Difference between Google Search Algorithm and Bing Search Algorithm
In the search for a higher visitor count, more and more site owners are looking into one of the major forces driving Internet traffic today: the search engines. Online business owners have realized that knowledge of the algorithms that drive the major search engines is essential for gaining a high ranking. In this article, we compare the Google search algorithm against the Bing search algorithm, in the hopes of illustrating how they can be used to your advantage.
Origins
Google was born out of a Stanford University research project that was intended to find credible and reliable link sources on the web. What was later to be known as Google actually started out with the name BackRub, which was the name given to it when it was started in January 1996 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. After the project failed to elicit any commercial interest, Page and Brin decided to start their own search company. Within a few years, the company had managed to forge distribution deals with both AOL and Yahoo! These partnerships help Google achieve success in the search industry.
Bing for its part started out as MSN Search, which itself had gone through numerous versions, many of which were powered by Inktomi and Looksmart. After Inktomi and Overture were acquired by Yahoo!, Microsoft then set about developing their own search engine. A preview of the search product was presented on July 1, 2004. MSN eventually ceased using Yahoo! organic search results on January 31, 2005 in favor of its own search technology. On May 4, 2006, MSN also ceased using Yahoo!'s search ad program. Microsoft and Yahoo announced that Bing would power Yahoo Search in July, 2009. This change is expected to be completed in the first half of 2012.
Ranking Higher
Utilizing the Google search algorithm to your advantage can best be done by writing your content as naturally as possible and making it more like a news article than a page that is clearly the product of intensive search engine optimization. While going against the basic tenets of SEO, using less occurrences of the search phrase you want to rank for may actually work to your advantage. It may also be beneficial to add modifiers and text that is semantically related to your search terms in pages that you want to rank higher in Google.
As for the Bing search algorithm, it seems to rely more on standard SEO practices than Google. Utilizing such techniques as well as actively building links may help your sites rank higher in MSN in as short a period as a month.
Bing Uses Google Information
Bing recently came under fire from Google for supposedly harvesting information from Google users. These accusations followed a Google sting operation that showed that Microsoft routinely uses Internet Explorer and the Bing Search bar to obtain information. While Google officials have made clear that the company has no objections to competitors developing innovative algorithms, they went on to differentiate innovation from copying. MSN has as yet to deny these accusations.
Google Panda Impact
Google made a change called Panda (some call it Farmer algorithm) to its search algorithm in Feb 2011. The change was implemented worldwide in Apr 2011. Google announced that the algorithm would promote higher quality websites in the search results. However, there have been numerous reports suggesting that scrapped websites and thin one line pages are coming up at the top of the search results. Reports indicate increased DMCA activity due to content theft by scrappers.
According to a recent Experian Hitwise report, Google lost a share of the search market to Bing/Yahoo in the month of March. Google now controls 64.42% of the U.S. search market when compared with its February share of 66.69%. Bing/Yahoo has now secured 30% of the search market. Reports suggest that Google's new algorithm is widely responsible for the negative search market share.
Summary
Google search algorithm
- Can be influenced by writing your content as naturally as possible and making it more like a news article
- May also rank pages higher if they use less occurrences of the search phrase
- Google has changed its search algorithm worldwide to mixed reviews.
Bing search algorithm
- Seems to rely more on standard SEO practices
- Pages may benefit by active links
- Has better search results than Google currently
