When you use a search engine, it is essential to understand how it ranks results. Behind every search, a complex process determines which pages appear first in the results. Let’s take a look at how it all works.
1- What is a search engine?
A search engine is a website that collects and indexes Internet pages in an organized way. To do this, it uses a software program, the “indexing robot”, which browses the entire web by following the links between pages. This process allows the search engine to create an index of the pages available on the web, which it uses to answer your queries.
2- The three stages of how a search engine works
The search engine works in three main steps to provide you with the most relevant results:
- Exploration (Crawling): The indexing robot regularly explores the web, following the links it finds and analyzing pages deemed interesting. It continuously scans new content to enrich the search engine’s index.
- Indexing: When the robot visits a page, it extracts the keywords from that page. These can be chosen by the webmaster or simply appear naturally in the page’s content. The robot keeps a copy of this page, called the cache, so it can access it quickly during your search.
Ranking: The search engine ranks the indexed pages according to their relevance to given keywords. This ranking determines the results you see when you perform a search.
3- The ranking algorithm: how are results sorted?
Once the pages have been crawled and indexed, they must be ranked. This is done through a complex algorithm that takes into account many criteria to determine which site or page is the most relevant for a given search. Among these criteria are:
- Keywords: The frequency and position of keywords within the page content.
- Inbound links: The more a page receives links from other reputable sites, the more it will be considered reliable and important.
- Content quality: The search engine favors original, relevant, and well-structured content.
- User experience: Well-designed, fast, and easy-to-use sites are favored in the ranking.
- Social signals: Although this criterion is secondary, engagement on social media can influence a page’s ranking.
Search engines constantly improve their algorithms to provide increasingly accurate results. They adjust their ranking criteria to better meet user expectations, fight against spam, and update outdated content.
4- The research intent: understanding the user
Search engines don’t just match keywords. They also try to understand the intent behind the search. For example, if you search for “how to install photo editing software,” the search engine will probably know that you’re looking for an installation guide or step-by-step instructions. But if you type in “best photo editing software,” it will try to offer you comparisons of popular software, user reviews, or even video tutorials to help you choose the one that best suits your needs. The search engine therefore tailors the results not only to your keywords, but also to the intent behind your search.
5- Be careful, popularity does not always equal truthfulness!
It is important to note that the first result in search engines is not necessarily the most reliable. In fact, results are often ranked according to their popularity, that is, the number of visits, inbound links, or other criteria related to the site’s visibility. However, this does not guarantee the accuracy of the information. A popular site can sometimes spread erroneous or biased information. It is therefore essential to always verify sources and cross-check information, especially on sensitive or current topics.
6- Paid results vs. organic results
It is also important to distinguish between organic (natural) results and paid results. Paid results, or sponsored ads, often appear at the top of the search page and are linked to auctions where advertisers pay to be seen. Organic results, on the other hand, are ranked based on their relevance, without any financial influence.
