Speed, schema, content, backlinks. In that order.
Rankings improve across three levels. Technical SEO is the foundation. Fast load times, Core Web Vitals, mobile-friendliness, HTTPS, clean URLs, XML sitemap, schema markup. Get this right first. On-page SEO is the content layer. Quality content targeting specific keywords in titles, headings, and meta descriptions. Answer the questions your customers are searching. Off-page SEO is authority. Backlinks from reputable sites in your industry. For local businesses, Google Business Profile and local citations are also critical. A well-built site handles the technical layer automatically. That frees you to focus on content.