Ask any marketer today, “What’s the one metric that keeps you up at night?” Chances are, Google page ranking will make the shortlist. And for good reason.
As of March 2025, Google represented 79.1 percent of the global online search engine market on desktop devices. So if your business isn’t showing up on page one, you’re already behind.
Yet, in meeting rooms and Slack threads, myths around SEO still do the rounds. Is content still king? Do backlinks matter more than site speed? Should we be tweaking meta tags weekly? When results fluctuate, it’s tempting to fall back on assumptions. But assumptions don’t shape search success; strategy does.
In our work across industries, geographies, and digital maturity levels, it’s clear that the gap between perception and reality in SEO is wider than most realise.
So here’s a reality check. Let’s separate fact from fiction when it comes to what truly impacts your position on the search results page.
Strip away the jargon, and Google’s aim is simple: to show the most useful, relevant and trustworthy content to users. The engine isn’t ranking websites for its own sake.
It’s trying to match intent. Every update, from Panda to Hummingbird to BERT, has pushed search in one direction: better experience, less manipulation.
That means the most impactful SEO ranking factors today aren’t just technical but experience-driven. Among the real ranking factors for SEO are:
It’s not a mystery. It’s a matrix. And still, the myths persist.
Also read: How Can You Enhance Domain Authority for Better Search Rankings?
This one’s surprisingly common. The assumption that repeating the same keyword multiple times will trick Google into ranking a page higher hasn’t held water in over a decade.
In fact, keyword stuffing can now work against a page. Google’s algorithms are trained to recognise natural language patterns and user intent. Content that reads poorly or looks forced often gets pushed down, not up.
The approach that’s worked for RepIndia involves understanding how users are phrasing their queries, then building content clusters that address those questions from every relevant angle. Relevance beats repetition—every time.
Meta tags have their place, especially the title and description tags. But expecting them to improve rankings in isolation is wishful thinking. They’re there to support visibility, not create it.
Click-through rate from search results does get a nudge from compelling meta titles. But that’s about user engagement, not algorithmic ranking. And yes, Google often rewrites meta descriptions based on the query anyway.
Volume doesn’t equal value. While it’s true that more content creates more surface area for discovery, thin or duplicated content dilutes authority. One strong, user-focused landing page can outperform 20 filler blogs any day.
Building depth over breadth is far more effective, ensuring each page is genuinely helpful, technically clean, and part of a larger strategy.
There’s a reason why a well-optimised microsite sometimes outranks legacy domains. It’s not about the number of pages. It’s about the strength of each one.
Backlinks remain one of the most essential Google page ranking factors. But that doesn’t mean chasing any and every link is the right move.
In our experience, backlinks from topically relevant, authoritative sites outperform random mentions every time. The context of the link, the anchor text, and the quality of the source all influence how much weight a backlink carries.
More importantly, link-building is most effective when earned through high-value content, partnerships, or digital PR, not bought or bartered. That’s a principle that’s helped even new brands outrank established players.
It’s a common trap: complete a one-time SEO checklist, tick off the basics, and expect results to flow indefinitely. However, Google’s algorithm evolves constantly, and user behaviour changes with it.
True SEO is iterative. That’s why successful strategies build in regular audits, updates, and reviews. Tools can help, but consistency wins. Just like brands grow with changing markets, SEO efforts must adapt with changing search intent.
Some companies, especially those competing in saturated markets like Delhi or Mumbai, rely on seasoned partners to steer this evolution.
At RepIndia, an experienced SEO company in Delhi and a well-versed SEO agency in Mumbai, the focus has always been on delivering that performance edge, not just ticking technical boxes, but aligning SEO with business goals in every engagement.
Here’s what actually moves the needle today:
SEO isn’t about finding a loophole. It’s about understanding how search engines serve people and building your digital assets accordingly. Ranking well on Google isn’t about magic. It’s about the method.
Myths around SEO will continue circulating, but cutting through the noise requires clarity, data, and discipline.
It helps to work with a team that sees beyond vanity tactics and focuses on scalable, sustainable growth, one that treats SEO not just as a task list, but as a strategy layer built into every part of your digital presence.
At RepIndia, that approach has shaped our campaigns, partnerships, and results. And while the algorithm might change again tomorrow, this much stays true: put the user first, and Google usually follows.
If it’s time to re-evaluate your page performance, it may be time to revisit the fundamentals, not the assumptions.
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