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

 
Video Details More Videos Subscribe to Videos

Most Recent Articles

Search Forum Recap

Daily Search Forum Recap: July 10, 2025

Jul 10, 2025 - 10:00 am
Google Updates

Google June 2025 Core Update Leading To Some Partial HCU Recoveries

Jul 10, 2025 - 7:51 am
Google Search Engine Optimization

Google Search Console Performance Report Average Position Bug?

Jul 10, 2025 - 7:41 am
Google Ads

Google Search Ads People Also Consider Carousel Format

Jul 10, 2025 - 7:31 am
Google Maps

Google Business Profiles Drops Utility Bill As Evidence For Appeal

Jul 10, 2025 - 7:21 am
Google

Google AI Mode Comes To Circle to Search and Lens

Jul 10, 2025 - 7:11 am
Previous Story: Google: Higher Page Count Means Nothing For Search Rankings