The Google search algorithm refers to the internal process that Google uses to rank content. It takes a number of factors into account when determining these rankings, such as the relevance and quality of the content against a particular search query.

Before we go deeper into what exactly these factors are, though, it’s a good idea to first understand the broader context of the Google ranking process.

This process is split into the following three stages:

Crawling: The first stage involves Google’s bots (the infamous “spiders”) crawling the web and looking for new or updated web pages. In general, the more links a page has to it, the easier it is for Google to locate it. Pages need to be crawled and indexed in order to rank.
Indexing: Google’s next step is to analyze these URLs and try to figure out what each page is about. It does this by looking closely at the content, images, and other media files on the page, and then stores this information in a huge database known as the Google index. It’s vital during these first two stages that your technical SEO is in good order, and that your sitemap, headers, and tags have been configured properly.
Serving: The final step is to determine which of these pages are the most relevant and helpful for a particular search query. This is known as the ranking stage, and this is where the Google search algorithm comes in.
So How Does the Google Search Algorithm Work?
Unfortunately, the short answer to this question is that, outside of Google’s inner circle, nobody really knows.

There are two good reasons for this. Firstly, the algorithm is a closely-guarded business secret, and releasing it would greatly diminish the company’s value.

More importantly, though, if the algorithm was made public, then anyone would be able to exploit it and doctor the system in their favor. This would generate unhelpful search results for users and — given the influence and importance of Google as an online tool — undoubtedly create a worse internet.

As a result, many digital marketers and SEOs often speculate about how exactly the algorithm works, and what they should be doing to rank in SERPs. But just because the algorithm itself is off-limits, it doesn’t mean that Google is entirely silent around the issue.