How do search engine rankings work?
Search engines use automated programs—often called “robots” or “spiders”—to examine websites and add information about the site to a search index. These spiders examine the text on the site for relevant keywords, look at the metatags and alternate text (text associated with photos and graphics on the site) on the website and inventory links to and from other websites that lead to your site. Some search engines also monitor how often your site is clicked on in search results for your keywords – for instance, if a lot of users click on a link to your site after searching for “Seattle veterinary hospital,” the search engine will view your site as more relevant to those search terms. This data is plugged into a series of complex algorithms that rate and rank each site. The higher your website’s ranking, the better.
