Google assigns a value of a domain for its ranking algorithm often called authority. There are rumours on twitter that this is based on unique visits. Jeremy Vine from Radio 2 interviewed a Matt Brittin, Managing Director, Google UK.
The latest Google Caffeine update is thought to have influenced these domains which have high authority scores such as big brands. Could this be the next trick to game the big G?
More Updates as it happens.
You can catch it live here: iPlayer
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…or is Matt just simplifying the algorithm for the listeners?
Matt’s not normally one to do that. But more importantly this was the MD of Google UK!
Ye, it’s great having the MD of Google talk about the ins and outs of how the various products associated with the Search Engine work, but I don’t think that we should be concerned with Google placing too much emphasis on visitor levels as an algorithmic feature. As I say, I think it may well be a case of Matt simplifying the concept of the algorithm for the listeners – after all, if I recall, during the interview there was confusion between Google Maps and Streetview, Organic and Paid Ads … so why make it more difficult for himself by talking about the particulars (like inbound links for example) of the algorithm?
He also says that the number of people searching for sex on the internet is a myth!!
and in a few years – they’ll be another search engine other than google!!
Regarding the ‘myth’, I suppose it’s just a matter of opinion and expectation. I’m sure that there are many millions of searches carried out every month which include queries of this nature, but Matt clearly has higher expectations for such keywords than others!
I did think it was an inappropriate question from Jeremy however, I mean, how would a site which offers Dog Grooming services (I think that was the example used) benefit from visits from people looking for a completely irrelevant subject such as this? The only thing that would happen is the visitors would be a little disappointed with what they found!
As for the other search engine, I wouldn’t rule it out. With Microsoft and Yahoo joining forces (see http://www.zuludigital.co.uk/blogs.php?id=44), I’m pretty sure that the Google market share will be effected. Of course, this will take some time, a lot of cash and hard work from Yahoo and Microsoft, but from what I’ve seen from Bing since it’s launch, it looks promising for them.
Doesn’t this kind of run contrary to the google webmaster guidelines that tell us to provide good quality content to visitors so that they will want to keep coming back?
If his comment about the size of sites and their traffic had been tested I think he would have clarified it, not least because if Google works to return the biggest sites with the most traffic at the top of searches it becomes less useful simply because you probably already know all those sites relating to your search querty. Iit is the tiny, niche, very relevant sites that you would have no way of finding without Google that make it useful. Somewhere on its About pages it says something about Google celebrating diversity etc.
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Sounds like we’re agreed…Google won’t be basing it’s ranking algorithm on visitor levels