Backlinks classed arsenic Google’s 2nd astir important ranking facet successful a caller study of 131 SEO professionals conducted by Zyppy. Relevance classed first, and contented value classed third.
Backlinks classed No. 2. Although Google’s Gary Illyes has said links are not among Google’s apical 3 ranking signals, 54.8% of respondents selected backlinks arsenic 1 of the 3 astir important factors. Only relevance classed higher astatine 57.1%.
- Links from trusted, topically applicable domains and pages pinch existent visitors received immoderate of the highest ratings among backlink-related factors.
- Spammy backlinks classed among the strongest antagonistic signals.
- Cyrus Shepard wrote successful the study that “the rumor of the decease of backlinks has been greatly exaggerated.”
Search intent classed first. Search intent lucifer received the highest standing of immoderate individual ranking factor.
- Many respondents said occurrence depends connected satisfying the searcher’s underlying goal, not conscionable matching keywords.
- Several besides pointed to accusation summation arsenic an important facet erstwhile aggregate pages fulfill the aforesaid hunt intent.
- Meta descriptions classed adjacent the bottom. Most respondents said they person small aliases nary nonstop effect connected rankings.
Original investigation classed highly. Content value classed 3rd overall. Within that category, original investigation and first-party information received immoderate of the highest ratings.
- Respondents viewed AI-generated contented much favorably erstwhile it received important quality reappraisal and added unsocial value.
- AI-generated contented published astatine standard pinch small added worth received antagonistic ratings.
Brand and personification signals. Branded hunt volume, online reputation, and personification restitution received immoderate of the highest ratings successful their categories. Among personification signals, restitution and task completion classed highest. Quickly returning to Google’s hunt results received a antagonistic rating.
Technical SEO remained foundational. Respondents gave consistently affirmative ratings to method SEO factors. They mostly described crawling, indexing, and wide tract wellness arsenic foundational requirements. Internal linking besides received precocious ratings.
About the data. Zyppy’s 2026 Google Ranking Factors Expert Survey collected 13,665 ratings crossed 103 imaginable ranking factors. Respondents rated each facet connected a seven-point standard and identified what they believed were Google’s 3 astir important ranking signals. Zyppy said it updated this year’s study to bespeak AI search, Google’s API leak, grounds from Google’s antitrust trial, and caller algorithm updates.
Why we care. The study offers an absorbing snapshot of what 131 SEO professionals judge Google’s ranking systems worth astir successful 2026. That said, thing successful the study was excessively astonishing — expect much confirmation than revelation. Search intent, backlinks, and contented value person agelong mattered for ranking good connected Google.
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