Google: Stop Singling Out RankBrain, Search Is More Complex Than One Thing

Nov 6, 2018 - 7:38 am 13 by

Google RankBrain

I love it, Google makes a big deal of RankBrain back in 2015 and since then has been trying to get SEOs to focus on other things, outside of RankBrain. I mean, Google is right - SEOs should really not focus on RankBrain. It is a query interpretation algorithm and doesn't directly influence ranking.

Now you have John Mueller of Google posting on Twitter about how unfortunate it is how SEOs are writing articles about RankBrain because it is directing SEOs down the wrong path. John wrote:

I think that train has left the station - we use machine learning in so many places, it doesn't make sense to try to single out RankBrain and to guess individual factors involved. Ranking is complex. Sorry for not having a simple answer, but IMO the question is irrelevant :).

I mean, can you really blame SEOs. We had a Google tell SEOs that RankBrain was top three in the ranking factors. Then they spent years trying to tell SEOs to stop trying to optimize for it - it doesn't work that way. Heck, even Googlers are confused by RankBrain.

My advice - stop citing RankBrain, it really isn't something you can control. It is just how Google understands queries entered into their search box.

Forum discussion at Twitter.

 

Popular Categories

The Pulse of the search community

Search Video Recaps

 
- YouTube
Video Details More Videos Subscribe to Videos

Most Recent Articles

Search Forum Recap

Daily Search Forum Recap: April 22, 2025

Apr 22, 2025 - 10:00 am
Google Ads

Google To Allow Same Advertiser To Show Ads In Top Ads & Bottom Ads

Apr 22, 2025 - 7:51 am
Google

Google Tests Shaded Blue Gradient Site Name & Favicon

Apr 22, 2025 - 7:41 am
Google Maps

Google Local Panel Tests Get There & From Your Location

Apr 22, 2025 - 7:31 am
Bing Search

Bing Copilot Answers Tests Read More Link

Apr 22, 2025 - 7:21 am
Google Ads

Google Ads PMax Campaigns 90 Characters Of Text For All Descriptions

Apr 22, 2025 - 7:11 am
Previous Story: Google: Higher Page Count Means Nothing For Search Rankings