Google, in a groundbreaking revelation, has confirmed the authenticity of over 2,500 leaked internal documents. These documents detail the extensive data the company collects to rank web pages on its Search Engine.
The leak was first brought to light by Rand Fishkin, an SEO expert with over a decade of experience. Fishkin revealed that a source provided him with over 2,500 pages of API documentation from Google’s internal “Content API Warehouse,” containing 14,014 attributes.
The source, Erfan Azimi, an SEO practitioner and the founder of EA Eagle Digital, claimed that former Google employees confirmed the authenticity of these documents. They also shared additional private information about Google’s search operations.
What’s particularly surprising is that the leaked material suggests Google collects and potentially uses data types – such as clicks and Chrome user data – that company representatives have previously stated do not influence web page rankings in Search. This suggests a potential contradiction between Google’s public statements and internal practices.
Furthermore, the leaked documents unveil Google’s preferences for certain websites, especially on sensitive topics like elections, and shed light on its approach to smaller websites.
However, whether these documents are outdated, intended solely for employee training, or contain data collected but not explicitly used for ranking search results remains unclear. This ambiguity raises questions about Google’s data collection and usage practices in relation to its search algorithm.
Google has been criticised for its alleged improper collection of user data as part of its efforts to uphold its position as the world’s largest search engine. These allegations have even led to several antitrust trials against the company.
It’s worth highlighting that as of May 2024, Google maintained a commanding share of over 90% in the global search engine market. Trailing behind, Bing claimed just over 3% market share, while Yandex and Yahoo! held 1.6% and 1.2% market shares, respectively, across all platforms, including desktop, mobile, tablet, and console.
Google’s Response to Leak Documents
In response to the Google leak documents, the company’s spokesperson, Davis Thompson, cautioned against drawing conclusions from out-of-context, outdated, or incomplete information. Thompson emphasized that Google has shared extensive information about how Search works and the factors their systems consider, while also protecting the integrity of search results from manipulation.
Google has historically kept a tight lid on the inner workings of its search algorithm. However, these leaked documents, coupled with recent testimonies in the US Department of Justice antitrust case, offer more clarity on Google’s strategic considerations when evaluating and ranking websites. This newfound transparency sheds light on the signals and factors that Google weighs, serving as a treasure trove of knowledge for businesses seeking to optimize their SEO and marketing strategies.
