Dive Brief:
- Google has released a research paper that suggests search results could be based on a website's accuracy rather than its popularity.
- The paper introduces knowledge-based trust (KBT) as an alternate method of ranking sites in search results—by the correctness of factual information provided by the site.
- The search giant has been building a database of referenced facts that could be used to compare website content for accuracy.
Dive Insight:
If search results shifted from popularity—or sites linked to a page—to factual data, the implications for marketers could be huge. The effects would be felt hardest if popularity was completely disregarded, which isn't likely but could happen, because the foundation of search marketing tactics would no longer be effective. Marketers who depend heavily on SEO tactics should be beefing up knowledge on how a KBT would effect search results, and develop tactics to remain at the top of the page.