Google’s in-house docs about search ranking leak online, sparking SEO frenzy
Leaked Docs Expose Google's SEO Secrets: Truth or Myth?
A collection of Google's internal documents on search ranking was inadvertently leaked on GitHub, revealing discrepancies with Google's public statements about its search algorithms. These documents, part of an old Content Warehouse API, detail over 14,000 attributes that may influence search rankings, though their exact impact remains unclear. SEO experts are scrutinizing these revelations, noting contradictions in Google's claims about factors like user clicks and website authority in ranking processes.
What specific API features mentioned in the leaked Google documents contradict Google’s public statements about its search engine operations?
The leaked Google documents reveal several API features that contradict the company's public statements about its search engine operations. Some of these contradictions include:
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Site Authority: Google has publicly denied using domain authority as a ranking factor. However, the leaked documents mention a feature called "siteAuthority," indicating that Google does measure sitewide authority, despite its denials.
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Click Data: Google has claimed that clicks do not influence rankings. However, the leaked documents reveal the existence of the NavBoost system, which uses click-driven measures to adjust rankings. This contradicts Google's public statements.
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Sandboxing: Google has denied using sandboxing practices for newer websites. However, the documents mention a "hostAge" attribute that is used specifically to sandbox fresh spam in serving time.
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Chrome Data: Google has stated that Chrome data is not used in search rankings. However, the leaked documents suggest that views from Chrome are considered in page quality scores and other ranking factors.
These contradictions between the leaked documents and Google's public statements raise questions about the transparency and accuracy of the company's communications regarding its search engine operations.
What steps did Google take in response to the accidental publication of these documents, and have they commented on the leak?
In response to the accidental publication of internal documents detailing Google's search ranking mechanisms, Google took steps to address the issue1. The documents were inadvertently committed to a publicly accessible Google-owned repository on GitHub by an automated tooling system on March 13. Recognizing the mistake, Google attempted to rectify the situation with a follow-up commit on May 7, which aimed to undo the leak.
Despite these efforts, the leaked material was discovered and disclosed by SEO experts, sparking widespread interest and analysis within the SEO community. As for Google's communication regarding this incident, the company did not respond to requests for comment on the leak1. This lack of response leaves open questions about their perspective on the disclosed information and the discrepancies noted between the leaked documents and Google's public statements.