How does Google rank websites?
Pages that match a query still need enough authority to compete with the other results.
Previously: How does Google detect spam? Pages that can appear for a query still have to compete with other relevant pages.
Relevant pages still compete for position
Choose the contest your current authority can enter.
A relevant page can rank far down
What to noticeMatching the subject does not close the authority gap. The page has little chance to earn clicks here yet.
A specific query can be reachable
What to noticeCheck the actual ranking URLs. If your authority can reach the top three or five, this query can start bringing organic clicks.
After finding pages that could answer a query, the search system compares them in more detail. The model calls this ML re-ranking, meaning another round of scoring using machine learning.
Authority, previous search activity, stored information about the site and details of the query can contribute to the order. Their importance can differ between queries.
Authority works within a topic
A bike-repair page needs to be relevant to the query before its authority can help it compete. Backlinks about bike repairs don’t give it the same authority for tax advice.
Among pages answering the same query, check the backlinks and internal links each page receives. Look at the actual linking pages and the topics they rank for.
The system can use information it already has
The search system can store information about links, topics and previous searches before someone enters a new query. It can then use that information when comparing pages.
The model connects this stored information to ranking. It doesn’t tell us Google’s exact score or weight for each piece of information.
Compare your page with the ranking pages
Search the exact query and open the leading results. Does your page answer the same question? Do its URL, title and heading clearly identify that subject?
Then check the authority of the individual pages. Use a backlink tool to see which relevant pages link to them. Check your own page’s organic clicks for related queries in Search Console.
If your page matches the query but has little authority, look for relevant backlinks and internal links from related pages that already earn organic clicks. Also investigate narrower related queries where your current authority can get you into the top three or five.
Position is the main driver of CTR. Earning clicks on reachable queries starts the click history you can build on before challenging stronger pages for broader queries.
Ranking comes before the final layout
The system also decides which result types to show, how to handle duplicates and how many results from one site to include.
Check what actually appears for your query. Maps, videos and direct answers can affect how many people see and click your page, even when its organic position stays the same.
Pages that match a query still need enough authority to compete with the other results.