The majority of search engine users have little knowledge about the complexities governing a search engine algorithm.
When typical users type in a search term and hits ‘enter,’ they may not realize that approximately 400,000 or more queries are being managed in order to produce the search results. Not only is the information presented based on the search term or terms, it is often targeted to the location and provides specific details that will have value to the searcher.
No matter what search engine you may use, you are witnessing the same basic function. Google, Bing, and Yahoo all work off the same concept. Each is designed to identify the relevant information related to the term or terms searched. The software finds links that provide the information. For example, if you were to search “Ottawa Marketing firms,” the software ‘bot’ will search relevant links and provide you with information to help you decide which choice will best serve your needs.
An Organic Search:
Google’s search engine algorithm measures approximately 200 factors when it conducts a search for the most relevant link as it relates to the designated search term. Tracking both the popularity and relevance of a site, the search engine will look at the following factors:
- How the URL is structured
- The relevance and length of content included on a page or in an article
- The term or keyword amount
- How the page ranks compared to competing pages of a similar type
Page rank is the strongest factor when it comes to search engine results. Google’s founders believe this process allows the search engine to objectively define how accurately a web page conforms to the subject matter being sought by search engine users. This, along with the remaining ranking factors, determines a webpage’s overall score and placement in the search engine results. A higher score means a higher ranking, which in turn means a webpage will appear higher in the search results.
A Paid Search:
Paid advertisements often appear near the top of the search engine results and are a major source of revenue for Google. When a company pays to have itself show up on a page once a certain search term is entered, it has a better chance of receiving attention and clicks from searchers. Most businesses have a Pay Per Click (PPC) agreement with Google, which means that every click to that site through the ad gives Google a specified payment.
Other factors that play a part in advertisement rankings include:
- How relevant the ad is to the search
- How the links within the ad relate to the search
- The amount of the bid
- The company description
- Reviews from current customers
Higher bids generally translate into higher clicks and conversions, giving paid advertisers the opportunity to gain more customers than their unpaid competitors.