The Evolution of SEO
In class, we discussed PageRank, which is one tool that search engines can use to decide which web pages are displayed in what order on the search results. A very simplistic description of a method that a search engine, such as Google, could use to find relevant pages is to search for words in the search query in the pages, rank them according to their PageRank value and the degree to which they match the query, and display them. However, as this article describes, Google’s search algorithms are becoming infinitely more complex.
The article describes how the process known as SEO (search engine optimization) is used by the creators of web pages more likely to be favorably displayed by search engine algorithms. Part of this process is similar to the version of PageRank that we learned, and involves links to the pages. Other aspects include website trustworthiness, structure, and content, which designers could strategically edit to increase their chances of a high ranking. However, Google’s search algorithms have been updated to include machine learning to include aspects like quality in their results. Now, Google can record the snap decisions people subconsciously make on the quality of a website, and through a machine learning process, teach the search engine to incorporate them. While this is great for Google’s users, there’s not much that web designer’s can do to improve their result ranking beyond simply making a better website. Google has also implemented updates that go beyond searching for words in a query, but instead search for concepts. To do this, Google also searches for words related to words in your query to help find results based on the actual topic you want to find, not just the words.
While Google is rapidly improving its algorithms to provide better results for users, web engineers have to redefine how to help their website reach the top of the results page. To do this, they will have to expand and evolve the basic topics that we covered in class to be found in the vast network of the web.
http://searchengineland.com/seo-not-dead-just-shapeshifter-261188