How search algorithms work

Finding what you need on the web would be virtually impossible without some help sorting out the vast amounts of information available online. Search engines, like Google, use a series of algorithms that analyse and index information, organising it into categories and serving it up to you when you search for it. The search index is so quick it can return millions of results in a fraction of a second. Google is the top dog when it comes to search engines, so it makes sense to optimise your website for Google’s search algorithms. With that in mind, let’s dive right into the finer details of how the search algorithms work…

1. Understanding the intent of a query

In order to return relevant results, Google’s algorithms get to work understanding the intent behind the query. With the help of language models, Google is able to decipher the intention and therefore what to look up in its index. Google’s complex search algorithms can interpret spelling mistakes, uses a synonym system and will determine whether it is a specific or broad query to help understand what category of information you are searching for.

2. Matching your search

Next, the algorithms analyse the content of webpages, looking for content that matches your search query. The most basic signal that information is relevant is when a webpage contains the same keywords as your query. If those keywords appear in titles, headings or the body of the text, Google determines the information is likely to be relevant.

3. Prioritising the results

A typical search query could easily generate tens of millions of results. Google’s search algorithms are designed to identify which pages demonstrate expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness on a given topic, enabling Google to serve up the most relevant information. One way for a website to demonstrate that the information on its page is well trusted is if other prominent websites link to the page.

4. Evaluating the usability of a website

When ranking search results, Google evaluates whether the webpages are easy to use. To assess the usability of webpages, the algorithms look at things like whether the site appears correctly in different browsers, whether it was designed for all device types and sizes including desktops, tablets and smartphones and how long the pages take to load.

5. Tailoring useful and relevant results

To serve the most useful and relevant results, Google uses information like your location, past search history and search settings. Two people using the same search terms may not see the same results because of the various factors that come into play when generating results.

With hundreds of new webpages being published every second, Google’s search algorithms are constantly evolving to meet the ever-changing demands of the web. Our team of SEO Sydney experts stay up to date with every change, to ensure our client’s websites continue to rank high on Google search results.

If you want to ensure that your content is seen by the right people, book your free consultation with a digital specialist at Zib Digital. We’ve helped hundreds of small and large businesses find success in the digital marketing game, and we can help you to do the same.