This past week there has been talk about how much statistical analysis of Google can impact SEO decision-making. So I took it upon myself to do some research into scientific studies that have been conducted that look into the function of search engines. Not only did I look at the studies themselves I also looked into the SEO community’s opinion on the studies. There are many studies out there on this subject and for every study there’s 100 people saying it doesn’t have any value to the field, but that’s just how science is.
The SEO world is very divided on the importance of studies conducted with search data. The main argument against almost every SEO study is, that correlation doesn’t equal causation. Just because I listen to a lot of music and like to drink beer doesn’t mean that I like beer because I listen to music. The idea that just because your site has a lot of backlinks and ranks well doesn’t mean it’s because of the links. The algorithm that goes into ranking pages on Google is extremely complex and takes many different variables into consideration. This is true, but this is the common excuse to dismiss any SEO related data as rubbish.
Looking at data related to SEO needs to be done objectively. There may not be a study that proves the best way to conduct SEO but there are many with some key take-aways that can help optimize how certain aspects of SEO are conducted. There are studies out there that show the best sites to get links from and how many from the same domain is worth getting. These are small details but the data can help fine-tune the SEO that is already being done, not change it.
When it comes down to it there are no short cuts in doing SEO right. There is a lot of SEO data out there and it may or may not be relevant, but none of it is going to show the secret to a perfectly optimized site. A well-done site is going to always involve good content, legitimate and relevant backlinks, and a strong presence on social media. However, don’t completely rule out the relevance of data, a key take-away of a study can add to the overall SEO effort.
By: Matt Bilbao
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