Google Replies to the Leak, Documents don’t have Enough Context

What’s Happening:

Google’s search ranking documents were leaked, and everyone is trying to understand them. People have been asking why Google hasn’t said anything about it.

Google’s Response:

Google finally talked about the leak. They said:

1. Assumptions Are Wrong: Many things people are saying about the documents are based on incomplete or old information.
2. Rankings Change: The signals used to rank websites change all the time, but the main principles stay the same.
3. No Specifics: Google won’t say which parts of the leaked documents are true or how they use certain ranking signals. This is because if they did, bad actors could manipulate search results.

A Google spokesperson said:

“Don’t make wrong guesses based on out-of-context or incomplete information. We’ve shared a lot about how Search works and what factors we consider, while also keeping our results safe from manipulation.”

Why No Specifics?

Google never shares details about their ranking system to prevent people from gaming the system. They also mentioned that the leaked information might not be complete, relevant, or up-to-date.

Trust Issues:

Some people think Google might not be completely honest. There are details in the leaked documents that Google has said they don’t use. But Google’s statement suggests those details might have been tested in the past, changed, or never used at all.

Some in the SEO community think you should test things yourself to see what works, rather than fully trusting Google.

Google’s Commitment:

Google says they’re still dedicated to providing accurate information but won’t go into specific details about ranking signals. They will continue to share what they can as their systems evolve.

Does It Matter?

Ultimately, the goal is the same: build websites with great content that people enjoy and want to visit. This is the best strategy for good search rankings, regardless of the details in the leaked documents.

What Happened:

Thousands of documents from Google’s internal system were leaked on March 13. These documents were shared on Github by an automated bot called yoshi-code-bot and reached Rand Fishkin, co-founder of SparkToro.

Why We Care:

This leak offers a rare look into how Google’s ranking algorithm might work, which is valuable for SEO experts. However, the main takeaway remains: create awesome sites with awesome content.