Google confirms the leaked Search documents are real
Leaked Docs Expose Google's Search Secrets: Impact?
Google has confirmed the authenticity of 2,500 leaked internal documents that detail the data it collects, some of which may influence its search ranking algorithm. The documents, revealed by SEO experts Rand Fishkin and Mike King, provide a rare glimpse into Google's operations, although the specifics of how data influences search rankings remain unclear.
The leak could significantly impact the SEO, marketing, and publishing industries, as it challenges previous assertions by Google about the data that does not affect search rankings. The documents have not clarified how different data elements are weighted but suggest a more complex picture of Google's search processes.
What specific types of data does the leaked Google documents reveal the company collects?
The leaked Google documents reveal that the company collects a variety of data, including clicks, Chrome user data, and more. The documents also mention factors like content freshness, authorship, whether a page is related to a site's central focus, alignment between page title and content, and the average weighted font size of a term in the doc body. However, it is not clear which specific pieces of data are actually used to rank search content, as the information could be outdated, used strictly for training purposes, or collected but not used for Search specifically.
How has Google responded to inquiries about the authenticity and content of the leaked documents?
Google has confirmed the authenticity of the leaked internal documents that contain details about the data the company collects. However, the company has not provided extensive comment on the content of the documents. Google spokesperson Davis Thompson cautioned against making inaccurate assumptions about Search based on the information in the documents, stating that the information could be out-of-context, outdated, or incomplete. He also mentioned that Google has shared extensive information about how Search works and the types of factors that its systems weigh while working to protect the integrity of the search results from manipulation.