Search Algorithm

What is a Search Algorithm?

A search algorithm is a set of rules that weighs and ranks websites for search results. The aim of a search algorithm is to furnish users with meaningful outcomes to their search queries. 

Google’s search algorithm refers to these rules, which are always updated. It's essential to stay current with searching algorithms.

How Does Google Search Algorithm Work

Officially, the Google search algorithm considers and lists only specific factors. Here are some of them:

The search query meaning

To understand what the user wants, Google must:

  • Know the meaning of the words
  • Identify the intent and what the user wants to achieve
  • Check for the freshness of the content

The website’s relevance

The search engine looks for pages that precisely answer a query. This is achieved by regularly scanning website content.

During this time, specific keywords related to the search query are identified. If a website contains those keywords, it is more likely to be relevant to the user.

The website's content quality

In every search space online, Google has a lot of pages to sort through. Focus on quality content that shows:

  • Expertise. This can be through an author's credentials and the website's reputation.
  • Authoritativeness. This can be determined by the website's age, quality, and number of backlinks.
  • Trustworthiness. The website's privacy policy can determine this, the use of security measures and the absence of spam or malicious content.

If you wish to know if your site demonstrates E-A-T, go over to SEOLeverage™️. With our Deep Dive SEO Audit, you gain insights and understand what you need to bring your site up to snuff. You'll be guided through easy steps to bring in streams of organic traffic, leads, and sales!

The usability of content

After focusing on the importance of quality content, Google also wants to ensure that websites are easy to use and navigate. This means overseeing the data structure and technical aspects such as:

  • Responsiveness
  • Mobile-friendliness
  • Website speed
  • Page security

The context and settings

Search engines use various factors to determine which websites rank higher in search results, and context and settings are two of the most important. Things like your location, search history, and search structure settings can all play a role in what pops up on your screen. 

Conclusion

Many thought of a search algorithm as a linear search or a binary search algorithm. However, in SEO's view, the Google search algorithm refers to the rules, and these are different.

To ensure the most relevant and accurate search results, Google uses undisclosed factors in addition to the known ranking criteria. For better ranking, it's worth considering how search algorithms work and factoring in these criteria.