Google Algorithm Leaks and AI Overviews
This year has seen a number of new SEO developments. Some of these announcements were intended. Others, not so much.
There has been no shortage of big news this year in the realm of SEO. Whether it be the rise of E-E-A-T or the increased adoption of AI tools, things always seem to be changing in some way or another. In a significant development for the SEO community, Rand Fishkin received an anonymous email from an anonymous source (later identified as Erfan Azimi) with thousands of internal Google documents. These revealed intricate details about how Google’s search algorithms and policies operate. The documents shed light on various factors influencing search rankings, including click-through rates, brand mentions, and user engagement metrics. This information, initially found on GitHub, has shed light on various aspects of Google’s data collection practices. Some of which contradict Google’s previous statements and advice for how to improve rankings on the search engine.
What the Leak Reveals
The leaked information covers numerous details about Google’s data collection practices. Notably, it includes several points where Google appears to have misled the public including:
- Domain Authority: Google has consistently denied the use of a domain authority metric. But, the leak suggests “siteAuthority” is a quality signal that can influence rankings.
- Click Data: Google has claimed that they do not use click data for rankings. Yet, the leak indicates that tools like NavBoost are used to focus on click signals.
- Sandbox Effect: Google has refuted the existence of a “sandbox” effect for newer websites, but the leak confirms it.
- Google Chrome Data: Despite Google’s assurances that Chrome data isn’t used in organic search rankings, the leak shows it is.
For more detailed info, you can refer to the full leak here.
Google’s Response
In response to the leak, Google has stated, “We would caution against making inaccurate assumptions about Search based on out-of-context, outdated, or incomplete information. We’ve shared extensive information about how Search works and the types of factors that our systems weigh, while also working to protect the integrity of our results from manipulation.”
Regardless of how “out-of-context” this leak is, seeing that so many previously unconfirmed data collection practices contribute to ranking factors makes it even harder to listen to the advice Google provides. Communication with Google is vital to better understand what they want to see for high-ranking sites. But, how can this advice be trusted if the source is trying to obfuscate these same ranking factors to deter people from learning all of the ranking secrets?
Do We Still Listen to Google?
The answer lies somewhere in the middle. While SEOs should be cautious about taking Google’s statements (such as those from John Mueller) at face value, it’s crucial to continue with experimentation and white hat SEO practices to build and sustain SEO rankings.
SEOs must critically evaluate the information provided by Google and determine if it is beneficial for their sites, and how they might be able to incorporate it. Despite the revelations, it’s understandable that Google wouldn’t want to disclose every ranking factor to prevent folks from gaming the system. This situation has shaken trust in Google, yet it’s essential to recognize the complexity of their system.
Google is Still Learning, Especially When It Comes to Artificial Intelligence
In addition to the leak, Google has recently introduced changes to organic search results with their inclusion of Search Generative Experiences (AI Overviews). While this is still a very new feature, it has the potential to change how people navigate Google and the types of content that sites generate to capitalize on this development.
Understanding AI Overviews
AI Overviews combine the generative power of models like ChatGPT with Google’s vast data index. According to the AI Overview patent, the system considers data from related queries, summarizing results from documents based on the query and related queries. This mechanism can offer chances to get cited in popular queries by ranking for related queries.
Here is a hypothetical example:
If a person recently adopted a new cat, they will need to buy things like a litter box, food and water bowls, a bed, etc. If you are searching for “best cat food”, related things like “best litter box” could also be included in the AI overview since Google recognizes your pet will need to eventually relieve itself after eating. Due to this, it could be worth the time to not only try and rank for “best cat food”, but also create content that addresses related questions or things related to your main query.
When it comes to things like therapy services, this may not involve a product, but questions like “What is anxiety treatment” and related queries like “How long does anxiety treatment take?” or “How to find the right anxiety therapist”.
In a way, the AI overview is akin to a new version of featured snippets.
However, it doesn’t cite the website from which the content was pulled directly. Instead, it generates a response, finds documents ranking for sections of that response, and cites the site with the snippet. With this in mind, it can be possible for people to rank for queries that they may normally not have been in the running for. Thus, opening a new avenue for people to potentially find your site.
Is SEO Dead?
SEO is far from dead, but it is evolving. The introduction of AI Overviews is an additional layer on top of organic search. It can help with people looking to find quick, decisive answers. But, this could potentially pull traffic away from other websites as a result. Yet, we are still in the early stages of its development. Google has been adjusting the frequency of overviews in search results, and it will be interesting to see how things progress.
However, some initial AI Overviews have produced questionable advice, indicating that the system might still need refinement. This is especially true when the overviews suggest such outlandish things as adding glue to your pizza, or snakes being mammals.
Who Might Be Affected?
The impact of AI Overviews will likely be widespread, affecting everyone as they appear above organic search results. Affiliate sites, in particular, are expected to take a significant hit.
Making the Most of AI Overviews
While these newer overviews may have an effect on organic SEO rankings, SEOs can still leverage them to help rankings as mentioned above. Some of these tactics may include adding other keywords that surround or are related to your main query in content. Attempting to rank for these types of keywords can be a helpful way to improve your chances of popping up in an AI Overview, but it should be mentioned that not everyone will receive the same overview. In some cases where there is a large search volume for something, Google may cache the overview to be used again. But in most, a fresh overview with a fresh link from another site will be created.
In addition, including more specific content can improve the chances of being referenced in AI overviews. Even if you can’t rank for the most competitive keyword, AI will still create responses based on other queries and keywords. SEOs should understand and incorporate the types of content AI generates.
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About the Author
Sterling Humburg-Cage graduated from the University of Missouri with a BA in Psychology in 2020. He has integrated what he learned in school into his work as an SEO Specialist with Simplified SEO Consulting. Sterling prides himself on helping current clients & alumni problems solve difficult SEO issues. He’s great at giving clients multiple options about how to approach a situation, finding solutions to some of the more technical aspects of SEO, and responding in a timely manner to client concerns. Since he started, Sterling has met frequently with our alumni and provided them with extra problem-solving support. He now provides additional support with a variety of local SEO services. He often goes the extra mile to do outside research. By doing so, he sure private practice owners have everything they need to rank well on search engines long term for the keywords their ideal clients are using!
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