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Google algorithm leak 2024

The world of SEO is buzzing with the most significant Google algorithm leak in 2024. On March 29, 2024, Google confirmed the leak, which had been circulating on social media for weeks, and the repercussions are already shaking up the blogging community.

Rand Fishkin (CEO of SparkToro) and Mike King (CEO of iPullRank) were the first to share details about the Google Search Content Warehouse API leak, which exposed 14,014 ranking factors.

This leak provides unprecedented insight into how Google’s algorithm works, and bloggers and SEOs must understand what this means for their strategies moving forward.

As a blogger, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by this kind of revelation. With 2,500+ pages of leaked data, the sheer volume is daunting.

But before you panic, let’s break down the key takeaways, how to adjust your approach, and why now, more than ever, it’s essential to focus on building your brand and a sustainable SEO strategy.

What Is The Google Algorithm?

Google’s algorithm is a complicated system that ranks web pages in search results. It considers many factors to determine which pages best match what someone is looking for.

How Does It Work?

 When you search for something, Google’s algorithm sends out crawlers. These crawlers find and gather info from websites all over the internet.

This information is then organized in an extensive database known as the index. When a search query is entered, the algorithm scans this index to find and rank pages based on their relevance and quality.

Google algorithm leak in 2024: What We Know

Google algorithm leak in 2024

  • When: Rand Fishkin received the information on May 5, 2024, and publicly shared it on May 27, 2024. However, the API leak occurred on GitHub on March 13, 2024.
  • What’s Inside: The leak includes 2,596 GitHub modules with 14,014 attributes, essentially named ranking factors.
  • Who: The information was shared by Rank Fishkin, Mike King (Michael King from iPullRank), and Efran Azimi.


For legal reasons, I’m not linking directly to the GitHub repository, but I’ll point to a tweet that may contain a link to the leaked data.

It can be overwhelming at first glance if you’re unfamiliar with GitHub. I had to reacquaint myself with the platform and its syntax to make sense of the data.

Notable Ranking Factor Insights from the Leak

While there are thousands of attributes in the Google algorithm leak in 2024, here are some key findings that I believe are particularly relevant for bloggers:

  1. Google Marks Small Personal Sites/Blogs
    There’s an attribute designed explicitly for identifying small personal sites or blogs. The exact purpose is unclear, but it’s something to watch.

  2. SiteAuthority Score
    Google now has a “site authority” score, which likely impacts how sites are ranked based on their credibility and trustworthiness.

  3. NavBoost and Click Data
    NavBoost is heavily based on click data, such as the most extended click from the search engine results page (SERP) and the last time someone clicked on your site and stuck around. It tracks this data over 13 months, which means user behavior plays a more significant role in rankings than we may have previously realized.

  4. Tracking Chrome Visits
    The Google algorithm leak in 2024 involves tracking Chrome user behavior across the web, which helps Google understand how users interact with sites. This could influence rankings based on user experience.

  5. Over-Optimized Anchor Text Triggers Spam Demotion
    Using overly optimized anchor Text, particularly with external links pointing to your site, can trigger a spam demotion, negatively impacting your rankings.

  6. Poor Navigation and Exact Match Domains
    Poorly structured site navigation and over-reliance on exact matching domains can lead to lower rankings.

  7. Google Stores Multiple Versions of Your Pages
    Google stores at least the last 20 versions of your web pages. If you want a “clean slate” for ranking, you may need to update your page more than 20 times, but it’s unclear what constitutes a significant enough change for a page to count as a “new version.”

  8. Font Size and Text Weight
    Google appears to track the links’ font size and the Text’s weight. More extensive links seem to impact rankings positively, and bolded Text is treated differently from regular Text (plus, it’s better for accessibility!).

  9. Keyword Stuffing Score
    A dedicated “keyword stuffing” score tracks how often keyword stuffing appears on your site. Avoiding this is crucial for maintaining good rankings.

  10. Expired Domain Tracking
    Google seems to be tracking domain expiration, which means they will soon be able to detect and penalize expired domain abuse.

  11. Video Content Classification
    If more than 50% of your pages have video content, your site may be classified as a “video site.” Whether these videos need to be indexed, appear in specific page parts, or be natively hosted is unclear.

  12. YMYL Content Ranking Score
    Content in the “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) category has its own dedicated ranking score. This underscores the importance of expertise and trustworthiness in sensitive topics like finance and health.

  13. Human-Generated Content Tagging
    There’s a “gold standard” attribute that seems to differentiate human-generated content, but the exact trigger for this is unclear.

  14. AI Overviews Are Not Mentioned
    Interestingly, the leaked document does not mention AI-generated content or overviews.

  15. Internal Links Are Not Tracked
    There’s no clear indication that Google uses internal links as a ranking factor, though this could change in future updates.

What Does the Google API Information Mean for Bloggers?

The recent leak of Google API documentation has provided valuable insights for bloggers looking to improve their rankings and better understand how Google evaluates content. Here’s a breakdown of the most essential takeaways from this information:

1. Create For Users, Not For Google

The biggest takeaway is the emphasis on creating content that serves the user’s needs rather than trying to game the system for Google’s algorithms.

Google algorithm leak in 2024 wants to prioritize user satisfaction, and that’s why metrics like click data and dwell time have become increasingly important in their ranking systems. Bloggers should focus on building content that resonates with their audience, making it valuable and unique.

Additionally, it’s essential to diversify your traffic sources early on, especially once you reach around 10,000 pageviews per month, instead of relying solely on Google for visibility.

Actionable Insight: Build a strong community and brand, make sure your content is accessible and discoverable across multiple platforms, and ensure it serves the needs of your audience.

2. User Experience is King

Google’s focus is shifting towards measuring user engagement. Attributes like clicks, time spent on a page, and user satisfaction signal whether a website offers value.

Bloggers should prioritize user experience (UX) by ensuring fast load times, easy navigation, and concise content. Google tracks how well users interact with your content, so it is essential to create a seamless experience where users can find what they need quickly.

Actionable Insight: Optimize your website’s UX by improving load times, avoiding intrusive ads, and presenting content clearly and effectively.

3. Get the Right Type of Links

Not all backlinks are created equal. Google seems to value links from high-quality, active sites, especially those authoritative in your niche. It’s best to focus on getting backlinks from reputable sites with high engagement rather than relying on spammy or irrelevant links.

Building strong relationships with credible websites in your industry through digital PR or outreach platforms like HARO is vital to acquiring valuable links.

Actionable Insight: Build high-quality backlinks from trusted, relevant websites and avoid low-quality or spammy links.

4. SEOs Got it Wrong

The Google algorithm leak in 2024 documentation clarified that some commonly held beliefs in the SEO world are inaccurate. For example, there’s no clear indication that word count or keyword density directly affects rankings.

Instead, the focus seems to be on content relevance, user engagement, and trustworthiness. While title length and meta descriptions are essential for click-through rates, they’re not as crucial for rankings as once thought.

Actionable Insight: Focus on user engagement and content relevance rather than obsessing over word count or keyword stuffing. Ensure your titles and descriptions are enticing but not misleading.

5. Testing Matters Most

Bloggers and SEOs are often left in the dark about Google’s algorithm. Testing and experimentation are crucial for understanding how Google’s ranking system works.

Relying solely on Google’s guidance is a mistake, as it’s clear that some of their public statements have been inaccurate or incomplete. Running your tests and comparing results will help you stay ahead of algorithm changes.

Actionable Insight: Regularly test and analyze how changes to your content and strategy impact rankings, and learn from your experiments to optimize your approach.

6. Track Your Content Like Google Does

Since Google tracks user interactions on websites, bloggers must do the same. Understanding how users engage with your content, such as where they click, how long they stay, and where they exit, can provide crucial insights into areas that need improvement.

Tools like Microsoft Clarity can help bloggers visualize user interactions, identify problem areas, and improve user experience.

Actionable Insight: Use analytics tools to track how users interact with your content and adjust based on this data to improve engagement.

7. Age Matters

Google tends to trust older websites with a more extended history of providing valuable content. However, freshness still matters. Google values updated relevant content.

A balance between maintaining an established site and regularly refreshing your content is essential for long-term success.

Actionable Insight: Keep your content fresh by updating older posts and ensuring your site is consistently producing new, relevant content.

8. Get to the Point

Google algorithm leak in 2024 API documentation suggests that the first few hundred words of a blog post are the most important for ranking.

If your introduction is too long or doesn’t address the user’s query immediately, Google may prioritize other content that gets to the Point more quickly. Bloggers should aim to immediately capture the user’s attention with a robust and relevant introduction.

Actionable Insight: Ensure your blog posts start strong and get straight to the Point. Avoid long-winded intros that can turn users away.

9. Niche Down, Authority Up

Google seems to favor sites that focus on a specific topic. Having a well-defined niche helps you rank better and builds your authority within that niche.

The more closely related your content is, the more likely Google will recognize your site as an authoritative source in that area.

Actionable Insight: Focus on a specific niche and build your authority by creating relevant, in-depth content that addresses your audience’s needs.

10. We’ll Never Know Everything

Despite the leaks, we still know little about Google’s algorithm. Bloggers should focus on what they can control, creating valuable, user-centric content and continuously adapting based on testing and feedback.

No one can claim to know the Google algorithm leak in 2024 inside and out, and staying flexible is critical to long-term success.

Actionable Insight: Stay curious and adaptable. Continue testing, learning, and improving your content to stay ahead of Google’s ranking system changes.

11. How to Leverage the Publisher Account Silver PPC Ads

Another fascinating insight from the Google algorithm leak in 2024 was the mention of Publisher Account Silver PPC Ads. These ads, part of Google’s broader advertising ecosystem, can be an essential tool for driving traffic.

If you’re a blogger looking to monetize your site, integrating PPC ads within a broader content strategy might be a good way to boost visibility, especially if algorithm changes limit organic reach.

Blogging Strategy

March 29th Update: Google Confirms the Leak

In response to the massive Google algorithm leak in 2024, Google stated an unnamed representative speaking with Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Journal. While the spokesperson confirmed the leak, the response was less than detailed, stating:

“We would caution against making inaccurate assumptions about Search based on out-of-context, outdated, or incomplete information. We’ve shared extensive information about how Search works and the types of factors that our systems weigh while also working to protect the integrity of our results from manipulation.”

While this statement doesn’t provide much clarity, it’s worth noting that if the leaked details weren’t related to the Google algorithm leak in 2024, the company would likely have denied them outright. The vague response leaves many questions unanswered.

How the SEO Community Is Reacting

The reaction from SEO experts, bloggers, and marketers on platforms like Twitter, Threads, and Facebook has been mixed. Many question whether they should trust Google’s statements after the recent revelations.

The leak seems to contradict previous statements from Google’s representatives, leading some to ask why they should believe Google’s assertions when they’ve been misled in the past.

As an SEO enthusiast, I’ll take Google’s response and the leaked “ranking factors” with a grain of salt. Since we still don’t have clear information on how these factors are weighted in search rankings, it’s crucial to be cautious.

Relying on Data From Google’s Statements

In times like these, I prefer to rely on data and case studies from trusted sources within the SEO community. These real-world insights have proven far more reliable than Google’s ever-changing guidance.

As someone who prioritizes data-driven decisions, I plan to use this new information to refine my blogging strategies while remaining skeptical of the tech giant’s official claims.

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Whether you’re a travel blogger or in another niche, this one-stop course can help you achieve the same results. You’ll learn how to build your blog, optimize your content, and attract the right audience to generate consistent, passive income.

Sources for Further Reading

As I continue to dive deeper into the impact of this Google algorithm leak in 2024, here are some resources that provided valuable insights for this article:

These sources offer additional perspectives and deeper insights into the leaked documents, helping paint a clearer picture of what’s genuinely influencing Google’s search results.

Conclusion: Adaptation is Key

The Google algorithm leak in 2024 gives us a rare peek behind the curtain, but it’s important to remember that Google’s algorithm is complex and constantly evolving.

While some leaked information can guide your SEO strategy, the best approach is adaptation.

At Delante, it remains the best solution; we’ll stay ahead of the curve by creating high-quality content, building authoritative links, and ensuring our sites offer the best user experience possible.

Whether you’re a seasoned blogger or just starting, this leak reminds you that SEO is more than just ranking; it’s about building something sustainable and valuable for users and search engines.

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