Yandex Ranking Search Factors Leak
What is the deal with the Yandex ranking factors data leak? Learn more about what it means for ranking factors and how search engines work. The search marketing community is trying to make sense of the leaked Yandex repository containing files listing what looks like search ranking factors. Some may be looking for actionable SEO clues but that’s probably not the real value. The general agreement is that it will be helpful for gaining a general understanding of how search engines work. There’s A Lot To Learn. Ryan Jones (@RyanJones) believes that this leak is a big deal. He’s already loaded up some of the Yandex machine-learning models onto his own machine for testing. Ryan is convinced that there’s a lot to learn but that it’s going to take a lot more than just examining a list of ranking factors. Ryan explains: “While Yandex isn’t Google, there’s a lot we can learn from this in terms of similarity. Yandex uses lots of Google-invented tech. They reference PageRank by name, they use Map Reduce and BERT and lots of other things too. Obviously, the factors will vary and the weights applied to them will also vary, but the computer science methods of how they analyze text relevance and link text and perform calculations will be very similar across search engines. I think we can glean a lot of insight from the ranking factors, but just looking at the leaked list alone isn’t enough. When you look at the default weights applied (before ML) there are negative weights that SEOs would assume are positive or vice versa. There are also a LOT more ranking factors calculated in the code than what’s been listed in the lists of ranking factors floating around. That list appears to be just static factors and doesn’t account for how they calculate query relevance or many dynamic factors that relate to the resultset for that query.” More Than 200 Ranking Factors It’s commonly repeated, based on the leak, that Yandex uses 1,923 ranking factors (some say less). Christoph Cemper (LinkedIn profile), founder of Link Research Tools, says that friends have told him that there are many more ranking factors. Christoph shared: “Friends have seen: 275 personalization factors 220 “web freshness” factors 3186 image search factors 2,314 video search factors There is a lot more to be mapped. Probably the most surprising for many is that Yandex has hundreds of factors for links.” The point is that it’s far more than the 200+ ranking factors Google used to claim. And even Google’s John Mueller said that Google has moved away from the 200+ ranking factors. So maybe that will help the search industry move away from thinking of Google’s algorithm in those terms. Nobody Knows Google’s Entire Algorithm? What’s striking about the data leak is that the ranking factors were collected and organized in such a simple way. The leak calls into question is the idea that that Google’s algorithm is highly guarded and that nobody, even at Google, know the entire algorithm. Is it possible that there’s a spreadsheet at Google with over a thousand ranking factors? Christoph Cemper questions the idea that nobody knows Google’s algorithm. Christoph commented to Search Engine Journal: “Someone said on LinkedIn that he could not imagine Google “documenting” ranking factors just like that. But that’s how a complex system like that needs to be built. This leak is from a very authoritative insider. Google has code that could also be leaked. The often repeated statement that not even Google employees know the ranking factors always seemed absurd for a tech person like me. The number of people that have all the details will be very small. But it must be there in the code, because code is what runs the search engine.” The leaked Yandex files tease a glimpse into how search engines work. The data doesn’t show how Google works. But it does offer an opportunity to view part of how a search engine (Yandex) ranks search results. What’s in the data shouldn’t be confused with what Google might use. Nevertheless, there are interesting similarities between the two search engines. To read the complete post, visit the Search Engine Journal website.
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Google Content Update & Link Spam Update
Google: Helpful Content Update & Link Spam Update Can Take Another Week Or Two To Complete. Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, said on Twitter on Friday afternoon that the December 2022 helpful content update and December 2022 link spam update may take an additional two weeks to complete. He said it would finish “likely within two weeks, maybe only one, but that’s not a guarantee. Timings might change.” As a reminder, the December 2022 helpful content update started on December 5, 2022, and should have been done three weeks ago, but we are now on week number five. And the December 2022 link spam update started on December 14, 2022, and should have been done almost two weeks ago, but now we are heading into week number four. So if the updates take another two weeks, then the helpful content update might take a full seven weeks to roll out, and the link spam update might take about might take six weeks to roll out. Earlier last week, Danny Sullivan implied that the fluctuations we saw on January 3rd to 5th were related to these updates. He said on Mastodon then, “Both the updates are continuing to rollout. Normally these types of updates would have concluded by now, but rollouts can slow or pause when we get into the holiday periods.” The two updates were delayed in their finish date because they ran into the holidays. Google said there was a security issue with completing them on the holidays. Also, we did see some big turbulence days before Christmas, and then things calmed down a lot. The truth is, the Google volatility is much calmer still than the previous couple of weeks. We also saw some fluctuations on December 26th. So, in short, it is still rolling out and might do so for several more days.
Importance of an FAQ Page for SEO
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) are an important feature of your website. They serve a number of purposes, one of which is to help the SEO of your website. Now, you might not have known that the FAQ page was important for this part of your business, but it is, and now is the time to make some changes if things aren’t working out so well. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that you need to know about why an FAQ page is important for SEO. Keep reading down below if you would like to find out more. Navigate The Website Easily Navigating the website easily is important for both customers and Google/other search engines. Google and web users need to be able to find what they are looking for, either to know how relevant the information is, or to find the information that they want at any given time. It’s important that you are able to navigate the website easily and without having to click a million times to find what you are looking for. FAQ sections are super helpful when it comes to this, as it’s got the information that people need in short sections. As well as this, most FAQ’s direct you to the relevant sections of the website where you will be able to find what you are looking for without much of a hassle. This should decrease the bounce rate of your site overall. Keywords For Ranking Purposes The next thing that we’re going to be looking at are keywords for ranking purposes. You want to be able to get as many keywords into your content as you can, and the FAQ section is no different. In long content, you often run the risk of keyword stuffing in an attempt to get the best results, when in reality this will only serve to go against you. But, putting keywords into your FAQ’s is a fantastic tactic, as you won’t be able to keyword stuff with only short sentences. Make sure that you are gathering a list of FAQs that you want to include on your site, and then work out which keywords can fit naturally into the text that you are writing. It’s going to take a little bit of research to find the keywords that you need, but once you do it will be easy to get your FAQ page to rank. Quick And Relevant Information For Google And Users The great thing about an FAQ page is that it provides quick and relevant information for Google or other search engines, as well as for web users. The algorithm that is used for the search engines to calculate the SERPs find this kind of information extremely useful, and will see your business ranked higher because of it. It’s not always easy to scan through lots of text, and if a search engine can find this information written more concisely somewhere else, that page is going to rank above yours. When it comes to users, they are not going to want to have to comb through loads of information to find what they are searching for. Instead, they want quick, reliable information that they can trust, and points them in the right direction of a solution if they have an issue. Helps To Build Trust The final reason that an FAQ page is important for SEO is because it helps to build trust. FAQ pages are full of clear and concise information, and as such are much more reliable than reading through mountains of words before you get to what you are looking for. Your website visitors can trust you with the information that you are providing as it should match up with everything else, and it builds trust with search engines like Google as it shows you are choosing relevant information. Trust is important in every kind of relationship, including the one between a business and a search engine, and a user and a business. We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see the importance of an FAQ page for SEO. Every website should have one, especially if you are trying to boost your ranking within the SERPs. Make sure that your FAQ page has all of the things above, and provides any relevant information that you need to see the success that you are looking for. We wish you the very best of luck, and hope that your understanding of the importance of an FAQ page has improved since you began reading.
Google December 2022 Link Spam Update
Google confirms an update to its spam detection system, called the December 2022 link spam update, is rolling out now and will take up to two weeks to complete. The December 2022 link spam update utilises Google’s AI-based spam-prevention system, SpamBrain, to nullify unnatural links. In addition to detecting spam directly, Google says SpamBrain can now identify sites buying links and sites used for building outgoing links. Google advises that rankings may change as the December 2022 link spam update neutralizes unnatural links, removing any signals passed to the linking domain. This update affects search results in all languages, potentially creating a widespread impact. Whether your site is affected by this update comes down to how you acquire links and how you link out to other pages. Google has strict guidelines against obtaining links primarily to boost search rankings. Additionally, Google has guidelines about qualifying links passed to other websites. If you’re following Google’s best practices regarding incoming and outgoing links, it’s unlikely the December 2022 link spam update will negatively impact you.
Outgoing links: Are they beneficial for your site or not?
When it comes to outgoing links, there is no easy answer. On the one hand, links can be an important way to signal to search engines that your site is relevant and authoritative. You can improve your search engine ranking by linking to high-quality websites and getting more traffic. On the other hand, outgoing links can also be a source of spam and low-quality content. If you link to sites with little or no original content, it could reflect poorly on your own site. SEO ranking can be improved There are a multitude of factors that can affect your SEO ranking, from the content of your website to the structure of your URLs. However, one often-overlooked factor is outgoing links. When your website links to another site, it sends a signal to search engines that your site is relevant and trustworthy. As a result, outgoing links can help to improve your SEO ranking. Of course, it’s important to link only to high-quality websites; otherwise, you could damage your ranking. But if you choose your links carefully, they can be a valuable asset in your SEO strategy. Providing information to visitors which is beneficial Your goal is to provide your visitors with valuable information that will help them in some way. One way to do this is to include outgoing links to other resources. You can provide your visitors with more information on the topic by including links to relevant websites. Not only does this help to improve their understanding of the topic, but it also demonstrates that you are knowledgeable about the subject. As a result, they are likely to trust your opinion and come back to your blog for more useful information in the future. If you’re looking for a way to provide more value to your visitors, consider adding outgoing links to your next blog post. Building relationships with other websites Outgoing links are a great way to build relationships with other websites. By linking to another website, you are effectively giving them a vote of confidence. This not only helps to improve your own website’s ranking in search engines, but it also helps to build trust and goodwill with other web admins. In addition, outgoing links can also help to increase traffic to your website. When visitors click on a link to another website, they will be taken directly to that site. If the site is relevant and exciting, there is a good chance that the visitor will spend some time browsing around. As a result, outgoing links can provide both an SEO boost and increase web traffic. Using outgoing links for advertising In some cases, outgoing links can be used for advertising purposes. If you have a business website, consider linking to other websites that sell products or services that are related to your own. For example, if you sell health supplements, you could link to a website that sells fitness equipment. However, you should only use outgoing links for advertising if you are sure that the linked site is relevant to your own business and if you have obtained permission from the site owner. How to choose the correct outgoing links for your business If you decide to include outgoing links on your website, it is important to choose the right ones for your business. It would be best if you only linked to websites that you trust and that you think would be of interest to your visitors. You should also avoid linking to sites that are in violation of Google’s terms of service. If you are still determining whether or not a website is appropriate to link to, you can always contact the site owner and ask for permission. Finally, it would be best if you also tried to use outgoing links sparingly. Too many outgoing links can dilute the link juice that your website receives, and it can also make your website look like a link farm. Outgoing links can be beneficial for your site Overall, outgoing links can be beneficial for your site. They can provide more information to your visitors, help you build relationships with other websites, and improve the overall user experience on your website. However, there are also some potential risks associated with outgoing links, and it is important to choose the right ones for your business. If you decide to use outgoing links on your website, you should use them sparingly and only link to websites that you trust. In conclusion, there is much debate among web admins and SEO experts about the benefits of outgoing links. Outgoing links are essential for good SEO, as they help to improve a website’s authority and credibility. However, others argue that outgoing links can be harmful to a website’s search engine ranking, as they can redirect valuable link juice away from the site. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to include outgoing links on a website depends on the individual website and its goals. As a general rule, it is always best to err on the side of caution and only include outgoing links to high-quality websites. Including outgoing links to low-quality sites can harm your site’s reputation and cause you to lose valuable traffic. Want to read more on inbound links?
How To Handle Negative SEO Attacks
Google’s John Mueller offers advice on what to do if you’re the target of a negative SEO attack. He shares an easy way to deal with negative SEO attacks, such as competitors building spammy links to your domain. Recently addressing this topic in reply to a thread on Reddit. In the r/SEO forum, an individual believes they’re the target of a negative SEO campaign and is looking for advice. Mueller’s advice is to ignore the problem. That’s it; ignore it. Here’s his full reply: “I’d just ignore them. Think of it this way, if your competitors are competent, they won’t build links for you. If your competitors are incompetent, the links won’t have any effect.” Mueller’s response is direct and to the point. A competitor competent enough to build links Google will recognize probably won’t waste their time with negative SEO attacks. Google ignores many links, such as low-quality links a bad actor might build en masse in an attempt to damage a competitor’s rankings. Therefore, website owners and SEOs should ignore said attacks since Google won’t count the links against a site’s rankings. This topic comes up now and then, though with the number of search updates rolled out in recent years, it’s worth revisiting Google’s guidance regarding negative SEO. Mueller’s advice in the Reddit thread is consistent with the advice he provided in the past. Additionally, he’s previously stated that you shouldn’t rush to use the disavow tool if you’re concerned about negative SEO. Google ignores obviously spammy links, so there’s no need to disavow them. That tool is more for recovering from manual action penalties. Most SEO professionals don’t use the disavow tool on spammy links, according to a poll on Twitter earlier this year. There’s considerable confidence in Google to deal with them automatically. However, there’s nothing wrong with using the disavow tool if it makes you feel more comfortable.
Strength Of Backlinks Ranking Factor Will Drop
Google Search Advocate John Mueller predicts the strength of backlinks as a ranking factor will drop over time. During a live session at the recent Brighton SEO event, Google Search Advocate John Mueller makes a prediction about the future of backlinks. Mueller, joined by fellow Googler Lizzi Sassman and guest Myriam Jessier, fields several questions during a live recording of the Search Off The Record podcast. Google Interested in Backlinks Since it’s a podcast, the questions are addressed as a group discussion, as the hosts answer pre-selected questions rather than interacting with the live audience. Together, the hosts answer a question about how Google penalizes backlinks, which asks: “As an SEO, we are interested in backlinks. However, actively working on backlinks often becomes a gray area in terms of link schemes. What are Google’s main criteria for penalizing backlinks?” After some banter between the hosts, Mueller takes a direction with his answer that’s a slight departure from the original question. Google representatives are often careful when answering questions regarding ranking and penalty criteria. Generally, Google discourages any form of unnatural link building. Giving away too many details about penalties could encourage “grey hat” behavior or walking a careful line between what’s acceptable and what isn’t. Instead of speaking about penalties, Mueller discusses the backlinks ranking signal in general and why it may become less critical to SEO professionals in the future. Google’s John Mueller On The Backlinks Ranking Signal As Google becomes more adept at understanding how content fits in with the rest of the web, Mueller suggests Google’s algorithm won’t have to rely so much on inbound links. Mueller says: “Well, it’s something where I imagine, over time, the weight on the links at some point will drop off a little bit as we can figure out a little bit better how the content fits in within the context of the whole web.” Perhaps this is Mueller’s way of saying penalties aren’t worth worrying about because backlinks won’t be as valuable to acquire in the future. However, suggesting backlinks are only helpful for understanding content disregards all the other information they communicate. A backlink profile can tell you so much more about a website, such as an extent to which it’s trusted by others, who it’s trusted by, and how authoritative the site is in its particular niche. Is Google capable of determining all that from the on-page content alone? Mueller doesn’t speak to the authority aspect of inbound links, though he does say they’ll continue to be helpful to Google for content discovery. Mueller continues: “And to some extent, links will always be something that we care about because we have to find pages somehow. It’s like how do you find a page on the web without some reference to it?” But my guess is over time, it won’t be such a big factor as sometimes it is today. I think already, that’s something that’s been changing quite a bit.” Source: Search Engine Journal Internal Linking & its Impact on SEO