Inside the Google algorithm

The algorithm that powers the Google search engine is one of the most critical, most convoluted and least understood systems governing the Internet. But as of this week, we understand it a little better. Thanks to a massive API documentation leak, we’ve gained unprecedented insight into what Google cares about, how it evaluates content, and how it thinks the Internet should work. The leaked documentation is extensive and doesn’t tell us everything about Google ranking, but it does offer a set of signals we’ve never seen before.

In this episode Vergecastwe discuss everything in the leaked documents, reaction from the SEO communitythe potential regulatory implications of all this and what the launch of the website in 2024 means.

Next, we’ll talk about the recent wave of media companies (including Vox Media, Edgeparent company) creating content and technology cooperates with OpenAI. Are media companies making the same mistakes they made with Facebook and other companies, or are they actually trying to make sure they don’t make those mistakes again? We have many thoughts and especially want to hear from you – the disclosure is this Edgeafter all, a brand and we want to know how you think we should talk about all this. Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, call our hotline at 866-VERGE11 and tell us everything you think.

If you want to learn more about everything we cover in this episode, here are some links to get you started, starting with the Google leak:

And in the lightning round: