Search algorithms: how SEO works

Have you ever wondered why some websites appear on the first page of Google while others get lost somewhere in the depths of the internet? Behind this is search engine optimization, or SEO (from English Search Engine Optimization) — a set of actions designed to make your site “liked” by search engines and appear at the top of search results for relevant queries. The goal is simple: the higher the position, the more people see your site, the more traffic (visitors) it receives, and the more potential clients or readers you attract.

How do search engines “love” websites?

Search engines like Google and Yandex use hundreds of different factors to determine how useful and relevant a website is to a user’s query. These factors fall into two main groups:

1.Internal optimization: tidying up your own house

This includes everything that can be improved directly on your website. Imagine your site as a book. Internal optimization makes it well-written, with a clear table of contents and easy-to-read text.

• Quality content: The most important thing is useful and unique text. Search engines have gotten smarter and can easily tell quality content apart from meaningless keyword stuffing (which used to be called “keyword stuffing”).
• Keywords: These are the words and phrases users search for. It’s important to use them naturally in the text, headings (<h1>, <h2>), and page descriptions (meta Title and Description tags) so the text remains readable.
• Site structure and internal linking: Clear navigation, logical section placement, and links between internal pages (internal linking) help search bots better understand your site and make it easier for users to navigate.
• Loading speed: No one likes to wait. A fast site is a priority. Google PageSpeed is a tool that helps assess and improve load times.
• Mobile adaptation: Most people browse the internet on their phones today. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, search engines lower its ranking.

Clean code and usability: Error-free code and user-friendly design also affect rankings.

2. External optimization: building reputation online

This covers everything happening outside your website that signals its authority to search engines. Think of it as the internet’s “word of mouth.”

• Backlinks: The most important external factor. The more authoritative and thematically related sites link to your resource, the higher its “weight” in the eyes of search engines. It’s like recommendations from respected people. This used to be called PageRank (by Google) or TIC (by Yandex), now Yandex uses the Website Quality Index (ИКС).
• User behavior: How do visitors behave on your site and afterward? Do they stay long? Do they come back? If they’re satisfied and don’t keep searching elsewhere, it’s a positive signal to search engines.
• Mentions online: Activity on social media, publishing articles on other platforms, mentions in online directories (like Google My Business, Yandex.Spravочник) — all these contribute to your reputation.

The history of SEO: from simplicity to complexity

Search engine optimization was born alongside search engines in the mid-90s. Back then, it was simple: to rank first for the query “children’s breakfasts,” it was enough to write that phrase 100 times on a page. This led to a flood of “spammy” sites in the search results.

Everything changed with the introduction of Google’s PageRank algorithm in 1998, developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The key became what other sites say about you, not just what you say about yourself. It was a revolution: reputation in the eyes of other webmasters became crucial.

Since then, search engines have continuously evolved, releasing new algorithms (like Google Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, Caffeine) to fight manipulations and provide users with the most relevant and high-quality results. For example, Google Panda penalizes duplicate content, while Penguin targets manipulative links.

Types of optimization: fair play or rule bending?

SEO methods are generally divided into three “color” categories:

• White optimization: This is playing by the search engines’ rules. You improve the site itself, make it useful and user-friendly, and promote it naturally through reviews, press releases, and publications. Yandex explicitly states: “Any attempt to manipulate search results is prohibited.” White-hat methods take time but are reliable.
• Gray optimization: Techniques that aren’t officially banned but may be seen as unnatural popularity boosting. For example, excessive keyword stuffing (making the text unreadable) or using hidden text. Search engines may penalize such sites.
• Black optimization: Strictly forbidden methods that lead to an inevitable ban. These include creating “doorway” pages (pages made only for bots), cloaking (showing one thing to users and another to bots), and hacking sites to insert links. These methods yield fast but very short-lived results before the site disappears permanently from search results.

SEO specialist: who is he?

The person who handles all this is called an optimizer or SEO specialist. They analyze your website and competitors, select keywords, work on content and backlinks, and keep track of changes in search engine algorithms.

It’s important to remember:

SEO is not a magic pill. It’s a long and painstaking process that requires ongoing work and adaptation.

There are no guarantees. Search engine algorithms constantly change, and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow.

Quality comes first. Modern search engines increasingly value content that is useful, user-friendly, and unique. If your site is good for people, it will likely be favored by search engines too.

Ultimately, SEO isn’t just a set of technical tricks—it’s part of a broader internet marketing strategy that helps your site get found in the vast sea of information and attract exactly the audience you truly need.