Explaining Google’s Back-end Operations

June 24, 2024

Billions of people who find themselves on the Internet depend on the use of Google Search to find what they are looking for. What actually happens when you click on the “search,” though? Today, we want to discuss how the search engine works so you can get a better idea of what goes on behind the scenes.

Crawling

First, Google Search will “crawl” the Internet using automated programs called bots to find new and updated pages. These bots will then use a list of known URLs and follow links on those pages to discover content. This ongoing process is what allows Google to constantly keep its pages up to date with results.

Indexing

After discovering a new page, Google will index it, or “store” it. This involves analyzing the content, images, and video files. The search engine will then store this information in a database, where Google will extract the important parts that will help it determine how it should be ranked and classified.

Ranking

Following a query, Google’s algorithms will rank their indexed pages. It’s impossible to explain all of the factors that are considered in these algorithms, but some of the factors that are considered include:

Content - How well does the content on the page match the query?
Page and domain quality - How authoritative and trustworthy is the page?
User experience - How user-friendly is the page, considering factors like load speed and mobile compatibility?
Context and settings - Personalized factors such as location, search history, and preferences.

If you’re curious about the algorithm, you can read more about it yourself, as Google’s algorithm was recently leaked a few weeks ago. This gives professionals a lot of insights into how they can best cater to the search engine.

Serving Results

After Google has ranked the pages, the search engine will show the results on the results page, or SERP. This is the page that showcases the most important information in an easy-to-read format. You’ll see a series of organic links, ads, snippets, and direct answers or knowledge panels, depending on what you plugged in to the search engine.

Learning and Evolving

Google Search is far from perfect, and it’s always taking user feedback into account to grow ever more accurate and helpful. Technological advancements and changes to the web have also significantly improved its functionality through machine learning and artificial intelligence. Regular updates to the algorithm further fuel Google and make it an exceptional tool for any user.

Google is great for online search queries, but what about technology queries? First Column IT can help your business better manage its technology. Learn more by calling us today at (571) 470-5594.

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