An Introduction to

Search Engine Algorithms

The Search Engines StartedBy Looking Primarily at Keywords

So... We Spammed Keywords

Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras, Digital cameras

Then They Used Specific Metricsfor Keyword Usage

And We Spammed Those

In 1998, Google & PageRankArrived on the Scene

PageRank is a Rough Measure of theAuthority and Weight a Web Page Carries

Based on All of the Links Pointing to It

The Algorithm Uses Markov Chaining to HelpCalculate Scoring & Rankings and is Unique

Because it's the First to Measure Links

And... Of Course...We Spam the Hell Out Of It

We Buy Links fromHigh PageRank Domains

We Build Link Networks of Useless, JunkPages to Create Fake PageRank Systems

to Point at the Domains We Control

We Trade Links, Use 3-Way Link Networks &Send Spam Email Telling Webmasters toBoost their PageRank (By Linking to Us)

We Cloak by User-Agent, IP Address & Cookie Acceptance to Hide Our Junky Spam

So Google Innovates...

They Add Algo Pieces Like Anchor Text

I am linking to the best SEO Site - SEOmoz

Anchor Text

And Beef Up Their Spam Fighting Teamsto Shut Down Link Networks

But Those Crafty SEOs...They Keep On Spamming

We Build Robots that Scan the Webfor Unprotected Pages to Place Links

We use Crafty CSS Techniques to HideOur Links & Text

So... The Search Engines Get Smarter

They Assemble Teams of Human QualityRaters to Help ID Spam

They Launch Algorithms SpecificallyTargeted Towards Individual Verticals

And At Long Last, SEOs Begin to Relent

What's Inside

Modern Search Algorithms?

Relevance Detection Systems

Keyword Usage

Title Tags Headlines (H1, H2, H(x)) Text on the Page Link Anchor Text URLs Alt & Meta Tags

Term Vector Models

Intent Matching

Navigational Queries Research Queries Commercial Queries Vertical Queries(news, images, travel, blogs, etc.)

Trust & Popularity Detection Systems

Link Popularity

Popularity & Trust in the Domain External Link Popularity of a Page Internal Link Popularity of a Page Quality & Trust of Inbound Links

Temporal & User Data

Search Query Data Timelines Toolbar Data Clickstream Data Google Analytics Data Feedburner Data Free Wifi Access Data

Spam Detection Systems

Link Spam Detection Content Re-Purposing Detection Content Quality Detection Human Quality Control

And Now, Some

Lessons From Search Algos

It Is Better to Be Big & PopularThan Small & Niche

Those With the Best (or Most Relevant)Content Don't Always Win

Those With the Most “Accessible”(or “Search-Targeted” Content)

Don't Always Win

Those with the Most Link-Worthy, Viral-WorthyContent (that is also “Search Friendly”)

Are Most Likely to “Win”

Q+ATell Me More (about Algos)

Tech Team Bonus!!!More Algo Goodness :)

When 37 Top SEOs were asked:

“What factors matter most at Google?”

What did they say?...

#10 – Most Important Factor

#9 – Most Important Factor

#8 – Most Important Factor

#7 – Most Important Factor

#6 – Most Important Factor

#5 – Most Important Factor

#4 – Most Important Factor

#3 – Most Important Factor

#2 – Most Important Factor

#1 – Most Important Factor

Q+AThis Time We're Actually Finished