Google then and now
In 1996, when Google was launched, no one was yet considering the advanced algorithms that would provide users with answers to their queries 20 years later. Back then, results were selected based on the frequency of searches for a given phrase and the number of links to relevant pages. Today, this is determined by a complex set of factors, including location, user search history, personal preferences expressed through email and social media activity, and much more.
In most cases, this user-focused approach yields very good results – users receive responses that align with their preferences. When positioning a website , it's also worth considering the elements that influence its search engine ranking.
What influences the personalization of results on Google?
1. Log in to Google (Gmail, YouTube, Google+)
Search results are largely influenced by our actions on websites belonging to Google, which collects and thoroughly analyzes data, adjusting results in SERPs (especially taking into account search history, which is more about in the next point), as well as matching ads to our interests, age and gender.
2. Browser language
One of the first factors that contributes to differences in search results is the language of the program we use to browse the internet. This determines, among other things, whether results will be displayed from a domain ending in .pl or .de.
(The rest of the article can be found below the form)
3. Google Search History
In addition to the history collected by our browser, we also have access to Google search history, which is assigned to our account. This allows us to easily retrieve queries we searched for while using any browser or device on which we were logged in to one of Google's services. At myactivity.google.com, we can find all the information not only about our search terms and visited websites, but also, marked on a map, locations where we used email or an Android phone, for example.
All this history influences search results – for example, if we are looking for a pub in our city, Google will most likely place in the top ten a place whose website we have already viewed or where we have used email or Google+ on our Android phone.
4. Venice Update
In 2012, search results were shaken up by the Venice Update, which introduced an even greater emphasis on local results in the SERPs . Previously, Google derived its basic knowledge of a website's location from data entered into Google Maps. With the Venice Update, Google expanded its data to include information gathered from:
- Analysis of links leading to websites – some websites rely on links containing the name of the city where the company is located. The effectiveness of acquiring this type of link increases significantly if locally embedded websites are selected for linking, promoting regional products and companies.
- website content that clearly outlines the profile and scope of the product/brand/company it represents,
- optimization of meta tags on the website – a basic element website optimization,
- URL address with location and region-specific ending, e.g. .pl, .co.uk, etc.
5. Pigeon
At the end of July 2014, an update called "Pigeon" was implemented in the Google search engine algorithm. Its primary purpose was to unify map results and organic results. After the update, the algorithm also began to favor local websites collecting information about businesses (business databases) as the best aggregators of local market knowledge. Sites collecting reviews of specific locations, such as TripAdvisor – a popular site with recommendations for monuments, hotels, restaurants, and other tourist attractions – also benefited. If you want to promote your local business , it's worth keeping these preferences in mind and maintaining your image on these sites.
Pigeon also gave the search engine a more human face by enhancing the search algorithm with colloquial terms—unofficial names of places that are obvious to locals (e.g., Bałtyk for Poznań residents, Szkieletor for Krakow residents) but remain a mystery to visitors. Furthermore, Gołąb has made the boundaries of subsequent areas somewhat more fluid, allowing you to find answers to terms related to the region adjacent to the one you're searching for in your search results.
The introduction of Pigeon has changed the balance of power in the local business market – a well-optimized website of a small, local company wins the race for the top 10 against a large behemoth with branches throughout the region or country.
6. Geolocation
Another important element that influences differences in SERPs is the location of the device we are using.
According to Google, when sorting results, it also considers our IP address, as well as location history (https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity), and terms related to places we've searched for in the past. The most relevant results primarily fall within the service industry – terms like "restaurant," "hairdresser," or "car repair shop" will always favor local businesses located in the searcher's area.
7. Google Global Cache
Internet users typically demand a quick response to their requests. To address this issue, Google has partnered with some internet providers, significantly shortening the path a response must take to appear on the user's screen. How does this work? Within the internet providers' network infrastructure, individual Google servers are launched, storing the most popular content. In response to a user's request, the program searches for the nearest server with the Google logo and retrieves information from it. While this solution significantly shortens the search engine's response time, it can cause problems determining the page's ranking. This is because the content of individual servers in the Google Global Cache family varies, and updating it can take up to 24 hours.
8. Google Data Center
Data collected by Google robots is stored in huge Data Centers located in 15 places around the world (9 in America, 2 in Asia and 4 in Europe).
Their content varies and is mostly focused on collecting data from the continent or region they are located in. New content is indexed in the databases quite quickly, but… at a different pace in each. This results in, among other things, differences in search results, which will depend on information indexed in the nearest and least congested Data Center from which the search engine provided the answers.
It's undeniable that the aforementioned search engine factors make it much more difficult to determine the actual position of your website. To "preview" what the results might look like without your accounts being affected, you can search in incognito mode.
Many Google users are also concerned about the amount of information collected on its servers. It's worth periodically visiting https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity and reviewing the filter settings on your accounts to limit the amount of information about your online and offline activities.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- the evolution of the Google algorithm and its impact on the personalization of search results,
- the role of user data and browser settings in shaping search results.
