Over the weekend, thousands of alleged Google Search API documents were leaked. The highly technical documents purport to cover Google’s over 14,000 ranking factors, how link value and click behavior are evaluated, and how Google classifies smaller sites. But for the average marketer focused on building a brand, the news may be more exciting than actionable.
Don’t overreact. “The leak is interesting to dig into, but there is too much unknown with the actual leaked information to make any decisions about SEO,” said Lily Ray, vice president of SEO strategy and research at Amsive. “We don’t know whether the attributes listed in the leak are actual ranking factors, or to what extent they are currently used, if at all.
“That said, the information is worth exploring, as it at least reveals some interesting naming conventions Google uses for its internal API documentation, including many buzzwords SEOs have discussed and debated for years.”
