operational programming rules that determine how a search engine indexes content and displays the results to its users. [ edit

a complex set of computer-based rules for how to interpret and rank web pages when users do a search for a particular word or phrase

The criteria a search engine uses to determine which web sites match certain search words or phrases.

The algorithm used by a search engine to rank web pages for different search queries. The machine algorithm actually reads a web page's HTML source code and determines the page's relevancy for different search queries. According to that algorithm ranking, the page will be positioned somewhere in a SERP, or not.

The criteria a search engine uses to determine which websites match the words or phrases a visitor is searching for.

A set of rules that a search engine uses to rank the listings contained within its index, in response to a particular query. No search engine reveals exactly how its own algorithm works, to protect itself from competitors and those who wish to spam the search engine.