Google Says Quality & Popularity
Are Key For Indexing Speed

Gary Illyes, an analyst at Google, recently announced at a Google SEO office-hours Q&A session that high-quality content and popularity are the key factors that can influence indexing speed. He further explained; while other factors can also affect the indexing speed, focusing on quality content and the site’s popularity is essential.

High-quality content signals Google’s Algorithm to prioritise the indexing of the website. The definition of high-quality content is much broader than what is generally assumed. John Mueller, a senior search analyst at Google, explains that high-quality content is more than the website’s expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (E-A-T). Mueller further explained that content quality includes the overall quality of the website, including the layout, website design, website speed, and image quality.

In addition to website quality, a website’s popularity on the internet also influences the page indexing rate. Illyes suggests that after optimising the website’s content to the fullest, the website owner or the SEO professional can use social media to boost the popularity of the website. Social media promotions can get people talking about the website, increasing the website’s popularity on the internet. Google prioritises page indexing for websites with higher online visibility.

Watch the Google SEO office-hours Q&A session on YouTube. [Skip to 5:07]

Although not mentioned by Illyes or Mueller, other factors can also help a website owner to speed up the indexing process. These factors include a logical site structure, quality interlinking and backlinking, optimising URL structures, website crawlability and accessibility, and proper use of meta tags.

To summarise, the website’s content quality and internet presence play a crucial role in the website’s indexing speed. In addition to expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, content quality also refers to layout, design and accessibility. Once you have optimised the website content’s quality, you should focus on building a strong online presence. Social media can help boost your website’s popularity among new and old audiences by encouraging engagement.