74
SMX Madrid 2008 Uncovering the Algorithm A Peek Inside How Google Evaluates and Ranks Pages

SMX Madrid 2008 Uncovering the Algorithm A Peek Inside How Google Evaluates and Ranks Pages

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

SMX Madrid 2008 Uncovering the Algorithm A Peek Inside How Google Evaluates and Ranks Pages. Why Do We Need to Understand Google's Algorithm?. To Predict the Potential Challenges of Earning Top Rankings. To Evaluate Strengths & Weaknesses in a Site's Strategy. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Citation preview

SMX Madrid 2008

Uncovering the Algorithm

A Peek Inside How Google Evaluatesand Ranks Pages

Why Do We Need toUnderstand Google's Algorithm?

To Predict the Potential Challengesof Earning Top Rankings

To Evaluate Strengths & Weaknessesin a Site's Strategy

To Provide Expert Advice to Clients,Developers & Management

To Understand How to Competein the Search Results

What Tactics Are Usedto Understand Algorithms?

Split-Testing with Nonsense Wordson Controlled Domains

An Example:

This link carries moreweight than this link.

Why? Because it'shigher up in the code.

Trial-and-Error Testing in the SERPs

Examination of Search EnginePatent Applications

An Example:

An Example:

Parsing Academic Information RetrievalPapers & Tests

An Example:

Paying Close Attention to the SearchEngine Representatives

An Example:

Owning a keyword match domain name is going to carry some weight in Google for the foreseeable future. It is something we want to reward.

- Matt Cutts at the Domain RoundtableApril 2008

Learning from Blogs, Forums & theOnline Community

“Sexto Sendido” for the SERPs

What Are the Major Elementsin Google's Algorithm

Keyword Usage

Title Tags

Headline Tags

Body Text

Domain Names & URLs

Link Anchor Text

This Anchor Text tells search engines that this URLis relevant to those keywords

An Aside on Anchor Text...

Meta Description Tag

Meta Keywords Tag

Meta Keywords in HTML

Image Alt Tags

Emphasized Text (Bold/Strong)

Semantic Analysis?

Domain Authority

Building a “Domain Graph” of Links

Domain-Level Trust Evaluation

Inbound Link Diversity

YourSite.com

Branded Search Volume

Registration Data & History

Page Level Link Analysis

Internal vs. External Links

Editorial Link Assessment

TrustRank

PageRank

Links as Votes (aka Raw Link Juice)

Temporal Evaluation & QDF

External Link Growth Over Time

Content Changes over Time

September 2005 May 2008

QDF - “Query Deserves Freshness”

Intent Detection & “QDD”

Detecting Multiple Query Intents andApplying “Query Deserves Diversity”

Selecting Unique Results

Company names (where searchers might want positive and negative press, along w/ official company domains, e.g. “Inditex”)

Product searches (where e-commerce style results might ordinarily fill up the SERPs, but Google tries to provide some reviews and non-commercial, relevant content, e.g. “iPod”)

News & political searches (where it might be prudent to display "all sides" of an issue, rather than just the politically one-sided blogs that did the best job baiting links, e.g. “Zapatero”)

Supplemental & Duplicate Results

Why Do Pages Go “Supplemental”?

Duplicate Content Issues

How Search Engines HandleDuplicate Content – Step 1

How Search Engines HandleDuplicate Content – Step 2

Step 3

How Search Engines HandleDuplicate Content – Step 4

GeoTargeting

Elements that Predict Location

Server Hosting Location Language Domain Extension Domain Registration Data

Spam Detection

Hidden Content

Hidden Text in HTML

Cloaking

Manipulative Linking

Parasite Hosting

The Future of Algorithms

Personalization

User & Usage Based Data

Focus on Non-US/Non-English Results

More Advanced Link Interpretation

More Social Data

Thank You!

Slides online at: www.seomoz.org/dp/smx-madrid