Search engine optimization (SEO) attracts 8 times more visitors compared to traditional marketing efforts and is a reliable digital marketing strategy. However, SEO algorithms are being continuously updated. Therefore, if your company wants to achieve success in SEO this year, you need to understand the top ranking SEO factors to be considered in 2021.

1. HTTPS

In 2020, Google initiated more than 10 main algorithm updates, including an essential patch for its web browser Chrome. With this update, Chrome warns its users by displaying a "Not secure" warning on "HTTP" websites.

This update encouraged many business owners to invest in an SSL certificate. An SSL certificate not only allows your website to establish an HTTPS connection, but also allows your website to protect user data.

2. User Intent

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a critical tool in identifying the content of texts, in addition to identifying the intention of searches. With such advanced technologies, Google better understands what users want.

If you want the SEO strategy for your company to work beyond 2021, you need to start thinking about the concept of user intent. Check your most valuable keywords and content to determine whether they match the intentions of your users. If your ranking has recently dropped, this may suggest that your content is not giving users what they want. Develop your SEO strategy from the perspective of the target market and maximize your results.

3. Mobile page loading speed

Last year, Google also initiated a mobile speed update. With this update, your company is supported in the switch to mobile-first indexing, which means that, from now on, Google ranks websites based on mobile search results.

The mobile speed update means that Google now uses page speed as a ranking factor for mobile results. Even though this does not mean that slow-loading websites may not rank at the top spots in search results, it reduces the likelihood of a slow-loading website “appearing at the top spots" in search results.

For companies with slow-loading mobile websites, page speed optimization is the highest priority. Get started with Google's free PageSpeed Insights tool. With PageSpeed Insights, your team can assess the speed of the mobile and desktop versions of your website and also get useful tips on how to increase the speed of your website.

4. Click-through rate (CTR)

For Google, it is essential to present relevant search results to users quickly. Therefore, it has been shown that search results on Google yield more than organic search results.

Your website should compete against this factor which reduces the click-through rate of organic mobile search results by more than 40 percent. Remember that more than 50 percent of global Internet traffic comes from mobile devices.

The click-through rate may directly affect your ranking in search results. Upon determining that the click-through rate of your website is low, Google gets a signal which suggests that your website is not relevant to the search. In turn, it reduces your website's presence in search results.

5. E-A-T (Expertise, Authority and Trust)

If you are familiar with Google's Quality Rating Guidelines, you already know that Google places importance on expertise, authority and trust (also known as "E-A-T") in relation to any content on the web.

However, as there are more than 5.5 billion webpages on the internet, it is difficult for Google's quality raters to rate each website. Therefore, Google considers the E-A-T standards as a target for search algorithms, not as a ranking factor for websites.

You should use E-A-T for reference when creating content. Aim to create and publish content that provides users with accurate and up-to-date information. Make your content user-friendly. Answer the original question of the reader before giving additional information.

6. SERP (Search Engine Results Page)

In 2020, a series of updates emphasized Google's growth in natural language understanding (NLU). With NLU, Google aims to understand not just words but also concepts. Developments in the field of NLU have allowed Google to detect subtle differences in the syntax of search results.

With SERPs, your team can track the syntax of keywords detected by Google. In addition, these pages allow your company to change its content strategy. This way, you can see what kind of content meets the user intent.

In 2021, move to the top in SEO ranking by making SERPs a part of your internal SEO processes. Before creating content, check out the real search results and ranking pages instead of analyzing all of this data through a tool. By taking this step, you will not only attract traffic to your website, but you can also create relevant content that will affect your sales.