What to Know:
– Deep link ratio refers to the ratio of deep links (links pointing to specific pages within a website) to homepage links (links pointing to the website’s homepage).
– Deep links are considered to be more valuable than homepage links because they indicate that other websites find specific pages within a website to be valuable and worth linking to.
– There is a debate among SEO experts about whether deep link ratio is a ranking factor in Google’s algorithm.
– Some experts believe that a higher deep link ratio can lead to better rankings in Google, while others argue that it is not a direct ranking factor but can indirectly impact rankings by improving the overall authority and relevance of a website.
The Full Story:
Deep link ratio is a term used in SEO to describe the ratio of deep links to homepage links. Deep links are links that point to specific pages within a website, while homepage links are links that point to the website’s homepage. The deep link ratio is calculated by dividing the number of deep links by the number of homepage links.
There is a debate among SEO experts about whether deep link ratio is a ranking factor in Google’s algorithm. Some experts believe that a higher deep link ratio can lead to better rankings in Google, while others argue that it is not a direct ranking factor but can indirectly impact rankings by improving the overall authority and relevance of a website.
Those who believe that deep link ratio is a ranking factor argue that Google considers deep links to be more valuable than homepage links. Deep links indicate that other websites find specific pages within a website to be valuable and worth linking to. Therefore, a higher deep link ratio could signal to Google that a website has high-quality content and deserves to rank higher in search results.
However, there is no definitive evidence to support the claim that deep link ratio is a direct ranking factor in Google’s algorithm. Google has not publicly confirmed or denied the importance of deep link ratio in its ranking algorithm. Therefore, it is important to approach this topic with caution and consider other factors that are known to be ranking factors, such as content quality, relevance, and backlink profile.
While deep link ratio may not be a direct ranking factor, it can still have an indirect impact on rankings. A higher deep link ratio can improve the overall authority and relevance of a website. When other websites link to specific pages within a website, it signals to Google that those pages are valuable and worth ranking higher in search results. This can lead to increased visibility and organic traffic for those pages, which can ultimately improve the overall rankings of the website.
It is also worth noting that deep link ratio should not be the sole focus of an SEO strategy. It is just one of many factors that can contribute to better rankings in Google. Other important factors include high-quality content, relevant keywords, user experience, website speed, mobile-friendliness, and a strong backlink profile.
In conclusion, while there is no definitive evidence to support the claim that deep link ratio is a direct ranking factor in Google’s algorithm, it can still have an indirect impact on rankings by improving the overall authority and relevance of a website. It is important to consider deep link ratio as part of a holistic SEO strategy, along with other known ranking factors.
Original article: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ranking-factors/deep-link-ratio/