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Google Ranking Question (Confused)

by inxie
22 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Okay, just a quick question because I've taken the first 3 results of a search phrase and found the following:

Site in position #1
4,400 Backlinks - PR2
Phrase mentioned 2 times

Site in position #2
96,000 Backlinks - PR4
Phrase mentioned 16 times

Site in position #3
15,000 Backlinks - PR4
Phrase mentioned 8 times

I'm having a hard time understanding this, clearly the highest ranking website has less backlinks, lower PR and less keyword density for the search term, yet it outranks the other 2.

Can anyone explain why this might be?
#confused #google #question #ranking
  • Profile picture of the author inxie
    Anybody have an idea?
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    • Profile picture of the author dejaone
      Social sharing count is as important as backlink count. The ratio of backlink count vs social count tells how natural those links are. A natural link portfolio usually has a lower ratio.
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    • Profile picture of the author CyberAlien
      Originally Posted by inxie View Post

      Anybody have an idea?
      FYI, no need to bump your thread after just waiting an hour for a response
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  • Profile picture of the author ilee
    It's not the amount of backlinks but the quality and the anchor text used for the backlinks. You didn't mention anything about on-page seo.
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    • Profile picture of the author inxie
      So, social signals and anchor text is essentially what makes the difference in this example... despite the huge difference in PR and backlink count?

      I find it a little hard to believe.
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  • Profile picture of the author inxie
    Anymore views on this?
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    • Profile picture of the author Cosmit
      Number of backlinks is not a good metric to figure out where a website should rank. There is an algorithm that uses hundreds of metrics to determine the position of the website. The anchor text counts, the number of backlinks to the backlinks counts, and the number of backlinks to the backlinks of the backlinks also count. Backlinks only give you a ROUGH estimate and you can't really measure anything with it. For all you know, 3000 of those backlinks are coming from 1 domain. You are oversimplifying something extremely complex. Google algorithm is a million dollar question, and you want somebody on warriorforum to give you the answer?
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  • Profile picture of the author dadamson
    You are measuring 3 (unimportant) metrics of the first three websites:

    -number of backlinks
    -PR
    -how many times the phrase is mentioned

    The reason that these three metrics are not shown in numerological order highest to lowest is because Google looks at MANY more metrics than these 3.

    Google looks at site relevance, backlink quality, backlink diversity, backlink age, site structure, site content, site age, plus many others with varying importance.

    No one can determine where Google is going to rank a site no matter how many metrics you analyse, we can only get a fair idea. Googles constant algorithm changes keep things secret.
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  • Profile picture of the author challanger
    Quantity is not Google's first priority anymore. Quality is...

    Most probably first ranking site has better authority as well as better quality content and better quality backlinks.
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  • Profile picture of the author seobuzz
    There are reportedly around 200 factors which affects the ranking on Google SERP. And in your post you have mentioned only 3 of them. So you know its not that simple calculation.

    Website age, backlink age, backlink diversity are some other major factors behind the ranking which you need to count as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author dejaone
    Not sure if the forum allows post an external link. Google for "searchmetrics ranking factors" and you'll see a list of factors that have higher correlation with Google ranking.
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    • Profile picture of the author inxie
      Originally Posted by dejaone View Post

      Not sure if the forum allows post an external link. Google for "searchmetrics ranking factors" and you'll see a list of factors that have higher correlation with Google ranking.
      Interesting, thank you.
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  • Profile picture of the author Slin
    The percentage of the keyword in the backlinks is pretty big too. The consensus seems to be that about 30% is the best right now.

    Then you gotta look at the PR of the link that has the anchor text, always put your direct anchor text on the best links.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bonita T Josephson
    I think social signals are playing a big role now to get higher ranking in search engines. I think @dejaone was referring to this website Google Ranking Factors U.S. 2012
    A very informative article there regarding google ranking factor.
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  • Profile picture of the author dejaone
    Our research found out that 95% of links are built, manipulated, or promoted. Only 5% of links are truly earned. Social sharing counts are less manipulated. It is reasonable to believe that social signals are more important than back-link count for ranking webpages. PR is the easiest to manipulate and all you need is a link from a high PR Wordpress theme site. When looking at the quality of backlinks, social counts are naturally important.

    Bonita T, that's the doc I referred to.
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  • Profile picture of the author premiumonlinewriting
    Social sharing count is as important as backlink count. The ratio of backlink count vs social count tells how natural those links are. A natural link portfolio usually has a lower ratio.
    Sorry but this is nonsense.

    The only social stuff that really matters is Google+.

    Analyze their backlink profiles. Chances are you'll find the #1 spot has a few good high PR, keyword-anchor-text links from pages with low outbound links counts. That's about it.
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