A negative correlation is a relationship in which larger values of a factor line up with smaller rank-position numbers. Because position 1 is the top of the page, a factor that moves in the opposite direction to rank position is usually associated with better rankings.
| Term | Negative Correlation |
|---|---|
| Category | Statistics and Evidence |
| Also known as | Negative Relationship |
| Where it appears | Correlation tables |
What it means in RankGear
RankGear reports a negative correlation in its Correlation tables, where each factor is scored against the rank positions of the pages in a SERP. The sign hinges on how rank is counted: lower position numbers are better, so a negative value means the factor rises as the position number falls toward the top. In practice a negative correlation flags a factor whose higher measurements tend to sit with the higher-ranking pages in that specific result set.
How to interpret it
Read the sign first, then the strength. A negative sign only tells you the direction of the relationship; the magnitude — how far the coefficient sits from zero — tells you how consistent that pattern is across the pages sampled. A value near −0.6 describes a much steadier pattern than one near −0.1, and the whole reading is only as trustworthy as the number of results behind it. Treat a negative correlation as a comparative signal within one SERP, not a fixed property of the factor.
| Sign of the coefficient | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Negative (below 0) | Larger factor values go with better (smaller-numbered) positions |
| Near zero | No clear directional relationship between the factor and rank |
| Positive (above 0) | Larger factor values go with worse (larger-numbered) positions |
Example
Suppose a Correlation table for a 20-result SERP shows a factor such as total word count at −0.42 against rank position. That negative value says the longer pages in this set tend to occupy the higher spots, and the moderate strength says the pattern holds for most, but not all, of the twenty pages. Re-run the query on a different keyword and the same factor might read −0.05, a reminder that the direction was specific to that SERP rather than a rule.
Important considerations
- The sign convention depends on rank being counted lower-is-better; a negative correlation with rank position is the direction you generally want, which is the opposite of what “negative” suggests in everyday use.
- A negative correlation is an association, not a cause. It does not show that raising the factor will move a page up — correlation is not causation.
- Small SERP samples make any coefficient unstable, so a strong negative reading drawn from a handful of results can shift sharply on the next run.
- Correlation values from a provider are comparative indicators across the pages measured, not Google ranking scores.
Related terms
Part of the RankGear glossary · how RankGear measures · the 870 factors.