The majority of traffic on the Internet is funneled through a half dozen search engines that list results based on their own policies, algorithms, and information you supply. One of the largest search engines in the world, Google is at the center of innovation regarding how websites are ranked. If you are looking to increase your ranking in Google searches are hoping to get to top of the page, then there are a number of different things you can try.
A frequently asked question is whether or not adding videos and pictures to your website will increase Google ranking. Simply put, it will increase your ranking over an identical website that has neither. If we take the time to answer this question in more detail however some interesting things will come up that you can use to your advantage.
A Content Quality Signal
When Google automatically searches websites for information, it looks for a number of content quality signals. These markers can increase how your website is ranked compared to other websites on the Internet. Content quality signals include videos and pictures. While both of these increase your ranking, the verdict isn’t yet out on by how much. Videos and pictures for example improve your rating more then minor things like domain age, but less so then primary sources and leading experts for original content (think a news website like CNN or shopping service like Ebay.) Until the results are in however it is a good idea to focus on videos and pictures.
Unique, Directed Content
There are a number of ways that you can increase your ranking through videos and pictures. The simplest is to find unrelated open-source pictures and put them on your website. While this will help your ranking, it may not help it by much. Your alternative is to create unique pictures or videos where your website is the primary source for the media. Google values websites that are considered a definitive source when it comes to something. By creating your own unique content and matching it to your website’s purpose, you can help to increase your ranking in Google.
Though mentioned briefly, there is one last thing we should reiterate. Make sure your media, whether it be videos or pictures, relates to the content of your website. Google may be able to pick up on the mismatch and not rank your website as high as a result.