{"id":45210,"date":"2025-12-11T03:19:03","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T03:19:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/astrak.agency\/?p=45210"},"modified":"2026-10-14T09:15:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T09:15:59","slug":"ranking-factors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/astrak.agency\/en\/facteurs-de-rankings\/","title":{"rendered":"What factors truly make a website rank? (Analysis of 1 million SERPs)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Forget keyword density <\/strong>and arbitrary word counts. Surfer SEO has just unveiled the results of a study on 1,000,000 search results<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thematic coverage (Topical Coverage) is now the #1 factor<\/strong>, speed is a non-negotiable prerequisite, and AI is everywhere. At Astrak, we have crunched this data to give you the levers that truly make a difference in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u00abTopical Coverage\u00bb: The New SEO Superpower (Factor #1)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you have to remember only one metric, it's this one. The study reveals that thematic coverage is the signal on-page<\/em> the most powerful, with a correlation of 0.28<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google is no longer looking for pages that mention<\/em> keywords, but pages that master<\/em> a topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The killer stat <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Top 10 pages cover on average 74 %<\/strong> relevant facts and sub-themes related to their subject. The lower-ranking pages (positions 11-20) only cover 50 %<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The application<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don't just place the keyword \u00abbeard size.\u00bb Connect it semantically to \u00abaftershave,\u00bb \u00abingrown hairs,\u00bb and \u00abtrimmer guard\u00bb in logical sentences. The depth of the entity is paramount.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Keyword Variations > Exact Match<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cramming in the same exact keyword is counterproductive. The study shows that the use of keyword variations<\/strong> (synonyms, related terms) in headings (H2, H3, H4) performs significantly better than brute-force repetition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why does it work<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google now perfectly understands synonyms. Repeating \u00abrunning shoes\u00bb everywhere limits your relevance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What to do<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vary your vocabulary. If your H1 is \u00abBest running shoes,\u00bb your H2s should talk about \u00abjogging sneakers,\u00bb \u00abracing shoes,\u00bb or \u00abtrack and field shoes.\u00bb.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Keyword density is officially dead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is the end of a myth. The study confirms that keyword density doesn't have no correlation<\/strong> with the ranking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The finding<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keyword-stuffed pages rank just as poorly as others. Whether you use your keyword once or ten times, it won't make a difference if the page isn't useful.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Our advice <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stop counting. Start writing to cover the subject. Use the keyword suggestions as thematic guides, not as quotas to fill.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abBold is Gold\u00bb: Boldness Pays Off (and it's Free)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is one of the study's surprises. Bolding important keywords and their variations shows an unexpected positive correlation (approximately +0.15<\/strong>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bold guides the user's eye (better UX) and signals semantic importance to the engine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Swift action<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a \u00abquick win\u00bb that costs \u20ac0. Take 30 seconds to bold the key concepts in your text. Warning: don't bold everything, focus on the terms that carry the meaning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Content Length: A Consequence, Not a Goal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is a correlation between length and ranking, but it is not well understood. The number of words itself doesn't make you rank.<\/strong> It is the coverage of the topic that often requires more words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The nuance <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 500-word article can rank if it perfectly answers the question. However, the best-ranking pages are often longer because they anticipate follow-up questions and provide a comprehensive answer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Golden Rule<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do not write to reach 2000 words. Write until the subject is exhausted. Length is a by-product<\/em> of quality.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. EMD vs URL: The Return of the Dinosaurs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Against all odds, the Exact Match Domains<\/strong> ex: bestdogtoys.com<\/code>) correlate very strongly with the results. Conversely, putting keywords in the URL (the slug after the domain) has almost no impact<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The explanation<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having keywords in the URL has become such a standard normmonsite.com\/my-keyword<\/code>that it is no longer a differentiating factor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Strategy<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you're launching a new niche project, an Exact Match Domain (EMD) can be an effective shortcut. For your blog posts, keep URLs short and clean for UX, but don't expect a miracle SEO boost just from the slug.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Speed (TTFB): The Justice of the Peace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The loading speed, and particularly the TTFB (Time to First Byte)<\/strong>, shows a growing correlation with ranking (+0.20).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Google's logic <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn't just a technical issue. It's a behavioral signal. Slow site = user leaves immediately (pogo-sticking) = Google demotes you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Non-negotiable<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even with the best content in the world, if your server is slow, you won't rank in the top positions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n