Google collects information from many different sources:
- Web pages
- Content submitted by Internet users, for example via Google My Business or Maps
- Digitized books
- Public databases on the Internet
- Many other sources
However, here we will focus on web pages. Three basic steps are required for Google to be able to generate results from web pages:
- Exploration
- Indexation
- Dissemination (and classification)
search engine
Exploration
The first step is to identify which pages are on the web. There is no register that centralizes them. Google must therefore constantly search for new pages and add them to the list of known pages. Known pages are those that Google has already accessed. Other pages are discovered when we follow a link from a known page to a new page or when a website owner provides us with a list of pages (sitemap) to crawl. If you are using a managed web host, such as Wix or Blogger, it will sometimes notify Google of new or updated pages for you to crawl.
When Google finds a page's URL, it goes to (or crawls) it to find out more. Google displays the page and analyzes text and non-text content, as well as the overall visual presentation, to determine where it may appear in search results. The easier it is to interpret the content of your site, the more likely we are to present it to your target audience.
To improve the exploration of your site:
Check that your pages follow the guidelines and that Google has access to them. Google accesses the web as an anonymous user (without password or credentials). Google also needs to be able to see all the images and other elements on the page so that it can interpret them correctly. To perform a quick check, enter your page URL in the mobile optimization test tool.
If you've created or updated a single page, you can send an individual URL to Google. To notify Google when multiple pages are created or updated at once, use a sitemap.
If you're asking Google to crawl only one page, select your home page. As far as we are concerned, your home page is the most important page of your site. To encourage full site crawling, make sure that all pages, including the home page, have a good navigation system that links to all the important pages and sections of your site. It helps users (and Google) navigate your site. For sites of modest size (less than 1000 pages), you can be satisfied with indicating to Google only the home page, provided that we can directly or indirectly access all your other pages by following the links which appear on it.
Make a page known to Google to include a link to your page. However, be aware that links published in ads or comments, those you pay to appear on other sites, or any other link that does not comply with the Google Webmaster Guidelines are not taken into account by Google.
We do not accept payment for crawling a site more frequently or improving its ranking. Don't believe people who tell you otherwise.
Indexation
Once we find a page, we try to figure out what it is about. This process is called indexing. We analyze the content of the page, catalog the images and video files found there, and use any other information available to identify the purpose of this page. This information is gathered in the Google index, a huge database stored on a very large number of computers.
To improve the indexing of your page:
- Create short, descriptive page titles.
- Use titles that illustrate the content of the page.
To get your message across, prefer text to images. We interpret the content of some images and videos, but not as well as the text. At a minimum, consider annotating videos and images with alt text and filling in any other useful attributes.
Dissemination (and classification)
When a user enters a query, we use many criteria to try to determine the most appropriate response from our index. We take other elements into accounts, such as the user's geographic area, language, or device (computer or phone), to optimize the user experience and provide the most relevant answers. For example, the search for "bicycle repair shop" does not generate the same results depending on whether the Internet user is in Paris or in Hong Kong. We do not accept any payment to improve the ranking of a page. This process relies exclusively on the Google algorithm.
To improve the distribution and ranking of your page:
Make sure your page loads fast and is mobile-friendly.
Be sure to post useful and up-to-date information there.
Follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines, which help improve the user experience.
Read the Getting Started with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) guide for tips and best practices.
See other information, including the guidance we provide to our evaluators to ensure the relevance of the results.