How do SEO algorithms work? (2024)

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In the world of search engine optimisation, understanding the algorithms used by search engines is an essential part of improving the visibility of a site. website or an online page.

In this article, our SEO Agency explains how these algorithms work and what their main objectives are.

What is an SEO algorithm?

ASEO algorithmis a set of mathematical rules applied by search engines to determine the importance and relevance of a web page or online content.

In other words, it is a tool that enables search engines such as Google solve a specific problem: find and classify the most relevant pages in response to a user query.

The different types of algorithm

There are several types of algorithm used by search engines, each with its own characteristics and objectives. Here are a few examples:

1. Crawling algorithms :They browse the web and gather information about pages and websites. This information is then used to index and classify online pages and content.
2. Ranking algorithms :They are used to determine the relevance and authority of indexed pages and content, in order to provide users with usable search results.
3. Filtering algorithms :They filter out irrelevant or harmful pages and content, such as phishing websites or those that seek to deceive users by displaying different content to search engines and real visitors.

Criteria taken into account by SEO algorithms

The SEO algorithms Search engines take into account a multitude of criteria to determine the quality of a page or website. The main elements taken into consideration include :

• The relevance of the content :An algorithm will assess whether the content of a page corresponds to the queries made by users, by analysing in particular the keywords present in the title, sub-titles, text and images. meta tags and the body of the text.
• Popularity:Pages and websites that receive a lot of links from other sites are generally considered to be more popular and of higher quality. SEO algorithms therefore take into account the number and quality of links received. backlinks pointing to the pages to be indexed.
• L'user experience :Search engines strive to provide quality results that meet users' expectations. They take into account various factors relating to the user experience, such as page loading time, ease of navigation and mobile compatibility.
• Fresh content:Pages with recent content are generally ranked higher than pages with outdated content. SEO algorithms take into account the date a page was created or updated, as well as the frequency with which the site as a whole is updated.

How SEO algorithms work

Search engines therefore use different types of algorithm to perform their tasks. To better understand how these algorithms work, here is a detailed explanation of each one:

1. Crawling algorithms

The process ofcrawlingconsists of browsing the web by following links on pages to gather information and discover new pages. The exploration robots (or spiders) perform this task by accessing web pages, while respecting certain rules, such as the inclusion or exclusion of pages to be explored in the site's "robots.txt" file.

This process enables us to detect newly created or updated pages, as well as any technical problems that could prevent them from being indexed by search engines.

2. Page indexing

After exploring the web pages, search engines proceed to theirindexationThis means organising and classifying the information collected. This information includes :

• • Page content (text, images, videos, etc.)
  • The tags HTML and meta (title, description, keywords, etc.)
  • The URL of the page

This indexing phase is crucial for search engines, as it enables them to determine which content is relevant to display in response to user queries.

3. Ranking search results

Finally, ranking algorithms are responsible for determining the order in which indexed pages will be displayed in search results, based on their relevance and quality. To do this, they take into account a large number of criteria, such as those mentioned above.

It is therefore essential for owners of websites or online pages to understand these criteria and to work on natural search engine optimisation (SEO), in order to improve the visibility of their content and reach the top rankings in search results.

In conclusion, search engine SEO algorithms play a key role in the web ecosystem, providing users with quality results and helping content owners to increase their visibility.

Understanding how these algorithms work and the criteria they take into account can significantly improve your SEO and online presence.