In this day and age where millions of daily internet users perform countless Google searches, marketers need the best strategies to boost their pages to the top of the search results.

Marketers must recognize how Google ranks landing pages and how to manipulate the content, organization, and layout of their site to play Google to their advantage.

The search engine results page (SERP) is populated with results derived from Google’s complex algorithm of ranking factors. Google states that three prominent factors decide how your page competes with others for search result position: content, external links, and the lesser-known factor, a machine learning system called RankBrain.

So, what exactly is RankBrain?

RankBrain, Google’s machine learning system, is one component of the algorithm that decides how pages rank. Google not only takes note of what you search for, but also how you interact with the search results and the content within. It collects user experience (UX) data of how a user navigates through the results and information on the SERP.

Instead of using keywords and phrases as the signals for how relevant a site is to a search, RankBrain looks at and records how users interact with the page through the use of metrics such as bounce rate, long clicks, click-through rate (CTR), and dwell time. It then remembers that data and applies it to the next similar search.

As users engage with your site and RankBrain collects the data for the engagement, the artificial intelligence is continually learning and enabling itself to make more educated guesses on what the next user will click on when performing another similar search. A page’s Google rank results from these interactions.

So what does this mean for the marketer?

Ignoring RankBrain can lead to missing out on organic clicks and opportunities to drive traffic to your site. Capitalizing on RankBrain, however, can result in a higher Google rank and send you to the top of the SERP, leading to higher CTR, traffic, and ultimately, a call to action.

Google’s algorithm, first and foremost, is looking for sites that have both relevant content and strong back link support.

But to make you stand out, you need to put the cherry on top.

RankBrain rewards sites performing well with a better Google rank. By monitoring the UX signals, you can see what shortcomings your site possesses, analyze that data, and employ data-backed strategies to turn your site around.

Is your click-through rate lacking?

Revamp your title and description. By infusing emotion and character into the SERP, you’ll draw attention to your site. Simplify your URLs to a legible, relatable format. Simple practices can increase your CTR immediately.

Is time on your page not as high as you’d like?

Work on your page’s design. Your aesthetic and layout play a role in getting users to stay on your site, increasing your Google rank. Organizing your content into shorter, manageable sections to read and digest encourages users to keep reading.

How high is your bounce rate?

Get users what they need, right away. On top of organizing your content appropriately, make your important content, especially the call to action, easy to find. Users give you only a few moments of their time to find their relevant information. If your important information is buried in clutter it will never be found and your rank will drop.

As you employ these strategies, RankBrain will steadily increase your rank until you are sitting at the top of the SERP. Your web presence is a valuable asset to your business and neglecting to keep up-to-date information will lead it to fall among the Google ranks. Starting with small, simple steps can eventually build a strong, high-traffic site.