Google offers ‘never before’ peak into ranking methodology

Google, for the first time yesterday, offered users a peek into how its ranks websites and published a detailed account of the changes to its search formula.

The internet search company makes hundreds of changes to its search algorithm every year and does not usually publicise the changes in an effort to keep websites from gaming Google's search results.

The changes the company spelt out yesterday are less vulnerable to being "gamed", according to Matt Cutts, who helps safeguard search quality at Google.

Google is opening up to the Federal Trade Commission's investigation into whether it favours its own businesses in search results, which would constitute a potential violation of anti-trust law. Google is the leader in internet search accounting for over nearly 70 per cent web searches world wide.

Though what Google has detailed in the blog can hardly be said to be revelatory, the effort still marks a welcome change from the past.

In Monday's blogpost, the company has detailed 10 recent changes ranging from how it treats web searches in less-common languages - such as Swahili - to refinements regarding the manner in which it displays results.