Google ranks websites using a combination of technical signals, content quality, user experience, and overall authority across the internet. But to understand this properly, we need to break it down in a way anyone — beginner or professional — can grasp clearly.
As someone who started building websites in 2019 here in Nigeria, I’ve watched how Google’s ranking factors have evolved through my work with Taculia Designs, Taculia Entertainment, Taculia Records, and several client projects. What Google rewards today is not guesswork — it is the result of clear, measurable signals.
Below is the complete, human-first explanation of what Google actually uses to rank websites, supported by real experience, examples, and factual principles.
Understanding Google’s Ranking System
Google’s algorithm is designed to answer one question:
“Which webpage gives the best possible answer to this user?”
To do this, Google scans the entire internet and checks for signals such as:
Content quality
Site authority
User experience
Technical performance
Relevance to search intent
All these work together to determine where your page appears in search results.
Content Quality and Relevance
Content is still the most important ranking factor, but not “keyword-stuffed content.” Google now evaluates:
How well the content satisfies search intent
How original and helpful it is
How clearly it is written
Whether it solves a real problem
Whether the author has experience or expertise
What Google Looks for in High-Quality Content
Helpful information
Clear explanations
First-hand experience
Well-structured paragraphs
Accurate facts
Up-to-date insights
Real-Life Example
When writing blog articles on Taculia Designs, I always add:
Personal experience (“I started web design in 2019…”)
Nigerian-based examples
Proper SEO formatting
Clear steps and explanations
This makes Google trust the content more because it comes from an expert with real-world experience.
On-Page SEO Signals
These are things Google checks directly on your webpage:
Title tag
Meta description
Proper use of headings (H1, H2, H3)
Inclusion of keywords naturally
Image alt text
Internal linking
Clean URL structure
Example
A page titled:
How to Check the Ranking of a Website
…with a clean URL like:
taculiadesigns.com.ng/how-to-check-website-ranking
…helps Google understand the topic immediately.
Backlinks and Website Authority
Backlinks remain a major ranking factor.
Google checks:
How many websites link to you
The quality of those websites
Whether those links look natural
Quality backlinks show Google that:
“People trust this website enough to reference it.”
Real-Life Example
When I wrote practical case study articles, some Nigerian bloggers quoted them. Those backlinks helped boost authority for Taculia Designs.
Technical SEO and Website Performance
Google wants users to have a smooth experience, so it measures:
Page load speed
Mobile responsiveness
Core Web Vitals
Secure HTTPS connection
Clean coding structure
Absence of distracting popups
Important Performance Signals Google Checks
LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): Should load fast
CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): Page shouldn’t jump around
TTFB (Time to First Byte): Server response must be fast
A slow site loses rankings fast — especially in Nigeria where many users browse with limited internet speed.
User Engagement Signals (Behavioral Metrics)
Google measures how real users interact with your site:
Do people click and stay?
Do they read to the end?
Do they bounce quickly?
Do they return later?
When users stay longer, Google sees your page as valuable.
Mobile Friendliness
About 70% of Nigerians browse on their phones. Google ranks mobile-first.
A website must:
Look good on all devices
Have readable text
Have clickable buttons
Load fast on mobile
This is why all Taculia Designs websites are built mobile-first.
Keyword Intent and Topical Relevance
Google checks whether your website covers topics in a clear structure.
For example, if your site has multiple related articles on SEO, ranking, and digital marketing, Google sees you as an authority on that topic.
Real-Life Case Study From My Work
Case Study: A Local Business Website (Calabar Client)
A client in Calabar complained that their website wasn’t ranking. After analyzing the site, I discovered:
No meta descriptions
Heavy images
Poor mobile experience
No internal linking
Weak content
After restructuring everything and publishing four high-quality articles based on my experience, the site moved from page 7 to page 1 in under 60 days.
Case Study: Taculia Entertainment
Content that focused on trending Nigerian entertainment stories performed extremely well because:
It satisfied search intent
Google saw fresh updates
Articles carried my original tone and insights
This combination boosted organic traffic significantly.
Conclusion: What Google Really Uses to Rank Websites
Google ranks websites based on a combination of:
High-quality, expert content
Strong technical performance
Clear on-page SEO
Authority-building backlinks
Mobile and user experience
Real user engagement
When you combine all of these — and update your content regularly — your site grows steadily in rankings.
Websites that give real value always win.