Search Engines

Understanding how search engines work, Google in particular, is important when working in SEO. The basics of crawling and indexing are amazingly useful to understand if you want to rank your own content.

Additionally, Google updates its algorithm several times a year. Understanding the more significant updates, and how they work, can help you to craft content and SEO strategies that are up-to-date.

We've written extensively about how search engines work, and included some of the top resources here. You can also browse the latest posts on search engines from the Moz blog below.

How Search Engines Work : New to SEO? Start with the basics of how search engines operate with our free beginner's guide.

Search Engine Ranking and Visibility : Learn the fundamentals of how search engines rank content on search engine result pages.

Google Algorithm Update History : A complete history of Google algorithm updates since 2000. This includes important links and references for understanding how Google works.

How Search Engines Value Links : Search engines work off a number of signals, but two of the most important are content and links. In this video, Rand Fishkin explains the basics of link evaluation.

MozCast : Is Google updating it's algorithm as we speak? MozCast is the Google algorithm weather report, so you can see how much Google results are changing each day.

Most Recent Articles on Search Engines

Google Link: Command - Busting the Myths
Rand Fishkin

Google Link: Command - Busting the Myths

I'm a big Google fan - my wife often sleeps in their t-shirts, I speak on panels with Googlers all the time and I've even got a Google water bottle for working out (which happens all of once a month these days). However, I am NOT a fan of the Google link command, and I'm shocked by the number of folks who operate in and around the SEO and technology industries who haven't realized this. ...

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How to Become a Google Authorized Adwords, Analytics or Website Optimiser Consultant
T

How to Become a Google Authorized Adwords, Analytics or Website Optimiser Consultant

Google Authorization is a topic which crops up a fair amount in our day-to-day search wanderings. Not really because clients are asking if we're authorized but more because they always claim that previous SEO companies they received pitches from claimed to be Google Authorized SEO consultants. Unfortunately (fortunately?!) no such certification exists so we have to set them straight....

The Google Gods Strike Again...
F

The Google Gods Strike Again...

Usually, I believe Google tries to act logically. Since I began researching SEO back in 2007, all of the theories made sense. So, as I approach new problems, I try to think them through logically and analyze why Google would do such a thing! My latest problem arose in the beginning of April, when I lost some of my major rankings on Google.

How to Choose a URL
M

How to Choose a URL

Lately more customers are serious about SEO and are wondering if it's a good idea to choose an extra or new URL for their website. And I could not give a clear answer to this because I hear and read different stories on this topic. I decided to do alittle test and hope you guys will share your experiences on this issue with me.

Google's Sandbox Still Exists: Exemplified by Grader.com
Rand Fishkin

Google's Sandbox Still Exists: Exemplified by Grader.com

For many in the SEO field, Google's "sandbox," a filter the search quality team created to help fight spam, is a relic of days gone by. However, we've been spotting new cases over the last few years, and I finally found a great example to share publicly (and got permission from the site owner). Grader.com, and the four subdomains underneath it - Twitter.Grader.com, PressRelease.Grader.com, Website.Grader.com & Facebook.Grader.com - are all under pronounced effects that highlight this algorithmic element's impact.