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Reduced Link Graph – A Way to Rank Links by @martinibuster https://ift.tt/2LWVm2D Reduced link graphs are a way that search engines can identify high quality websites and remove low quality spam sites from the link ranking calculation. Published research demonstrates that reduced link graphs are an effective way to rank links. This article discusses research and patents that explain how reduced link graph algorithms work. Understanding how link algorithms work gives you a more accurate idea of what is possible. Research and patents also helps you understand what is likely not possible because the research or patents do not exist. Understanding what is possible and what is not possible helps you to better discern between dead-end ideas and strategies based on credible evidence. Nobody at this time can definitively assert that reduced link graphs are used. But research shows that reduced link graphs are an effective strategy for catching spam. Thus, there may be a high probability that a form of reduced link graph is in use by the search engines. Research into Reduced Link GraphsResearchers discovered that they could improve search results by removing links from their link graph then running the ranking algorithm on the links that survived the culling. This work noted there was room for improvement by using more sophisticated classifiers to identify more links to remove and better links include, as well as avoid false positives. The initial research showed strong indications that this technique worked exceptionally well. Measuring Similarity to Detect Qualified Links is the research study I will first cite. It discovered that removing certain kinds of links before the ranking process begins results in less spam and more accurate search results. 1. Advertising and Navigation Links and Link AuthorityTwo kinds of links they immediately removed from the ranking process were advertising links and navigational links.
The purpose of this research paper is to determine, “which links should be used in web link analysis.” To answer that question they suggest using a reduced link graph, a map of the web with irrelevant and spam links thrown out. The research paper suggests using what they call “qualified links.” What they do is create signals of similarity between the web page linking out and the target page being linked to. The links that do not score high for similarity are filtered out. The non-similar links that are filtered out are called unqualified links. The links that remain in the link graph are called qualified links. This results in a smaller link graph comprised only of qualified links. This is called a reduced link graph. From here, starting with the reduced link graph, the search engine can then run its link ranking algorithms. Here is how the research paper describes the process:
This particular approach does not rely on the anchor text or the surrounding text. It is described as not being query-specific. While previous work like statistical analysis has focused on identifying spam pages, what makes this approach stand apart is that it is focusing on the links between them. Focusing on the links between sites and tossing out the “unqualified links” is a step in the evolution of modern link ranking algorithms. This is why anyone concerned with SEO should understand what a reduced link graph is. Google and Reduced Link GraphsIn a patent dating to 2006 and updated for 2018, Google sought a patent for a link ranking algorithm that used a reduced link graph. Google described a link ranking algorithm that in my opinion, could form the basis for Penguin. This algorithm differed from any previous algorithms because it ranks the distances between links. This link ranking algorithm identifies what it calls seed sites within a variety of niche topics. The algorithm then ranks the distances between links from one site to the next. The further away a site is from the seed sites, the likelier it is that the site is spam or irrelevant. According to the patent, Producing a Ranking for Pages Using Distances in a Web-Link Graph:
As you can see, this new variation on PageRank, parts of which could be in use as Penguin, uses a reduced link graph. In this case, it creates a new link graph that is comprised of the sites and pages with the shortest distances from the original seed set. The sites with the shortest distances are the reduced link graph, from which rankings are then calculated. The sites with the longest distances are shut out and do not participate in the ranking calculation. Does Google Use a Reduced Link Graph?Google doesn’t generally confirm what parts of any patent or research paper it uses in it’s algorithm. Since no one at Google has discussed reduced link graphs, we’re on our own to speculate whether Google uses it or not. Given the successes researchers have experienced using the reduced link graph technique, it’s possible that a form of reduced link graph is indeed in use by Google and other search engines. But lacking confirmation at Google, it’s still a matter of conjecture. Takeaway: How Reduced Link Graphs Affect SEOIt’s good to think about how reduced link graphs work. Understanding how modern algorithms work may help you better formulate a ranking strategy, as well as understand why some SEO strategies stop working. The important idea to take away is that link graphs are within the realms of possibility, which is more than can be said about strategies based on nothing. SEO via Search Engine Journal https://ift.tt/1QNKwvh July 28, 2018 at 07:12AM
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Google Assistant is More Accurate Than Alexa, Siri, and Cortana by @MattGSouthern https://ift.tt/2JYx32x Google Assistant is the most accurate smartphone digital assistant, beating Amazon Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Microsoft Cortana. A report released this week from Loup Ventures contains data from a digital assistant test, which measures how well the four competitors answered a series of 800 queries. Google Assistant came out on top with 85.5% of queries answered correctly. Apple’s Siri was a not-so-distant runner up with 78.5% of queries answered correctly. From there the gap widens with Amazon’s Alexa answering 61.4% of queries correctly. Microsoft’s Cortana came in last, answering just a little over half of the queries correctly (52.4%). For what it’s worth, Apple’s Siri was the most improved digital assistant compared to a similar test conducted last year by the same company. The test is divided into 5 categories:
Google Assistant came out first in all but the ‘Command’ category. That refers to commands which control actions performed by the phone, such as creating a calendar entry or sending a text message. In other words, according to this report, Google Assistant bested its competitors when it comes to processing and delivering accurate information.
Loup Ventures attributes Google Assistant’s performance in this area to the search engine’s featured snippets.
Note that this test only examined how the digital assistants performed on a smartphone. The test did not look at the performance of these digital assistants via their respective smart speakers. That test will be coming later this fall. SEO via Search Engine Journal https://ift.tt/1QNKwvh July 28, 2018 at 01:03AM
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Appearance of Google’s Related Questions Box up by 34% by @MattGSouthern https://ift.tt/2uWeSpv The rate at which Google shows its “People Also Ask” search suggestions, aka “Related Questions”, jumped by 34% this week. According to data from Moz, Google’s Related Questions are now shown 43% of the time.
To put that in a different perspective — one out of every two or three searches will now display “People Also Ask” suggestions. Putting it yet another way — Related Questions are now the fourth most commonly displayed Google search feature out of all the features tracked by Moz. As you can see in the image above, Related Questions are now shown almost as frequently as AdWords. Just so we’re all on the same page, this feature is not the same as the “People Also Search For” suggestion box. Although the wording is similar, they are two distinctly different features. This data strictly applies to the “People Also Ask” suggestion box, as seen in the example below. What makes this feature unique is that each suggestion has a drop-down button that can be clicked on to reveal a search snippet. Therein lies the opportunity for SEOs and site owners. With this feature now appearing more regularly, it gives content creators the opportunity to drive traffic by targeting related terms. For example — instead of going after a highly competitive query with a new piece of content, you might want to consider other ways that question might be typed into Google. A related question could be less competitive, giving you the opportunity to gain exposure by possibly appearing in the “People also ask” suggestions. Since this feature usually appears near the top of the first page, ranking for a related questions suggestion could be highly valuable. SEO via Search Engine Journal https://ift.tt/1QNKwvh July 27, 2018 at 09:42PM
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Google Removes Public URL Submission Tool by @MattGSouthern https://ift.tt/2OnpaXN Google has removed the public version of its URL submission tool, which allowed users to submit any page to Google’s index. Google is now advising people to use Search Console’s Fetch & Submit tool. Alternatively, site owners can notify Google about new pages with a sitemap file.
To submit a URL to Google’s index via Search Console, follow the steps below:
Google allows site owners to submit up to 10 individual URLs per day. Note that recrawling is not immediate or guaranteed. It also takes several days for a successful request to be granted. One of the limitations of submitting URLs via Search Console is that people will only be able to submit URLs from sites they have verified ownership of. That could end up being a problem for people who want to notify Google of new URLs on sites they don’t personally own. Such as a blog article with a link pointing back to their site. A handful of SEOs have voiced their concerns on Twitter, but it seems like this change will not be an inconvenience for most. This is what people will now see if they attempt to visit the public URL submission tool at its previous location: In addition, the URL submission form that once appeared in the SERPs when searching for “submit URL to Google” is gone. Additional resources: SEO via Search Engine Journal https://ift.tt/1QNKwvh July 27, 2018 at 06:44PM Google Events Rich Results Boosts Events Search Results https://ift.tt/2v9rCs4 Google announced new features in search for event results. I covered it in detail yesterday at Search Engine Land, but it is important to mention here as well... SEO via Search Engine Roundtable https://ift.tt/1sYxUD0 July 27, 2018 at 06:36AM Google Ads Updates Landing Page Parameters Options https://ift.tt/2LITqhl Google announced on Twitter yesterday that they have added "two changes to make it easier to specify landing page parameters." Specifically (1) Final URL Suffix is now available in Google Ads and (2) the number of custom parameters available has also increased from 3 to 8... SEO via Search Engine Roundtable https://ift.tt/1sYxUD0 July 27, 2018 at 06:23AM #SEOChat Opens Up On Depression Within The Search Industry https://ift.tt/2Onntd4 This article was written by industry friend Jenny Halasz @jennyhalasz who we have cited here numerous times. She wanted to publish something on an important topic and here it is. #SEOChat is a fixture in the search community on Twitter... SEO via Search Engine Roundtable https://ift.tt/1sYxUD0 July 27, 2018 at 06:17AM Lyudmila Rudenko, Grand Chess Master, Gets A Google Logo https://ift.tt/2OlPCkz Today on Google's home page is a special Google logo, Doodle, for Lyudmila Rudenko. Lyudmila Rudenko was a a Soviet chess player who was one of the most influential chess players of all time. She was the second women's world chess champion... SEO via Search Engine Roundtable https://ift.tt/1sYxUD0 July 27, 2018 at 06:10AM
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Google Makes Event Structured Data More Useful by @martinibuster https://ift.tt/2Omdmox Google has updated it’s events function in search. The udpate adds features that will allow more details about more events to be shown to consumers. This may allow more ticket sellers and event creators to have their sites featured. The Events structured data is more important now than ever. What is Event Structured Data?Event structured data communicates information about an event. It is commonly communicated with a script called, JSON-LD. This is a list of the most important data to include in Schema.org Structured Data:
Opportunity to Communicate MoreThe Event search will show more information about events. This means it is up to you to submit as much information as possible through valid Schema.org structured data.
The Events Search will show multiple ticket sellers and save event location web pages. If you are a ticket seller and/or an event location, it’s important to get the schema.org structured data markup right. Google’s Developers Page for EventsGoogle has a developers page with guidelines for Events structured data markup. The page has helpful tips for the kind of information Google would like you to provide. But it also warns not to spam the events listings by listing things that are not actual events, including sales or services as events. Here’s the warning about spam:
Official Schema.org Page for EventThe official Schema.org page for Event is important to visit. It lists the official list of properties you can use to describe your event. Knowing all the options available will allow you to communicate the best and most comprehensive information about your event. Google may or may not use all of it. However, I believe it’s best to be comprehensive and err on giving too much detail than not enough. If Google does not use certain information, then there’s likely no harm in that. Google’s Requirements for Events MarkupSchema.org provides official support for specific types of events, such as BusinessEvent, ComedyEvent and other specific kinds of events. But for enhanced search results, Google only supports the Event structured data markup. You can use more specific markup. But Google’s developer page explicitly states that they will only consider the Event structured data markup for inclusion in their enhanced search results. Here is Google’s Guidance:
About More Specific Event MarkupSchema.org hosts official markup for specific kinds of events. But Google doesn’t use this markup for inclusion in their enhanced search results. Using the more specific Events structured data markup will have no benefit within the context of enhanced search results. It’s an open question if it will benefit a website to use these more specific versions of markup within another context. For example, a calendar of events where the site is not selling tickets or hosting the event may be able to use more specific markup in order to better communicate what an event is. A site hosting a calendar of events does not belong in the enhanced results, so it is possible that using the more specific event types may help communicate to Google what a page is about. If that’s the case, then these specific Event markups may be useful. But it’s not clear at this time. Here is a list of more specific structured data that is official and in the core of Schema.org
Takeaway: Enhanced Events Can Help Local BusinessesAny entity hosting an event stands to benefit. A business hosting a class in their store can gain an enhanced listing for their event, like a class or lecture. As long as the event is an actual event and not a sales event, the event can be listed on Google. Thus, a market can host a weekly cooking event and have it listed in Google. A craft store can host a jewelry making class and have that listed. A sports equipment store can host a lecture. Anything you do that can build awareness and goodwill for your business and help the business increase sales. The key is to stay within Google’s guidelines. Read the official announcement at Google, Set Your Summer Schedule with Events in Search Images by Shutterstock, Modified by Author SEO via Search Engine Journal https://ift.tt/1QNKwvh July 27, 2018 at 05:41AM |
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