For years, Google's search algorithm has been a mysterious entity, with only hints and clues available to the public. But a recent leak of internal documents has shed unprecedented light on how Google ranks websites, contradicting previous statements from the company. The leak, which includes thousands of pages of documentation, reveals a complex system with numerous signals and attributes that influence search results.
Ranking System
The leaked documents outline 2,596 modules with 14,014 attributes related to ranking web content, YouTube videos, Google Assistant results, and more. This suggests that Google's ranking is based on a vast number of signals, including site authority, click data from Chrome, and author information. The system also uses "twiddlers" - re-ranking functions that adjust results before display - and applies demotions for issues like anchor text mismatch and SERP dissatisfaction.
Google's Public Statements
The leak reveals that Google measures "siteAuthority" and uses click data from Chrome to influence rankings, contradicting previous public statements. The company has also been accused of whitelisting certain domains related to elections and COVID-19, giving them more weight in search results. Additionally, the documents suggest that authorship is a key ranking factor, with author information explicitly stored.
The leak provides a rare glimpse into Google's secretive world, where the company's main product, Search, has been tightly guarded. The US government's antitrust case against Google has also led to internal documentation becoming public, offering further insights into how the company's main product works. Implications for SEO and Online Marketing
The leak has significant implications for SEO and online marketing. The pervasive, often annoying tactics used by marketers to outsmart Google may no longer be effective. Instead, website operators may need to focus on creating high-quality content that meets Google's complex ranking criteria. The leak also calls into question the accuracy of Google's public statements regarding how Search works, highlighting the need for further analysis and scrutiny.
Although Google has yet to verify the leak's legitimacy, the exposed documents offer an unparalleled glimpse into the company's tightly guarded search algorithms. The disclosures starkly contrast with Google's previous public claims about its search functionality, shedding new light on the intricacies of its closely guarded technology."