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Google Search Algorithms

Link: https://www.google.com/search/howsearchworks/algorithms/

Googe uses several methods to produce the greatest results based on what you search. This article describes a few of the main filtering methods. The first is analyzing the words that you type in when you create a search. Not only does Google help correct spelling mistakes, but it analyzes each word and tries to decipher exactly what information you are looking for. The English language is very complex so Google uses a synonym algorithm to help when a word has multiple meanings. They also analyze how broad or specific the search is. If you are searching for dogs, including the word “pictures” indicates, more specifically, what you are trying to find. The next technique is to find pages that contain words that are in your search, analyzing that pages with the word used more frequently, may be more relevant.

One specific algorithm is especially relevant to what we have been learning in class. This is the way Google ranks the more useful/relevant pages. Google uses PageRank to help assess the validity and quality of the websites it is providing in response to the search. Just as we have learned, when a page has been linked to by other prominent web pages, it speaks to the quality of the page itself. The more prominent pages that link to it, the higher quality we can assume of the web page. There are some problems that Google had to work to overcome with the ranking system. There are many spam sites on the internet that will repeat keywords and try to essentially “trick” users and bypass this PageRank system. Google has had to work to create an algorithm that detects these spam users and remove them from search results. Overall, this article and this specific algorithm relate to the network of the web and the concepts of PageRank.

Lastly, Google uses other information about you such as previous searches and your location to cater search results. Two people living in different parts of the world may search the same thing, but it wouldn’t necessarily make sense for them to both get the exact same results. This article explains, for example, if you are searching for a sport like football, what is relevant in the U.S. may not be relevant on the other side of the world. Someone in London probably isn’t looking for an upcoming game schedule for the New York Giants (unless of course they are big American football fans).

As technology evolves and the internet grows, the task of filtering out information and displaying the most relevant results becomes harder and harder. Based on how many web pages exist, I think Google has done a good job of creating and using these algorithms to present us with information that is very relevant to what we are looking for.

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