Search engines help us find information on the internet. When we type a question or a word in a search engine like Google, it shows us millions of organig and sponsored (paid) search results in just a few seconds. But have you ever wondered how a search engine knows which websites to show first?
Let us understand how search engines work and learn all the important terms in easy way.
What Is a Search Engine?
A search engine is a software program that searches the internet and shows useful web pages based on what a user is looking for.
Examples of search engines are:
- Bing
- Yahoo
What Is a Search Query?
A search query is the word or sentence that a user types in the search box.
Example:
Crawling: Finding Web Pages
Crawling is the first step of a search engine.
Search engines use special programs called crawlers, bots, or spiders.
What do crawlers do?
- Visit websites
- Read web pages
- Follow links from one page to another
- Find new and updated content
If a website blocks crawlers, the search engine may not find that website.
What Is a Crawler or Bot or Spider?
A crawler (also called a bot or spider) is an automated program that scans websites for search engines.
It works 24/7 and does not behave like a human.
Indexing: Storing Information
After crawling, the next step is indexing.
Indexing means saving and organizing web pages in a huge database.
During indexing, search engines:
- Read the text on the page
- Understand keywords
- Analyze images and headings
- Store page details in memory
Only indexed pages can appear in search results.
You can think of indexing like storing books in a library.
What Is an Index?
An index is a large database where search engines store information about web pages.
When you search something, the search engine looks into its index, not the whole internet.
Keywords: Important Words
Keywords are the main words that describe the content of a page.
Example:
If a page is about “Best Mutual Fund”, then:
are possible keywords.
Search engines match user queries with keywords to find relevant pages.
Ranking: Showing Best Results First
Ranking is the process of deciding which page should appear first, second, or third in search results.
Search engines use complex algorithms to rank pages.
What Is an Algorithm?
An algorithm is a set of rules used by a search engine to decide:
- Which pages are most useful
- Which pages should rank higher
Algorithms check many factors before ranking a page.
Important Ranking Factors
Some important factors that affect ranking are:
- Content Quality - Good, useful, and original content ranks better.
- Relevance - The content should match what the user is searching for.
- Keywords Usage - Keywords should be used naturally, not too much.
- Page Speed - Fast-loading websites rank better.
- Mobile Friendliness - Websites should work well on mobile phones.
- Backlinks - A backlink is a link from another website to your website. More quality backlinks increase trust. There are two types of Backlinks: Internal Backlinks and External Backlinks.
What Is a Backlink?
A backlink is when one website links to another website.
Search engines consider backlinks as a sign of trust and popularity.
SERP: Search Engine Results Page
SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page.
It is the page that shows:
- Website links
- Titles
- Short descriptions
after you search for something.
User Experience (UX)
User Experience means how easy and comfortable a website is for users.
Good UX includes:
- Easy navigation
- Clear text
- No unnecessary ads
Better user experience helps in better ranking.
Why All Pages Do Not Rank?
Some pages do not rank because:
- Poor content
- Slow speed
- Duplicate information
- Too many ads
- Not mobile-friendly
Final Summary
Search engines work in a simple flow:
Crawling → Indexing → Ranking → Showing Results
They aim to show the best, most useful, and most relevant information to users.