Google’s recent confirmation of the authenticity of a leak of 2,500 internal documents concerning its search system has caught the public’s attention. Initially, the tech giant had refrained from commenting on these documents.
These documents detail the data Google tracks and indicates that some of this data could potentially be utilized in the operation of the company’s closely-guarded search ranking algorithm. While only partially, these documents offer insights into the workings of one of the internet’s most crucial systems. “We caution against erroneous assumptions about ‘Search’ based on partial, outdated, or out-of-context information. We have shared extensive details about how ‘Search’ works and the types of factors considered in our systems, while also protecting the integrity of our results against manipulations,” Google spokesperson, Davis Thompson toldThe Verge.
SEO experts, Rand Fishkin and Mike King, first reported the leak. They have since published analytical papers based on the state findings. According to these papers, Google collects and could utilize data that company representatives claim does not influence search ranking. This includes link click data, Chrome user data, and more. While these documents are stored on a Google employee database, it remains unclear which specific data is used in ranking. The data might be outdated, used solely for educational purposes, or collected but not applied in search operations. The documents do not detail how different factors are weighed in the search, or if such factors are considered at all.
The public disclosure of this information is likely to cause a stir in the SEO, marketing, and publishing realms. The factors Google uses to rank websites in search results significantly impact companies and entrepreneurs relying on internet visibility, ranging from small independent publishers to restaurants and online retailers. An entire industry of specialists hoping to decode or outsmart search algorithms has cropped up, and the leak of Google’s internal documents will help them better understand the thoughts of the internet’s dominant company.
