The Emerging Importance of Behavioral Data in Rankings - Moving Away from Links to User Data
(Page 3 of 4 )
First search engines looked at on-page factors. It worked for some time, but failed in the long run due to abuse by search engine marketers.
The second generation of search engines started looking at links as an indicator of importance and relevancy. It worked, and continues to work, but like on-page factors before it, it is starting to be extremely abused.
In earlier times on the web there were no link farms, no link buying and no link directories. Links were real votes by real people. But that's not entirely true nowadays.
As links became an important factor, SEOs came up with, and continue to come up with, ways to get around the system. For instance, link buying is hard to detect, depending on how it is done, and Google is having a lot of trouble with it. There are site networks, farms, etc - all designed for one purpose - links.
Links are becoming a less trustworthy indicator, due to mass abuse. This means that search engines can't rely on links to the same extent they have in the past if they want to continue to deliver relevant results to their users.
We are moving into another generation of search engines, where behavioral data plays a much more important role. This means that bounce rate, page views, brand search and other indicators can be the deciding factor in taking the top spot.
Next: The Signs of Behavioral Emphasis >>
More Search Optimization Articles
More By Ivan Strouchliak
