Search engine algorithms underpin the power of search engines. These complex equations require search engines to gather information from websites, index that information and then analyse it in response to user requests. Here’s how each stage works.
Crawling
It would be impossible for anyone, even Google, with all its computing power, to search through the entire internet every time someone looked for something online. Google and other search engines solve this problem by searching the internet ahead of time using a technique called crawling. Crawling involves using automated scripts known as crawler bots to browse the internet automatically.
When a crawler finds a page on the internet, it makes a note of important information about it and then scans it for links to other web pages, where the process is repeated. Website owners have some control over how their website is crawled by Google and can choose to tell Google not to crawl some of its pages. Alternatively, websites can provide search engine crawlers with a map of the website that they can use to analyse its structure.
Indexing
Once search engine crawlers have gathered information about a webpage, the information then needs to be added to the central database. This is done through a process known as indexing. During the indexing process, every page that has been crawled is categorised and organised so that it can be served up to users searching for relevant queries.
Once a page has been indexed, it is only indexed again if a change is detected. If the page remains the same, it won’t be added to the index again.
Ranking
Ranking is perhaps the most important part of the entire process for most businesses and websites. Through the use of search engine optimisation, websites can improve their position in the rankings and make it more likely that their website will be featured near the top of the results page when a user searches for a relevant term.
Search engine ranking algorithms have become increasingly sophisticated over the years and continue to improve every day. Staying on top of all the latest developments in the world of SEO can be a full-time job in itself. It’s hard to do even when you work with search engines professionally. That’s why many businesses choose to hire businesses like WSI Digital Ltd, who are experts in the field of SEO and always know how to get the best results for a website.
There is a wide range of factors that go into determining the SEO score for a website, and therefore, how highly it ranks in the final results pages. For example, the more authoritative and high-quality sources you have linking to your content, the more valuable Google will consider it to be. In order to score highly, websites also need to be well-made and structured in a sensible and ordered way.
Search engine algorithms are a complex subject, and they are changing all the time. However, understanding these algorithms and the processes they are involved in is essential for understanding how Google ranks your website.