What happens when you type a search term in your search engine? When you type a search term, search engines use different methods to browse through the enormous amounts of web data to come up with the right listings. But how are the listings rated?
When we search for a term, say car insurance Cambridge, the search engine displays page after page of links in a descending order of relevance. Most often people don't bother browsing many pages before selecting the link to visit. It can therefore be safely assumed that the ranking of a website for relevant search terms is an important determinant of its success.
Search engines calculate ratings based on various factors. There are essentially two types of search results, paid and unpaid. Paid listings feature at the top and are displayed as sponsored listings. The ranking of an unpaid listing can be improved with the help of processes like search engine optimisation.
Some techniques to improve search engine ratings involving integrating the coding and/or structure of the website with the methods that search engine use to process data. While there are many acceptable ways to get around search engine processes, there are also many blacklisted methods.
Blacklisted methods include increasing keyword density to the point of degrading content, known as keyword stuffing, link farms and duplicated content. Search engines have developed ways to remove such content from their index.
