Search engine optimization (SEO) is constantly evolving, and while much of the advice you hear may be straightforward, there are several lesser-known facts about SEO that can provide deeper insight into how Google and other search engines determine rankings. In this article, we’ll explore 15 interesting SEO facts that can help you stay ahead of the curve.
Whether you’re an experienced SEO professional or a business owner trying to improve your website’s visibility, these insights will give you a better understanding of the search engine ranking process and how to approach your SEO strategy.
15 Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Facts For Better Organic Visibility
1. No One Knows Google’s Algorithm—And That’s a Good Thing for Site’s SEO
One of the most intriguing and frustrating aspects of SEO is that no one knows exactly how Google’s algorithm works. Google uses hundreds, if not thousands, of factors to rank pages, and they’ve kept the exact details hidden to prevent manipulation. While there have been plenty of studies and guesses about which factors matter most, Google doesn’t reveal the full formula. This keeps things competitive and prevents spammy websites from exploiting the system.
What we do know is that Google’s algorithm is constantly being updated, and they use machine learning to refine their ranking methods. The mystery behind the algorithm means that SEO professionals must stay on their toes and continually adapt to changes.
Practical Tip: Focus on best practices and long-term strategies, like creating high-quality content and earning genuine backlinks, rather than chasing after specific, fleeting ranking factors.
2. User Behavior and Machine Learning Are Powerful Ranking Signals
Google has become incredibly proficient at using machine learning to assess user behavior. Signals such as time spent on a page, bounce rate, and click-through rate (CTR) play a major role in determining whether or not a piece of content is helpful to a user. This data is gathered and used to refine the rankings over time.
The aggregation of behavioral data allows Google to better understand what users are searching for and how well your content satisfies their needs. While content quality is essential, your ability to engage users and provide a positive experience will also impact how well your pages perform in search results.
Practical Tip: Focus on optimizing for user experience. Improve page speed, make content easy to navigate, and ensure your website is mobile-friendly to boost engagement metrics.
3. Link Building Is Still Important—But It’s Evolving
The principle that links act as “votes” for content still holds true today, but the way Google evaluates those links has evolved. Links signal to Google that your content is trustworthy and relevant, and this creates an incentive for websites to link to high-quality resources. Google’s PageRank system, which still plays a role in link weighting, rewards websites that are well-connected through links.
However, link-building today is more sophisticated than it used to be. While backlinks are crucial for ranking, the quality and relevance of the linking page are just as important as the quantity. This is why a link from a high-authority site within your industry can carry much more weight than several links from lower-quality sources.
Practical Tip: Build high-quality backlinks through content partnerships, guest blogging, and outreach efforts that focus on relevant, authoritative sites in your niche.
4. Link Metrics Like DR/DA/TF/CF Aren’t Direct Ranking Factors
Domain Rating (DR), Domain Authority (DA), Trust Flow (TF), and Citation Flow (CF) are metrics often used by SEO tools to assess the strength of a link or domain. However, these metrics don’t directly impact rankings. Instead, they are used to predict a site’s ability to pass link equity. In other words, they are useful for assessing the potential value of a link but can be easily manipulated by SEO tools and link-building schemes.
While these tools can give you a sense of how powerful a website or link might be, they shouldn’t be relied upon exclusively. The reality is that Google evaluates links in a more nuanced way that goes beyond simple metrics.
Practical Tip: Focus on the relevance and authority of the linking pages rather than relying solely on metrics like DA and DR when evaluating potential link-building opportunities.
5. Projected Domain and Traffic Are Better Indicators of Link Value
While metrics like DR and DA can offer a sense of a website’s link power, the projected traffic or domain strength from a linking page is a more accurate indicator of its ability to pass on link value. A website with high organic traffic but a relatively low DR may still pass significant authority through its links.
For example, a page with thousands of daily visitors might have more impact on your SEO than a page with high authority but limited traffic. Google takes into account the potential reach and impact of a link in addition to its quality.
Practical Tip: Look at the traffic potential of linking pages to prioritize opportunities that can drive both traffic and link equity to your site.
6. Core Web Vitals: Indirect Impact on Search Engine Optimization
While Google’s Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, and CLS) are not direct ranking factors, they play a significant role in user experience. Pages with poor Core Web Vitals tend to result in high bounce rates and lower user engagement, which can negatively affect your overall rankings.
Core Web Vitals are part of a broader initiative to improve the quality of user experiences on the web. Even if these metrics aren’t a direct ranking signal, they impact how users interact with your site, and this behavior indirectly influences your ranking position.
Practical Tip: Regularly monitor and optimize Core Web Vitals to improve your site’s load speed and interactivity. Tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights can help identify areas of improvement.
7. New Domains Can Rank Quickly—But Not for Long
When a new domain is launched, it can sometimes rank quickly in competitive search results, even before it has accumulated significant backlinks or behavioral data. This initial ranking boost occurs because Google doesn’t have any historical data on the site, and it relies on the limited data it has available to determine relevance.
However, this quick ranking is often short-lived. Once Google begins to accumulate behavioral data and assess the site’s true performance, rankings can drop before stabilizing. This “correction” phase is common for new domains as they build up credibility.
Practical Tip: Focus on building high-quality content and backlinks right from the start to ensure sustained growth after the initial ranking boost fades.
8. Old Domains Can Defy Expectations
“Old Boy” domains, or aged domains, can sometimes outperform newer sites despite not adhering to conventional SEO principles. These domains often have built-up authority over time and may continue to rank well even if they aren’t optimized according to modern SEO practices.
While this can be frustrating, it’s a reminder that domain age and historical performance can play a significant role in a site’s ranking potential. This doesn’t mean you should rely solely on aged domains, but it’s something to keep in mind when acquiring backlinks or considering domain purchases.
Practical Tip: When buying or acquiring a domain, consider its age and past performance. An aged domain with a clean history can offer an SEO advantage.
9. Exact Match Domains (EMDs) Still Have Power
Exact match domains (EMDs) continue to hold value, especially when combined with a strong backlink strategy. EMDs are domain names that exactly match a target keyword, and while they no longer hold the same weight they did in the past, they can still provide a competitive edge.
When paired with high-quality, HARO-style link-building efforts—where brand anchors are keyword-focused—EMDs can enhance your site’s SEO potential, especially in niche industries.
Practical Tip: If you’re considering purchasing a domain, look for opportunities to acquire an EMD that aligns with your target keywords and niche. Combine this with a solid content and link strategy.
10. Google HCU: Brand Weighting Over Quality Scores
Google’s HCU (Helpful Content Update) algorithm seems to factor in brand recognition and authority, potentially overriding other signals when it comes to ranking. A strong brand presence can sometimes offset lower-quality content, especially if the brand is well-established and trusted by users.
However, if a website falls below a certain “quality score,” it can face suppression in search results, even if it is a trusted brand. This means that new or smaller websites may find it harder to rank without sufficient signals of authority.
Practical Tip: Work on building your brand’s trust and authority through consistent, high-quality content, customer reviews, and social proof.
11. JavaScript Rendering Is Still a Challenge for Google
Google can render JavaScript, but it’s not as efficient as rendering HTML. Websites that rely heavily on JavaScript for content loading can face crawlability and indexability issues because Googlebot may not always be able to fully interact with or understand the dynamically loaded content.
For SEO, this can be problematic because it means that Google might miss crucial content or fail to index pages properly.
Practical Tip: If your site relies on JavaScript for content delivery, consider implementing server-side rendering (SSR) or static site generation to improve crawlability.
12. First Pass Indexing in Search Engine—Less Is More
Google is indexing less content now than in the past. First pass indexing refers to an assessment Google makes before indexing a page, where it evaluates whether or not the content is likely to be useful. Pages that Google deems unworthy of indexing are filtered out during this process.
The less bloat your website has, the better chance you have of ensuring valuable content gets indexed without being overshadowed by lower-quality pages.
Practical Tip: Regularly audit your site for duplicate or thin content and make sure only valuable pages are indexed.
13. Google Doesn’t Need Parsed HTML for Content Extraction
Google doesn’t rely on parsed HTML to extract content. Even though many SEO experts focus on optimizing the HTML structure for crawlability, Google can extract content directly from the DOM (Document Object Model) without relying on traditional parsing techniques.
Practical Tip: Focus on ensuring your website’s content is easily accessible and visible to Google, regardless of whether it’s served through parsed HTML or dynamically rendered content.
14. Long Titles and Descriptions Aren’t an Issue If CTR Is High
Excessively long titles and descriptions are often considered an issue in SEO, but they’re not a problem if they lead to a good click-through rate (CTR). Google will often rewrite or truncate your meta tags, but as long as the content is compelling and your CTR remains high, you’re likely not losing any SEO value.
Practical Tip: Test your title and description lengths for optimal CTR, but don’t obsess over truncation if your click-through rates are strong.
15. Minimize Index Footprint to Avoid Bloat
Minimizing your site’s index footprint can help prevent “bloat” and ensure that only valuable content is indexed. Avoiding unnecessary pages and focusing on quality over quantity will help reduce the risk of diluting your link equity and ranking signals.
Practical Tip: Regularly prune outdated or low-value pages and make sure your sitemap is streamlined to prioritize your most important content.
Conclusion
By understanding these lesser-known SEO facts, you’ll be better equipped to optimize your website and stay ahead of the competition. While some of these insights may require more technical knowledge, the key takeaway is that Google’s algorithm is complex, and SEO is no longer just about optimizing for a few easily measurable factors. By focusing on user experience, content quality, and smart link-building strategies, you can improve your rankings and drive more organic traffic to your site.
Keep experimenting, stay updated on the latest SEO trends, and refine your approach based on data-driven insights.
