Google, a technology giant that has always maintained the secrecy of its search algorithm, crucial to the backbone of the internet world. This algorithm, which greatly affects the success of websites, includes many critical ranking factors that have not been detailed by the company until now. However, a recent major leak broke this silence and created waves in the SEO world.
Striking Claims from SEO Expert Rand Fishkin
SEO expert Rand Fishkin shared documents from an undisclosed source, which he claims span over 2,500 pages. These documents reveal unknown details about the inner workings of Google’s search algorithm. Google has yet to make any statement regarding this matter. This situation has led to an inability to definitively judge the accuracy of these allegations.
Google’s Ranking Algorithm’s Hidden Data
The documents reveal how Google uses elements like user clicks and Chrome browser data in its search rankings. This contradicts Google’s previous statements; the company has repeatedly emphasized that click data and Chrome data are not used in ranking algorithms. However, the leaked documents show that these data play a significant role in ranking processes.
Sensitive Topics and Google’s Safe Lists
The documents also include information on ‘safe lists’ and other ranking factors used by Google to determine which sites will emerge in sensitive issues like the COVID-19 pandemic or elections. This reveals how meticulous Google is about which content will appear and how various signals are evaluated.
Changes in Google’s Ranking Factors
The documents also indicate an increase in the influence of user-centric signals and a decline in the influence of classical ranking factors like PageRank in Google’s ranking factors. Additionally, it is noteworthy that Quality Raters are used not only as a training set but directly in the ranking systems.
Impact of the Leak on the SEO Industry
This leaked information could be incredibly valuable for SEO experts and web developers. However, given the unofficial nature of the leak, these details should be carefully considered before reaching any definitive conclusions. Until an official statement is made by Google, it would be misleading to assume that all the information in the leaked documents is accurate.