Algorithms Used by Search Engines & Search Engine Codes
Not all search engine algorithms are the same, and sometimes it's hard to find out exactly how they differ. Major search engines often don't disclose the exact algorithms they use to rank pages. There are common factors, however, that each algorithm shares, such as keyword location and quality of links to a page.
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Identification
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An algorithm is a set of rules that a search engine follows when it pulls up search results. When you type in a search term, a search engine scans the Web and presents you with a list of pages that its algorithm has determined most closely match your search term.
Keyword Location
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Most search engine codes rank pages based on keyword location. For example, if you search for "shampoo," the highest-ranked pages will have that word in their titles. High-ranked pages may also contain your search word near the beginning, as opposed to further down in the text.
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Keyword Frequency
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Search engine algorithms will also return results based on how many times a search term appears in a page. The algorithm will calculate the frequency of the search term versus the other words in the document. Pages with higher keyword frequency will often make it to the top of the search results.
Google PageRank Algorithm
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Google's PageRank algorithm uses the number of in-bound links--the number of links from other sites to a particular site--to rate that particular site's relevance to a search term. For example, a site with 50 in-bound links would be farther toward the top of a list of search results than a site with 10 in-bound links.
Google Hilltop Algorithm
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Google also uses the Hilltop algorithm to organize search results. It is similar to the PageRank algorithm in that it uses a page's number of in-bound links to rank the page, but it's different in that it only uses in-bound links from expert sources, or authority pages (sites that focus on the subject indicated by the search term, and that contain lots of links to non-affiliated sites). A Yahoo! Directory page is an example of an expert source. This algorithm emphasizes quality of links over quantity.
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