A new patent gives us some answers. Google uses indicators to reflect the quality of a blog or of a blog post.
| Positive signals | Negative signals (spam signals) |
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To rank the search results, Google combines a quality score obtained by mixing those signals with a relevance score (IR score) that depends on the query. "The IR score may be determined based on the number of occurrences of the search terms in the document. The IR score may be determined based on where the search terms occur within the document (e.g., title, content, etc.) or characteristics of the search terms (e.g., font, size, color, etc.). A search term may be weighted differently from another search term when multiple search terms are present. The proximity of the search terms when multiple search terms are present may influence the IR score." (the quote was slightly altered for clarity)
We learned that Google uses all kinds of factors to determine the popularity and the quality of a blog, but that doesn't mean less popular blogs are left out if they have relevant content. You should also try to avoid all the negative signals that may indicate your blog is spammy.
{ via Search Engine Roundtable }
About the only one I don't understand is "predictable time" (?)
ReplyDeleteThere are two different types of timings related to posts in the patent application.
ReplyDeleteThe writers state that spam blogs are posted to either with a lot of posts in short bursts, or at very consistent and predictable time intervals, such as every three hours and 43 minutes.
Interesting that they count simply the USE of tags as a positive indicator. It's something I've been doing myself for some time, judging the care and attention someone puts into a post by the care they put into categorisation. Judging the categorisation is quicker than reading a post!
ReplyDeleteHow long before blog-spam tools adapt to this information?
ReplyDeleteHow many years before computers can publish original-looking fake blogs that are good enough to fool a human? With a million "original" blogs clogging up the rankings a spammer can do a lot of spamvertising.
Yup, spam blogs will catchup, and I trust that Google will adapt to treat them as such. It's the typical game of leap-frog with one side trying to out-better the other.
ReplyDeleteI have a few questions about this which I've voiced here. Does anyone know the answer to these questions?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.seoblogpro.com/archives/google/make-google-blog-search-fall-in-love-with-your-blog/
Can anyone define "Trusted Bloggers"? How is google coming up with this list?
ReplyDeleteThey certainly don't have a hand-built list of popular blogs. Google could use PageRank, the number of subscribers from feed readers and other factors to compile a list of popular blogs. One problem with top blogs is that they tend to link only to other top blogs.
ReplyDeleteExcellent scoop! Thanks a lot for the brand new information.
ReplyDeleteI myself wrote a post on this based on your findings in my blog(Blogging India)!
Tim, what they call "trusted bloggers" are those high PR, high traffic, high readership top blogs who have been on the blogosphere for atleast 3-5 years, and have a good reputation... When it comes to Google, its not the opinion which counts, but the content quality, readership and reputation.
spamers may use this info
ReplyDeleteThis is a great site. Thank you for your information. I THANK YOU I SALUTE YOU IT,S A AMZING SITE.
ReplyDeleteAll this of course relies on your site being indexed by the search engine.. Google seams to take ages to do this.... and then you could still not be indexed.
ReplyDeleteI trust that Google will adapt to treat them as such. It's the typical game of leap-frog with one side trying to out-better the other.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious why the blog search home page top rankings and ads are mostly right wing anti Obama blogs. Day after day how can the same blogs top the list? It only makes sense if it's fixed or the blogs know how to game the search engine.
ReplyDelete