What does Google rank on now?

Definitive answers please for a junior webmaster!

[marc_behr]

Hi all,

If this is too elmentary please forgive me. We are seeing some very odd SERPs rankings on Google for a niche eshop we manage.

Does anyone have any definitive up-to-date info on what Google ranks on?

It used to be that link density was important, but now page titles seem to be given higher priority

Also..what determines what HTML text (if any) googlebot uses on it's SERPs? I've seen lines like "best viewed with XYX at..." - when the tag is size 1!

Any advice sincerely appreciated.

[rmjvol]

Hi marc_behr,

Does anyone have any definitive up-to-date info on what Google ranks on?

The closest you'll get to definitive info is what you'll read in this forum. You can also find some really good reading in this forum's library [webmasterworld.com].

rmjvol

[Marcia]

Welcome to the board, Marc. Is yours a very large site (or dynamic), or a pretty small one, say under 50 pages?

[Dante_Maure]

Also..what determines what HTML text (if any) googlebot uses on it's SERPs? I've seen lines like "best viewed with XYX at..." - when the tag is size 1!

This snippet is often called a "ransom note" and is based on the words surrounding the keywords that were searched for as located on the page.

Do a Site Search [searchengineworld.com] for "ransom note" for discussions on this.

Here are a few more threads that may be of assistance:

Brett's Quick Rank [webmasterworld.com]

100 variables [webmasterworld.com]

How to succeed in the search engines in just 4 months. [webmasterworld.com]

Discussion about Brett_Tabke's 12 Month Google Plan (Updated) [webmasterworld.com]

The latest keyword density
[webmasterworld.com]

Are you using If Modified Since?
[webmasterworld.com]

[rfgdxm1]

This is too complex to answer simply. Definitely it helps to have keyword in title and URL, and good density on page for that keyword.

[chiyo]

ok im going out on a limb. I know its complex and always changing but i would say this for a start-up optimizer. Its all we do.

1. your keywords on text of incoming hyperlinks
2. keep on changing pages for freshness. (especially most popular or high PR ones
3. descriptive text at the top summarising your page content with rich keywords
4. as many pages as you can, each targeting a partcular interest of your target audience, but themed to your main theme, and interlinked to your high PR pages
5. Keywords in title
6. As many natural links as possible (sites that link to you without you asking directly, or having to recip with)
7. Keywords naturally occuring within your pages, bolder or headed.

I would write a few articles about your area and get news/mag/info sites to carry them in return for a link to you.

Really it's quality links that do it. unfortunately much harder than text optimisation whcih we used in the old days. Anything that will get unsolicted links is your friend.

[Macguru]

Another one flagged, thanks Dante_Maure!

[percentages]

Right now I am pleased to say Google is back to basics and ranking on the theory written by the owners several years ago. Take a look at the library for exact info. ;)