In order to make better use of the Google search engine, it is good to have some insight into how it works. Google's search engine works with algorithms. An algorithm is nothing more than a series of consecutive steps that must be taken, according to established instructions, to achieve an intended goal from an initial state. Google works with around 250 algorithms. Only about 150 are known to work.
An important algorithm used by the Google search engine is the PageRank algorithm, named after Larry Page, one of the PageRank designers. The PageRank ranks the results of a search, i.e. your search, by importance. Here, the importance of a web page is measured by the number of times that it is linked to from other web pages, known as backlinks. Google does everything in its power to make fake pages not count in PageRank. Fake pages are pages without content that are only intended to point to a real page, so that the latter ranks higher in the ranking to be found. In the past, backlinks could also be purchased. Still now? Google is doing everything it can to combat this phenomenon as well.
As mentioned, the PageRank algorithm is important in ranking search results. However, it is only one of the many factors that Google counts on to make this ranking. The exact functioning and impact of the algorithms used by Google is kept secret and is difficult for outsiders to understand. That's why SEO (Search Engine Optimization) exists as a separate field when designing websites.
Google works with around 250 algorithms. Only about 150 are known to work.
Apparently, it is not the direct assessment of the content quality of a website that ensures a top position in the ranking of search results. Rather, these are indirect parameters that suggest that a website is good, that are measured and statically processed in order to arrive at a ranking.
The following are all indirect parameters that are measured and ensure a top position in the search results via Google's algorithms:
Before you search the internet via Google, it's also good to know that Google does a number of things for you.
What does Google do for you?
The least effective search method is definitely to enter one or more search terms quickly. This is how you tell Google: “Find me web pages where my search terms appear, their order and location are not important”. Google will then search for all web pages that are complete or included approach meets and displays your search, ranked by relevance. The latter is an interpretation that the Google algorithm makes based on your search terms. Whether this ranking meets what you wanted to find out with your assignment is not obvious and depends on the quality of the assignment you gave to Google.
As a result, you often get millions or thousands of web pages, usually viewing websites from the first results page and, at best, a few from the second. Websites from the 3rd results page and followers are barely opened.
You want to know if exercising later in life is healthy.
Enter and see if you find what you're looking for:
Task 4 has more hits than task 3. You wouldn't expect this at first glance. This is because Google also selects websites that, as mentioned above, approximately match your search terms. For example, it may be approximate instead of healthy or later instead of later, or the inclusion in the search results of sites that contain 2 of 3 or 4 search terms, etc. For example, for query 5, the first three results show the search term that does not appear on the web page found, crossed out below the result. This means that only 4 out of 5 search terms appear in the selected websites. Google says it found 386,000 results, but displays 4 pages with a total of 36 results and then sends the message: “Some results that are very similar to the 36 results displayed have been omitted to show the most relevant results. If you want, you can repeat the search with the omitted results”.
As mentioned above, by far the most used, but also the least effective, search method is simply entering one or a few keywords. If you do this with age, exercise, healthy, you will therefore get 12,200,000 results that meet or are somewhat similar to your assignment. Let's say you don't want to include those that “look like it” in the results. You want all three words spelled exactly to appear anywhere on the web page; neither place nor order is important. Then go to Tools and select word for word (illustrate...) The number of web pages found is still 170, but you can be sure that all three keywords appear on the web page.
Google also ranks here by relevance. But you'll notice that the selected web pages, including those from the latest results page (here page 17) contain the three keywords, with a good chance of finding useful information for you. Therefore, you will also be more likely to view websites that are further down the list of results.
On the last page, you'll find the number of selected results at the bottom and a message from Google: “Some results that are very similar to the 170 results displayed have been omitted to show the most relevant results. If you want, you can repeat the search with the omitted results.”
