13,665 data points from 131 SEO experts reveal Google's top ranking factors for 2026
yangyi · x · 2026-09-16
Zyppy's Cyrus and Dawn Shepard surveyed 131 working SEO professionals (13,665 data points, 43.6 combined hours of scoring) for the largest insider Google ranking-factor study of 2026, continuing the tradition started by Rand Fishkin's 2005 SEOmoz survey.
- Method: 103 factors shortlisted from hundreds; each respondent scored every factor on a -3 to +3 scale, plus an open question on their top three factors.
- Top line: the top three factors look much like five years ago, with Relevance ranked #1 (57.1% put it in their personal top three).
- What changed: AI's influence, user click signals, and how content quality is judged show notable shifts — against a backdrop of the AI boom, the Google API leak, the antitrust trial, and waves of algorithm updates.
Related event: 131 Experts Rank Key Google Ranking Factors for 2026(2 posts)→
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