link in Google search results. It’s important to understand that Google has explicitly stated they do not use the meta description tag as a direct ranking signal. This means that simply including keywords in your description won’t directly improve your position in search results. However, the meta description plays a crucial indirect role in SEO through its impact on click-through rate (CTR). When users see search results, they read both the title and the description to decide which result to click. If your meta description contains the keywords they searched for, Google often bolds those keywords in the search results, making your listing more visually prominent and relevant-looking. A well-written meta description that includes target keywords naturally, addresses user intent, and compels action can significantly increase the percentage of people who click your result instead of others. Since CTR is itself a ranking signal (pages that get clicked more often tend to rank better over time), the meta description indirectly influences rankings by affecting user behavior. Additionally, Google sometimes rewrites meta descriptions if they don’t think yours adequately represents the page content, so writing good descriptions helps ensure your intended message appears in search results.
Example: You have a page about beginner yoga poses.
Effective description: “Learn 10 beginner yoga poses perfect for flexibility and stress relief. Step-by-step instructions with photos for downward dog, child’s pose, and more. Start your yoga journey today!”
Less effective description: “This page contains information about various physical positions and movements that people who are new to the practice of yoga might find useful for starting their wellness journey.”
The first description includes relevant keywords like “beginner yoga poses,” “flexibility,” and specific pose names that users might be searching for. When someone searches “beginner yoga poses,” Google will bold those words in the description, making it stand out. The second description, while describing the same content, lacks specific keywords and is less likely to attract clicks, even though both descriptions have zero direct impact on rankings themselves.
13. Keyword Appears in H1 Tag
What it means: The H1 tag is an HTML heading element that typically represents the main headline or title of a webpage’s content. It’s distinct from the title tag (which appears in search results and browser tabs) because the H1 is what users actually see when they land on your page. Think of it as the big headline at the top of an article or the main heading that introduces your content. According to correlation studies and statements from Google, the H1 tag functions as a secondary relevancy signal that helps search engines understand what your page is about. When your target keyword appears in the H1 tag, it reinforces the topic and theme that you’ve already established with your title tag, creating consistency across multiple important on-page elements. Google’s John Mueller has confirmed that H1 tags help Google understand the structure and content of a page. However, the H1 is generally considered less important than the title tag for ranking purposes. It’s also worth noting that modern SEO best practices suggest having one primary H1 per page (though multiple H1s won’t necessarily hurt you), and that H1 should accurately reflect the main content topic. Like other on-page keyword factors, the H1 tag alone won’t make or break your rankings, but it contributes to the overall relevancy signals that help Google categorize and rank your content appropriately.
Example: You create a comprehensive guide about changing a car tire.
Optimized H1: “How to Change a Car Tire: Complete Step-by-Step Guide”
Weak H1: “Complete Guide to Roadside Emergency Vehicle Maintenance”
If your target keyword is “change a car tire” or “how to change a car tire,” the first H1 clearly includes this keyword phrase, reinforcing to Google exactly what your page covers. The second H1, while technically describing the same topic, uses vague language (“roadside emergency vehicle maintenance”) that doesn’t match how people actually search. When Google’s algorithms analyze the page, the first H1 provides a clear, unambiguous signal about the content’s focus, supporting better rankings for tire-changing queries.
14. TF-IDF
What it means: TF-IDF stands for “Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency,” which is a mathematical formula used in information retrieval and natural language processing to determine how important a specific word or term is to a document within a collection of documents. Breaking this down: “Term Frequency” measures how often a particular word appears in a document (the more frequently it appears, the more important it presumably is to that document), while “Inverse Document Frequency” measures how common or rare that word is across all documents (words that appear in every document, like “the” or “and,” are less meaningful than specialized terms). When combined, TF-IDF identifies words that are both frequently used in a specific document and relatively unique compared to other documents, which suggests these words represent the core topics of that document. Google likely uses a sophisticated version of TF-IDF or similar algorithms to understand what your page is truly about beyond just looking for exact keyword matches. For example, if you’re writing about “Python programming,” a good TF-IDF analysis would show that terms like “code,” “syntax,” “function,” “variable,” and “script” should naturally appear with certain frequencies, while a page supposedly about Python programming that lacks these related terms might be flagged as thin or off-topic. This helps Google move beyond simple keyword matching to understand semantic relevance and topical depth.
Example: Suppose you’re creating content about “French bulldogs.”
Strong TF-IDF content: Your article naturally includes not just “French bulldog” repeated throughout, but also related terms like “brachycephalic,” “companion dog,” “grooming,” “health issues,” “breeding,” “temperament,” “exercise needs,” “apartment living,” and “wrinkle care.” These terms appear with frequencies that match what Google expects to see in genuinely comprehensive French bulldog content.
Weak TF-IDF content: Your article mentions “French bulldog” 50 times but includes almost no related terminology. It keeps repeating “French bulldog is a dog” and “French bulldogs are great” without using the rich vocabulary that naturally appears in expert-level content about this breed.
Google’s TF-IDF analysis (or similar semantic algorithms) would identify the first article as genuinely comprehensive and topically relevant, while flagging the second as potentially thin or keyword-stuffed content lacking real substance.
15. Content Length
What it means: Content length refers to the total number of words on a webpage, and this has been a subject of extensive debate and research within the SEO community. Multiple industry studies, including comprehensive analyses of millions of search results, have consistently found a correlation between longer content and higher rankings. For instance, research has shown that the average first-page Google result contains approximately 1,400 to 1,800 words, with top-ranking pages often exceeding 2,000 words. The reasoning behind this correlation is that longer content generally allows for more comprehensive coverage of a topic. A 2,000-word article about “how to train a puppy” can cover many more aspects (house training, crate training, socialization, basic commands, common mistakes, troubleshooting problems) than a 300-word article about the same topic. However, it’s absolutely critical to understand that correlation does not equal causation. Google does not have a ranking algorithm that says “longer content ranks higher.” Rather, longer content tends to rank better because it’s more likely to thoroughly answer user questions, include diverse relevant keywords naturally, attract more backlinks, keep users engaged longer, and satisfy search intent more completely. The key word here is “comprehensive,” not just “long.” A rambling, repetitive 3,000-word article filled with fluff will perform worse than a focused, valuable 800-word article. Content length should be determined by what’s needed to comprehensively cover the topic and satisfy user intent, not by arbitrary word count targets.
Example: Two websites create content about “best DSLR cameras for beginners.”
Site A (400 words): Lists five camera models with brief one-sentence descriptions and prices. No explanation of why these cameras suit beginners, no discussion of key features to consider, no comparison of specifications, no guidance on lenses or accessories.
Site B (2,500 words): Lists the same five cameras but includes detailed explanations of why each suits beginners, discusses important features like autofocus systems and sensor size in beginner-friendly language, includes a comparison table, explains related concepts like aperture and ISO, provides guidance on which lenses to start with, includes actual user experiences, and offers troubleshooting tips for common beginner mistakes.
Site B’s longer content naturally ranks better not because of the word count itself, but because it provides far more comprehensive value. A beginner searching for DSLR recommendations will spend more time on Site B, be less likely to bounce back to search results, and be more likely to link to it or share it, all of which are positive ranking signals.
16. Table of Contents
What it means: A table of contents (TOC) is a structured list of the main sections and subsections within a long-form piece of content, typically placed near the beginning of the article with clickable links that allow users to jump directly to specific sections. From an SEO perspective, implementing a linked table of contents serves multiple valuable purposes. First, it significantly improves user experience by allowing readers to quickly navigate to the information they need without scrolling through the entire article, which is especially important for mobile users. Second, and more directly relevant to SEO, a properly structured table of contents helps Google better understand the organization and hierarchy of your content. Google can parse the structure and determine what topics and subtopics you cover. Third, and perhaps most valuably, Google sometimes uses table of contents structures to generate “sitelinks” in search results. These are the additional blue links that appear beneath some search results, showing specific sections within a page. When your article appears in search results with sitelinks showing “Introduction,” “Benefits,” “How to Get Started,” etc., it takes up more visual space in the search results, looks more authoritative and comprehensive, and can significantly increase click-through rates. For longer content (typically 1,500+ words), a table of contents has become a best practice that combines user experience benefits with technical SEO advantages.
Example: You publish a 3,000-word guide titled “Complete Guide to Starting a Podcast.”
Without TOC: Users land on your page and see a wall of text. They must scroll through equipment recommendations, software tutorials, recording tips, and editing advice to find the specific section they need. Google understands it’s about podcasting but has limited insight into the content’s structure.
With TOC: At the top of your article, you include a linked table of contents:
- What You Need to Start a Podcast
- Choosing Podcast Equipment
- Recording Your First Episode
- Editing Software and Techniques
- Publishing and Distribution Platforms
- Growing Your Audience
When this page ranks for “how to start a podcast,” Google might display it with sitelinks showing these individual sections. Users can click directly to “Choosing Podcast Equipment” if that’s their specific need. Google’s algorithms can clearly see the comprehensive structure, and the enhanced search result appearance increases clicks, which positively influences rankings over time.
17. Latent Semantic Indexing Keywords in Content (LSI)
What it means: Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) is a mathematical technique used in natural language processing to analyze relationships between terms and concepts within content. LSI keywords are terms and phrases that are semantically related to your main keyword, words that commonly appear together in the same context. The primary purpose of LSI is to help search engines understand the true meaning and context of content, especially for words that have multiple meanings. For example, the word “apple” could refer to the fruit or the technology company, but LSI helps Google determine which meaning is intended by looking at surrounding related terms. If your content about “apple” also includes words like “orchard,” “fruit,” “nutrition,” and “harvest,” Google understands you’re discussing the fruit. If it includes “iPhone,” “MacBook,” “iOS,” and “software,” Google knows you mean the company. Beyond disambiguation, LSI keywords help demonstrate topical depth and comprehensiveness. A truly expert-level article about a topic will naturally include the full vocabulary and related concepts associated with that topic. While “LSI keywords” has become common terminology in the SEO world, it’s worth noting that Google likely uses more advanced semantic understanding techniques (like neural networks and natural language processing) rather than literal LSI. Regardless of the specific technology, the principle remains: using related terms and concepts naturally throughout your content helps search engines better understand your topic and recognize your content as comprehensive and authoritative.
Example: You’re writing about “digital marketing strategies.”
Without LSI considerations: Your article mentions “digital marketing” and “strategies” repeatedly but uses very limited related vocabulary. It might say “digital marketing is important” and “you need digital marketing strategies” without exploring related concepts.
With strong LSI: Your article naturally incorporates semantically related terms like “SEO,” “content marketing,” “social media advertising,” “email campaigns,” “conversion rate optimization,” “analytics,” “target audience,” “ROI,” “engagement metrics,” “paid advertising,” “organic traffic,” and “marketing funnel.” You’re not artificially stuffing these terms in, they emerge naturally because you’re comprehensively covering digital marketing.
Google’s semantic analysis recognizes that the second article demonstrates genuine expertise and comprehensive coverage of the topic through its rich, related vocabulary, making it more likely to rank well for “digital marketing strategies” and related queries.
18. LSI Keywords in Title and Description Tags
What it means: This factor extends the concept of Latent Semantic Indexing keywords beyond the body content to the page’s metadata, specifically the title tag and meta description tag. Just as LSI keywords within your content help Google understand context and disambiguate meaning, including semantically related terms in your title and description tags provides additional context clues about your page’s true topic and purpose. These meta tags are among the first elements Google analyzes when crawling a page, so the presence of related terms here can help establish topical relevance from the outset. For example, if your main keyword is “running shoes,” including related terms like “marathon,” “training,” “cushioning,” or “performance” in your title or description helps Google understand the specific angle or context of your content. Are you discussing running shoes for marathon training? For casual fitness? For injury prevention? The related terms provide these clues. Additionally, from a user perspective, when these related terms appear in search results and match what users are looking for, they can improve click-through rates by demonstrating that your content covers the specific aspect they’re interested in. However, this should always be done naturally and with user readability in mind. Meta tags that are awkwardly stuffed with keywords and related terms will harm user experience and click-through rates, negating any potential SEO benefit.
Example: You’re creating a page about “coffee brewing methods.”
Basic title and description: Title: “Coffee Brewing Methods” Description: “Learn about coffee brewing methods and how to make coffee using different brewing methods.”
LSI-enhanced title and description: Title: “Coffee Brewing Methods: French Press, Pour Over, Espresso & Cold Brew Guide” Description: “Master coffee brewing with our complete guide. Compare French press, pour over, espresso machines, and cold brew techniques. Includes grind size, water temperature, and extraction tips.”
The second version includes LSI keywords (French press, pour over, espresso, cold brew, grind size, water temperature, extraction) that are semantically related to “coffee brewing methods.” This helps Google understand the comprehensive nature of your content and the specific subtopics you cover. It also helps users immediately see that you cover multiple brewing methods, making them more likely to click if they’re looking for comparisons or comprehensive information.
19. Page Covers Topic In-Depth
What it means: This ranking factor relates to the comprehensiveness and thoroughness with which a webpage addresses its topic. Google’s algorithms have become increasingly sophisticated at evaluating whether content provides superficial, surface-level coverage or genuinely deep, expert-level analysis of a subject. There’s a clear, well-documented correlation between content that covers every relevant angle of a topic and higher search rankings. In-depth coverage means addressing not just the basic, obvious aspects of a topic, but also subtopics, related questions, edge cases, nuances, and deeper implications. For example, a superficial article about “starting a garden” might list basic steps like “choose a location, prepare soil, plant seeds, water regularly.” An in-depth article would cover soil composition and testing, climate zone considerations, seasonal planting calendars, companion planting strategies, pest management techniques, organic versus conventional approaches, water conservation methods, tool recommendations, common mistakes to avoid, troubleshooting problems, and harvest timing. Google evaluates topical depth through various signals including content length, presence of related keywords and concepts, structured data, time-on-page metrics, bounce rates, and how well the content matches search intent for a query. Pages that comprehensively answer user questions without requiring users to return to search results for additional information are rewarded with better rankings. This factor reflects Google’s fundamental goal of providing users with the most useful, complete information possible.
Example: Two pages target the keyword “how to change engine oil.”
Superficial coverage (Page A):
- Lists basic steps: drain old oil, replace filter, add new oil
- 400 words total
- No explanation of why these steps matter
- No discussion of oil types or selection
- No safety precautions
- No troubleshooting guidance
- No tools list
In-depth coverage (Page B):
- Detailed explanation of why regular oil changes matter for engine health
- Comprehensive tools and materials list with specific recommendations
- Safety precautions including proper jack placement and working with hot oil
- How to choose the right oil type and viscosity for your vehicle
- Step-by-step process with detailed explanations of each step
- How to properly dispose of used oil
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Troubleshooting guide (oil leaks, wrong oil used, filter issues)
- How to reset the oil change indicator light
- Recommended oil change intervals for different driving conditions
- 2,500 words with images and diagrams
Page B covers the topic from every angle that a user might care about. Someone landing on Page B is unlikely to need additional information or return to Google, which Google interprets as a strong quality signal, leading to better rankings.
20. Page Loading Speed via HTML
What it means: Page loading speed refers to how quickly a webpage’s content becomes visible and interactive to users, and it has been explicitly confirmed by both Google and Bing as a ranking factor. Google now uses actual data from real Chrome browser users to evaluate how fast pages load in real-world conditions, rather than just theoretical measurements. This is measured through various metrics including Time to First Byte (TTFB), First Contentful Paint (FCP), Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), and other Core Web Vitals. The reasoning behind making speed a ranking factor is straightforward: users hate waiting for slow pages to load, and slow load times directly correlate with higher bounce rates, lower engagement, and poor user experience. Mobile users are especially sensitive to speed, often abandoning sites that take more than 3-4 seconds to load. Page speed is influenced by numerous technical factors including server response time, HTML/CSS/JavaScript optimization, image compression and format, browser caching, content delivery networks (CDNs), render-blocking resources, and overall page size. While page speed is a confirmed ranking factor, Google has emphasized that it’s more of a “tiebreaker” or minor factor compared to relevance and content quality. A slow page with excellent, highly relevant content will still generally outrank a fast page with poor content. However, when multiple pages have similar relevance and quality, the faster-loading page gets an advantage. Additionally, even if speed’s direct ranking impact is modest, its indirect impact through improved user engagement metrics (lower bounce rate, longer time on site) can significantly influence rankings.
Example: Two e-commerce sites sell similar products and have comparable content quality.
Site A: Loads in 1.2 seconds on mobile devices. Uses optimized images, efficient code, fast server, CDN, and modern formats like WebP for images. When users click a search result link, the page appears almost instantly.
Site B: Takes 6.5 seconds to load on mobile. Uses unoptimized, massive image files, inefficient code with render-blocking JavaScript, slow server response, and no caching strategy. Users wait several seconds staring at a blank screen or loading spinner.
Even though both sites have similar product descriptions and content quality, Site A will likely rank better for several reasons. First, Google’s algorithms give it a direct ranking boost for superior page speed. Second, users who land on Site A stay and browse, while many users who land on Site B become frustrated and hit the back button (creating a high bounce rate), which Google interprets as a sign that Site B doesn’t satisfy user intent. Over time, these engagement signals compound, giving Site A increasingly better rankings.