Search engines are an important part of our everyday life. People use them all the time to answer questions, find services or buy products. But how do search engines decide which sites and information are listed higher or lower?
In this article, we’ll detail everything you need to know about how search engines work. From ranking to crawling and indexing, we’ll guide you through the process from start to finish.
For personalised advice, contact our team at practiceedge today.
What are Search Engines?
A search engine is a software system that allows users to search for information on the internet. It works by indexing vast amounts of web content and then using algorithms to retrieve and display the most relevant results based on a user’s query. Popular examples include Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
Search engines have quickly become a part of our everyday lives. According to statistics compiled by Forbes Advisor, the average user makes 3 to 4 searches daily. Over 90% of these searches worldwide occur on Google, making it clear why optimising SEO for Google is so important.
How Search Engines Work
Search engines are designed to work by processing and sorting information available on the internet and making it easy for users to find. This process is divided into three steps, crawling, indexing and ranking.
Crawling
Crawling refers to the process by which search engines find and explore sites. Billions of websites need to be categorised with thousands more created every day. To assess these sites automated bots are sent out, also known as ‘crawlers’ or ‘spiders,’ to explore websites across the internet. These bots start by visiting a known webpage and then follow the links on that page to discover new URLs.
As they move from page to page, they collect information about the content, structure, and links on each site. This data is sent back to the search engine to be indexed. Crawling is essential for search engines to keep their databases up to date with the latest website content.
Indexing
Search engine indexing is the process where search engines gather, organise, and store the data they collect from websites. After a search engine crawler visits a webpage, it analyses its content, structure, keywords, and metadata. The search engine then stores this information in its index, which is essentially a massive database of web pages.
When a user performs a search, the search engine doesn’t go directly to the internet to find results in real time. Instead, it quickly scans its index to identify relevant web pages that match the user’s query.
The indexing process helps the search engine:
- Understand content: It determines what a page is about by analysing the keywords, headings, images, and other elements.
- Evaluate relevance: It uses the quality of content, links, and user engagement to assess how relevant the page is to specific queries.
Only pages that are successfully indexed can appear in search engine results. Pages with technical issues or those restricted from being crawled won’t be included in the search index.
Ranking
Ranking is the stage when search engines decide the order in which websites appear on search results pages (SERPs) in response to a user’s query. After a website is crawled and indexed, the search engine evaluates it using complex algorithms. These algorithms consider a variety of ranking factors to determine their relevance and quality. The goal is to provide users with the most helpful, accurate, and timely results.
Some of the key factors that influence search engine rankings include:
- Keywords: Search engines analyse how well the content on a page matches the user’s query. They assess keyword usage in titles, headings, and throughout the content.
- Content Quality: High-quality, original, and informative content that meets user intent ranks higher. Content that answers questions thoroughly and engages the reader is prioritised.
- Backlinks: Websites that have backlinks from reputable sources are seen as more trustworthy. These external links signal that other sites vouch for your content, which boosts rankings.
- User Experience: Search engines take into account factors like site speed, mobile-friendliness, security (HTTPS), and ease of navigation. A positive user experience helps sites rank higher, as search engines want to provide the best experience for their users.
- Freshness: Google and other search engines prioritise recently updated or newly created content. Especially for topics that change frequently or are time-sensitive, like news or trends.
- Engagement Metrics: Signals such as click-through rate (CTR), time spent on a page, and bounce rate can also impact rankings. If users are engaging positively with a site, it’s a sign that the content is relevant and valuable.
By considering these factors, search engines rank sites to ensure users get the most relevant and helpful results at the top of their search queries. The combination of relevance, authority, and user satisfaction determines which sites rank best.
Why Search Engine Ranking Matters
Ranking well with search engines is extremely important for businesses. Studies have indicated that less than 1% of users go to the second page of search results for information. So ensuring your site ranks highly is the best way to gain traffic.
Likewise, ranking higher will achieve more than just increasing your traffic. The higher a site ranks the more trustworthy the site or source seems. This can increase your credibility and encourage users to interact with your business. Furthermore, site usability and ease of navigation do more than just improve your SEO. They can help users have a great experience with your site, encouraging them to come back and engage.
How SEO Can Improve Your Rank
Search engine optimisation, SEO, is about targeting the different factors that a search engine relies on to boost your ranking. With thorough research, keywords can be adjusted and updated to reflect relevant searches. Likewise, ensuring a proper and usable structure not only improves the user experience but makes your site easier to index.
Similarly, continuous or regular SEO support is often the key to maintaining your site’s relevance. Google’s search algorithm has been updated 36 times between 2018 and 2023. These updates change how sites are indexed based on the quality of their SEO. With an expert’s help, you can stay on top of these changes and keep your site ranking high.
Boost Your Search Engine Rank With practiceedge
Practiceedge has over 15 years of experience with digital marketing. Our expert team knows all the best techniques to help sites rank higher, gain organic traffic and boost brand awareness. We understand the importance of great marketing and why getting a search engine on your side is so important.
If you’re not sure where to start our passionate team is ready to help. Our SEO services can help you optimise your website for crawling, indexing and ranking.
