With Google processing billions of daily search queries, its ranking systems are constantly under pressure to help users receive the most relevant, high-quality content that matches the intent behind their searches. Reaching this idealistic goal is an ongoing endeavour, which is why Google is constantly updating its search ranking systems.
What this means for businesses that rely on their websites to generate new leads is staying informed on how these systems work, change, and how algorithm updates may affect your current SEO strategies. It’s essential to maintaining or improving your website’s visibility.
With over 15 years of SEO experience and as founder of Paul Teitelman SEO Consulting, I’ve put together a list of Google ranking systems the average business owner/operator/SEO specialist will find relevant.
This guide explores the key components of Google’s ranking systems, from core systems like RankBrain and BERT to content ranking systems like the Helpful Content System. By understanding how these systems operate and what factors influence rankings, you can more accurately adjust your content quality, user experience, and topical relevance to elevate your website’s ranking on Google.
Core Ranking Systems
Google’s ranking systems use complex algorithms and machine learning models to analyze and rank billions of pages, ensuring that searchers receive the most relevant and valuable content. Yes, the same machine learning at use in LLMs like ChatGPT. In fact, many of the systems covered here have been referred to as artificial intelligence long before OpenAI started the AI gold rush in 2022.
RankBrain
RankBrain was one of Google’s first AI-driven systems. Introduced in 2015, it uses machine learning to better understand the connection between words’ physical and conceptual realities. That way, when a user enters a search term that Google hasn’t seen before, RankBrain uses those connections to “understand” what the user means and is looking for to retrieve results that may be relevant, even without an exact keyword match. Basically, it helps Google interpret ambiguous or unusual search queries by connecting them with similar past searches and refining the results accordingly, aka machine learning. This helps improve the accuracy and quality of search results over time, especially for long-tail keywords and conversational searches.
Neural Matching
Neural Matching, rolled out in 2018, takes search relevance a step further by examining the relationship between full search queries and broader, high-level concepts. It’s another form of AI that helps Google understand the intent behind a search query to better match it to a website page based on the similarity between the ideas covered on that page and the information the searcher intends to find.
In other words, rather than focusing solely on matching keywords, Neural Matching identifies the overall meaning of the query and matches it to the most relevant content across the web. This system plays the starring role in those searches where we type in sentence fragments and/or various pieces of the information we know to get answers to our questions – bridging the gap between what users type and what they actually want to find.
BERT
Introduced in 2019, BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) is one of the most significant advancements in Google’s understanding of natural language. BERT enables Google to better comprehend the context and nuance of a search query based on the combination and sequence of the words in a search query.
BERT processes the entire context of a search term by analyzing the relationships between the words used. This allows Google to deliver more accurate results, particularly in cases where prepositions (like “to” and “for”) significantly alter the meaning of the query.
Link Analysis Systems & PageRank
These systems are designed to better understand what pages are about and the importance and authority of web pages based on the link structure of the web. They essentially count the number and assess the quality of links to a page to estimate its importance.
PageRank is the algorithm/system that basically launched Google. It was invented by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1996 while they were at Stanford and was a key factor in Google’s early success and differentiation from other search engines.
Passage Ranking
Passage Ranking, introduced in 2020, is designed to help Google understand specific sections or “passages” within webpages and rank them based on greater relevancy to search terms. This system is particularly beneficial for users seeking precise information, as it improves the chances of them finding it within a larger body of content. For content creators, it emphasizes the importance of crafting clear, well-structured passages that address specific queries.
Content-Specific Ranking Systems
Google’s ranking systems also assess and rank the quality of content users are searching for. Here are some of the key content-focused ranking systems used by Google:
Helpful Content System
As of March 2024, the Helpful Content system has been incorporated into Google’s core ranking algorithms rather than existing as a separate system. As a stand-alone system, however, the HCS, as implied by the name, aimed to ensure that people see content in search results that gives them the information they want rather than content created primarily to rank well in search engines. Key aspects include:
- Evaluating content quality and usefulness across entire websites
- Rewarding content that provides a satisfying experience for users
- Potentially lowering rankings on Google for sites with significant amounts of unhelpful content
This system’s ability to penalize and reward is why it’s critical to create and publish content that helps and ranks in SEO and is one of the key aspects to improving your Google website ranking.
This system is closely related to Google’s Reliable Information ranking systems that focus on content quality to surface pages from authoritative sites.
Original Content Systems
These systems work to prioritize original content over secondhand or aggregated information by looking for indications of original reporting and investigative journalism. Once identified by their algorithms, they generally keep original sources prominent in search results even as newer articles on the same topic emerge.
Product Reviews System
This system focuses on rewarding high-quality product reviews by favouring in-depth reviews from experts and enthusiasts that provide insightful analysis, original research, and clear evidence that the writer has personal experience with the product or service being reviewed.
User Experience Ranking Factors
User experience (UX) also plays a pivotal role in how Google ranks websites. By measuring, analyzing, and remembering data that reflects how users interact with a site, Google rewards pages with good UX to ensure that search results prioritize websites that provide relevant content and also offer a user-friendly and enjoyable browsing experience.
Page Experience
Page Experience refers to a set of signals that measure how users perceive the experience of interacting with a webpage. These signals include factors like mobile-friendliness, HTTPS security, and the absence of intrusive interstitials (pop-ups that interfere with the user’s ability to access content). Pages that score highly in these areas are more likely to rank well because they provide a seamless experience for visitors, making it easy for users to navigate and consume content across different devices.
Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are a subset of Page Experience signals that specifically focus on three key aspects of user interaction: loading performance (Largest Contentful Paint, LCP), interactivity (First Input Delay, FID), and visual stability (Cumulative Layout Shift, CLS). These web vitals metrics directly affect how quickly users can engage with the content and whether they experience any unexpected layout shifts during their visit.
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). Measures loading performance by tracking how quickly the largest content element on the page (such as a large image or video) is displayed.
- First Input Delay (FID). Assesses how quickly a webpage responds to user interactions, such as clicks or taps.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). Evaluates the visual stability of a page by measuring any unexpected shifts in layout, such as when elements move around while the page is still loading.
Improving these Core Web Vitals can significantly enhance user satisfaction and your Google website rankings as it rewards sites that prioritize fast, stable, and responsive user experiences. Make it a habit to constantly test your site to identify crawling issues or errors.
Topical Ranking Systems
Google’s ranking systems are not one-size-fits-all; they often adjust based on the time and place as much as the information a user is searching for. Topical ranking systems ensure that certain types of content—such as local business information or news articles—are ranked appropriately based on their location and timeliness. For example, a searcher in northern British Colombia searching for “bears” will see more pages about different types of bears. With the Local News systems, for example, the same search for “bears” in the Chicago area will likely show more pages dedicated to articles about the NFL team.
Crisis Information Systems
In times of natural disasters and other emergency situations, the SOS Alerts system surfaces the most recent updates from local, national, and international agencies.
Google’s Crisis Information systems are also designed to identify searches that indicate the users are seeking information related to various personal crises, such as:
- Suicide
- Sexual assault
- Poison ingestion
- Gender-based violence
- Drug addiction
These systems are designed to display local and relevant hotlines and content from trusted organizations.
Local Search Ranking Algorithm
While not a ranking system, Google does have a local search algorithm that determines how businesses are ranked in local search results. It’s designed to prioritize results that are geographically relevant to the user’s query. When someone searches for a product, service, or business from a specific location, this algo uses factors like:
- Proximity. How close the searcher is to the business or service they are searching for.
- Relevance. How closely a local listing matches the searcher’s query.
- Prominence. The overall reputation and visibility of the business based on factors like reviews, ratings, and backlinks from local websites.
Optimizing for local search involves ensuring that your business has a well-maintained Google Business Profile, accurate and consistent contact information across the web, and plenty of positive reviews to boost prominence.
Freshness Ranking Systems
Freshness Ranking is tailored to prioritize timely and relevant news articles and webpages in response to current events and trending topics. The system also considers user engagement signals like click-through rates and how often articles are shared across the web.
To rank well in news search results, publishers need to focus on producing high-quality, factually accurate, and timely content. Being indexed in Google News and following best practices for news SEO—such as using structured data to highlight key elements of the article—are essential for visibility in this topical ranking system.
Spam-Fighting Ranking Systems
Google places significant emphasis on delivering high-quality, trustworthy content, and part of that effort involves minimizing the presence of spam in search results. Over the years, Google has implemented advanced spam-fighting ranking systems to protect users from manipulative and low-quality content. These systems ensure that deceptive practices, like keyword stuffing and link schemes, do not succeed in gaming the ranking algorithms.
SpamBrain
Introduced in 2018, the AI-powered system SpamBrain system helps Google identify and eliminate spammy content at scale. Using machine learning, this system can detect patterns and signals indicative of spam, even when spammers try to evade traditional detection methods. The neural network looks for behaviours that deviate from normal, high-quality content and website practices, such as:
- Auto-generated and scraped content
- Cloaking or redirecting to another website
- Phishing for users’ personal information and passwords by pretending to be an authoritative site
- Deceptively downloading malware onto users’ devices
- Overwhelming visitors with ads
This system plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of Google’s search ecosystem by flagging and de-listing sites that violate Google’s spam policies.
Link Spam Updates
Link Spam updates focus on preventing pages that link to scam websites from ranking and combating link schemes. These schemes often involve purchasing backlinks or participating in reciprocal linking networks, both of which are designed to manipulate a website’s authority and improve its ranking. Link Spam updates help Google identify and devalue unnatural links, ensuring that only genuine, earned backlinks contribute to a site’s ranking.
This system reinforces the importance of earning links naturally through high-quality, valuable content rather than relying on manipulative tactics. For businesses and content creators, it’s essential to focus on building organic relationships with reputable sites and avoiding any practices that could be flagged as manipulative link-building strategies.
Optimizing for Google’s Ranking Systems
SEO general rules of thumb, i.e., create helpful content that is focused on answering users’ questions and don’t try to scam people, are the best ways to future-proof your website and SEO strategies. That said, however, here are a few strategies for website optimization to deploy to help your Google website rank and stay relevant in Google’s ranking systems in light of constant updates and trends.
Follow Google Search Central Blog and Update Announcements
Google frequently provides guidance and updates on its ranking systems through the Google Search Central Blog. Staying informed by following these announcements is crucial, as ranking system and algorithm updates can significantly impact how websites rank on Google. Keeping an eye on core updates, helpful content guidelines, and any algorithm tweaks will help you adjust your SEO strategy in real-time.
Use SEO Tools and Communities
SEO tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz are invaluable for monitoring your website performance, identifying optimization opportunities, and keeping up with Google’s ranking changes. These platforms provide insights into keyword rankings, backlink profiles, and technical SEO issues that may affect your site’s visibility. Also, engaging with SEO communities and forums can help you stay updated on industry trends, learn from peers, and gain insights into real-world SEO challenges and solutions.
Adapting Your SEO Strategy with Algorithm Updates
Google’s frequent algorithm updates require a flexible SEO strategy that can adapt to changes in ranking signals. Some key tips for maintaining SEO health during these updates include:
- Focus on User Experience. With Google placing increasing importance on metrics like Core Web Vitals and page experience, it’s essential to ensure that your site loads quickly, is mobile-friendly, and provides a seamless user experience.
- Prioritize High-Quality, Original Content. Follow Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) framework for content creation. High-quality, well-researched, and original content tailored to user needs will rank better and withstand algorithm changes
. - Optimize for AI and Voice Search. With AI-powered systems like MUM and BERT becoming more prevalent, content that is structured for conversational and complex search queries will perform well. Optimizing for voice search queries by creating clear, concise answers to user questions is another key strategy
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In Conclusion
Google’s algorithms and ranking systems and algorithms are continuously evolving, integrating advanced AI models and prioritizing content that offers genuine value to users. As they’ve said from the start, factors such as content quality, user experience, topical relevance, and spam prevention are at the forefront of Google’s ranking criteria.Whether you’re optimizing for core ranking systems like RankBrain and BERT or refining your site’s user experience to meet Core Web Vitals, a user-first approach remains key. As Google continues to integrate AI and enhance its ranking systems, SEO strategies will need to be more flexible, focusing on delivering meaningful, engaging, and trustworthy content. Stay updated, audit your SEO regularly, and connect with us to ensure your website delivers value to searchers, which should help you rank well on Google.
