A new guide to Google’s ranking systems will keep you informed about which systems Google uses to rank search results and which ones are retired.
Additionally, Google introduces new terminology in its latest guide, distinguishing between ranking “systems” and ranking “updates.”
A system, such as RankBrain, is constantly running in the background. An update, on the other hand, refers to a one-time change to ranking systems.
For example, the helpful content system is always running in the background when Google delivers search results, though it can receive updates to improve how it functions.
Core algorithm updates and spam updates are other examples of one-time changes to ranking systems.
Now that we’re on the same page with Google’s new terminology, let’s look at the highlights in Google’s guide to ranking systems.
Here is the list, in alphabetical order, of Google’s ranking systems that are currently operational.
The following systems are noted for historical purposes. These have been incorporated into other systems or made part of Google’s core ranking system.