A cubicle worker races to find information on Google. The experience is gratifying fast, straightforward, and rich in information. But have you ever wondered how the information you receive is obtained and verified?
Google's goal is to deliver information that is valuable, credible, and correct to its users. Google's algorithms have been equipped with a range of tools to fight low-quality research and misleading information.
The high pace of the digital world often incentivizes content creators to deliver quickly. This can at times cause accuracy to take a backseat. However, Google's algorithm steps in to counterbalance this tendency.
Some may find it extraordinary that a search engine can have a perspective on the matter. But Google's intricate algorithm's stands firm on striving to counteract the spread of incorrect information and low-quality research.
E-A-T: Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness
Google recognizes three primary pillars to assess the quality of information: Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness also known as E-A-T criteria. Google’s search quality evaluator guidelines emphasize the importance of these factors.
These factors help in judging the reliability of an information source. Authoritative sites typically have popular recognition, credible backlinks, and rich, well-researched content.
A strong E-A-T score increases the chances of content ranking higher on Google's search results. Factors like the author's reputation, consistency, and historical performance also contribute to the E-A-T score.
Checkered History With Misinformation
Acknowledging the challenges, Google has had its share of controversy involving misinformation. Biased algorithms, fake news, and data privacy concerns have been hot button issues.
In response, Google has taken significant steps to promote transparency, such as releasing its Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines. It is a comprehensive document laying out how Google's raters should assess the quality of search results.
Despite these efforts, critics argue that more needs to be done. However, considering the staggering amount of information Google processes daily, achieving 100% accuracy is a veritable Herculean task.
Additional measures such as the fight against 'content farms' and the improvement of key search features have also been introduced by Google. This helps users separate the wheat from the chaff, as it were.
Google’s Fight Against Content Farms
Google declared war on 'content farms' about a decade ago. These are sites that produce tons of low-quality content with scant regard for accuracy, primarily to reach the first page of search results.
A crucial change to Google's algorithm cooked the books for these content farms. The introduction of Google Panda in 2011 slapped these dubious sites with penalties, thus improving the overall search quality.
Thus, Google Panda contributed to rewarding high-quality, reputable websites on its search engine while simultaneously limiting the visibility of low-quality, misleading, and deceptive websites.
However, battling low-quality content is not a one-time event; it's an ongoing effort. Google keeps updating its algorithms and policies to arm itself against bad actors trying to manipulate the system.
Improvement of Key Search Features
Another protective measure Google has taken against low-quality content is the improvement of key search features. One such feature is the 'featured snippet' that answers a user's query instantly.
Google also introduced BERT, an algorithm used for natural language understanding, which improved the accuracy of search results. Giving context to searches has helped users retrieve more precise information.
Apart from ensuring high-quality search results, these features aim to prevent users from getting overwhelmed with too much data, and direct them towards the most accurate information}
Thus, Google's ongoing efforts make the internet a safer and more useful tool for millions of people every day.