What is Alexa Rank & Why Is It Important?

Alexa rank is one of the most misunderstood topics in SEO today.

Yet, it doesn’t take long to see how it all fits into the big picture.

Alexa is a global network that was founded in 1996 – the Stone Age of web analytics – to provide what was then essential, largely untapped data. The brand wanted to let people know which websites were the most visited in the world and what volume of traffic they received.

Originally, it exclusively used a special browser plugin users had to elect to install. It was so effective that Alexa became one of the earliest acquisitions of Amazon.com, making the jump back in 1999.

That’s right – it’s no coincidence that Amazon’s plucky AI personal assistant has the same name.

Although the basis of Alexa’s business has changed from time to time, one of the most consistent elements is the Alexa rank. It quantifies website success according to traffic levels, with a focus on performance over the last three months.

Alexa rank is a mark of prestige for some of the most trafficked websites in the world.

At the time of this writing, here are some of America’s most beloved sites sorted by Alexa rank:

1. Google.com
2. YouTube.com
3. Facebook.com
4. Amazon.com
5. Reddit.com

Not surprisingly, the very top of the Alexa heap consists mainly of sites that provide hugely popular functionality to the web at large. Then you have your world-leading social media and ecommerce websites, followed at last by notable brands and content creators.

However, Alexa isn’t just for the world’s top dogs.

It can also have a terrific place in SEO strategy for everyone else ... if you really get it.

So, let’s shine a light on Alexa rank and what it means for you.

Alexa Rank in SEO: The Background Info You Need

Based on its mission statement, you might think Alexa ranks sites solely by traffic.

While this may have been the case long, long ago, the algorithm is now much more complex.

Three big factors go into it:

• Aggregate three-month traffic data for a site compiled by the Alexa Toolbar.
• Data from the daily reach and number of page views for a given site on the list.
• Other data, which encompasses “thousands” of additional plug-ins and widgets.

Alexa diversified its data pool in 2008 – and, like Google, it is now a many-headed beast. Unlike the Big G, however, the underlying logic is still pretty intuitive. If you get more traffic, your rank will improve. If a lot of that traffic is using the Alexa Toolbar, so much the better.

Because Alexa doesn’t compile information from “everyone” on the web, or even everyone engaged in a specific, common task (like Google), its numbers aren’t perfect. Specialized analytics software will always tell you more about your site’s performance than something aggregate.

Still, it’s a good eye to keep an eye on your Alexa rank for several reasons:

1. It Impresses Potential Partners, Including Advertisers.

People are wowed by big numbers – this includes customers, advertisers, influencers, and more. While the Alexa community tends toward the tech savvy, including many SEO pros, it never hurts to have a feather in your cap from such a long-established online brand.

2. It May Help With Google Search Engine Rankings.

Google continues to diversify its ranking factors and collect signals from an ever-growing range of well established sites. While there’s no concrete data to tell us that Google uses Alexa figures, and Alexa rank is a powerful proxy for positive SEO factors, especially traffic from a wide range of sources.

How Can You Increase Your Alexa Rank? 3 Easy Tips to Consider

In general, anything you do that grows your traffic will grow your Alexa rank ... albeit slowly.

Alexa rank is important, but it’s a secondary factor rather than a primary one. You don’t need to struggle to raise it, since it’ll naturally go up as long as your marketing is on the right track.

Still, there are some tips to raise Alexa rank that make the process easier:

1. Post and Share Lots of Spectacular Content.

By and large, the health of your content strategy is the major factor that determines long-term organic search engine traffic. That, in turn, empowers you to cast a wider net among existing Alexa users. Ultimately, that will put your rank on the trajectory you want.

2. Focus on Repeat Visitors and Dwell Time.

You don’t have to constantly rack up new traffic to gain ground on your Alexa score. You can garner results by getting visitors to come back again and again. Test out email marketing, social engagement, and other methods for getting people more excited to return.

3. Get Users to Install the Alexa Toolbar.

If you have a strong relationship with a dedicated community of users, you can go straight for the cheddar: Literally ask your existing followers and readers to install the Alexa browser widget. This can give you a noticeable, nearly-immediate boost by making your existing traffic count more strongly.

Alexa may not make or break your site, but it’s a great thing to have on your side as you build a strategy to raise your online visibility to the next level. You can think of it as a North Star; it may not provide a lot of deep, granular detail, but it does let you know you’re headed in the right direction.

Sometimes, that’s what you need most!

Embrace content marketing and inbound marketing best practices, refine your approaches with your own internal analytics insights, and keep an eye on Alexa to track general trends.

It may take a quarter, two, or even three, but you can capture the consistent Alexa rank gains you want. Slow and steady wins the race, and those who win tend to stay ahead a long time!