Working in search, it’s nice to get a reminder every so often that there isn’t a foolproof method for ranking at the top of Google–because they (The Big G) haven’t actually figured it all out yet.

This time the reminder came straight from Google.

This article on the Google Blog concludes with the heading: “Search is not a solved problem” and then this statement:

Language understanding remains an ongoing challenge, and it keeps us motivated to continue to improve Search. We’re always getting better and working to find the meaning in–and most helpful information for–every query you send our way.

Understanding searches better than ever before, Google Blog, Oct 25, 2019.

A work in progress, not a flip-flop

“Google is constantly moving the goal posts”–overheard at many, many SEO talks and client pitches.

But is that really true?

Google has always been clear about wanting to provide search results that are relevant, authoritative and reliable. (I like to return to this article where its founders share the Google prototype and the thinking behind it).

In the past it might have been easier to deceive Google into (temporarily) believing a site was worthy when it wasn’t.

But the search engine certainly hasn’t done a 180 on us. If your past search strategies have stopped working, then chances are, that wasn’t a good approach to begin with.

Nice to have an escape clause though

But this reminder straight from the horse’s mouth does help everyone working in search by providing an important caveat:

Sometimes we’ll do everything right and the search results won’t reward us for it.

And in those cases, it isn’t us. It really is them.