How search engines really work – and what it means for your business
Published: 10 September 2025
When it comes to winning customers online, search engines are still the most important gateway. Around 93% of searches happen on Google, with Bing and smaller engines sharing the rest. The good news? All search engines work in similar ways, so if you optimise for Google, you’re improving your visibility everywhere.
But to really stand out, it helps to understand how these platforms work “under the hood” and why your business needs to keep up.
Crawling and indexing: how Google finds you
Search engines don’t look at the live internet when you type in a query. Instead, they search their own index, a vast library of cached pages discovered by bots that crawl the web.
The more often Google’s bots crawl your site, the faster your new content is discovered. Big news websites are crawled constantly. Smaller sites, like a local B&B, might only be checked every few months. To encourage more frequent crawling:
- Keep your content fresh and regularly updated
- Build links from other reputable sites
- Make sure your pages are easy for bots to navigate
Relevance, quality and authority
When deciding what to show in search results, Google weighs up hundreds of signals. Some of the most important are:
- Relevance: is your content clearly about the search query?
- Quality: is it unique, readable and useful?
- Authority: do other sites link to you as a trusted source?
Links remain one of the strongest ranking factors. Think of each link as a vote of confidence. If a respected site points to your content, Google sees that as proof you are worth ranking. Even links from smaller sites add value, especially if the anchor text (“recipe for crispy jacket potato”) is descriptive.
User signals: humans have the final say
Search engines do not just rely on bots. They learn from people too. If users consistently click your link, stay on your site, and do not bounce back to search again, your ranking improves. That means:
- Write compelling page titles and meta descriptions
- Make sure your site is fast, mobile-friendly and easy to navigate
- Keep content up to date so visitors find what they need
Local results: vital for West Midlands businesses
For cafes, shops, trades and other location-based services, local search is key. Google will automatically show “near me” results even if the user does not type it in. To appear here, make sure your Google Business Profile is complete, accurate and regularly updated with posts, photos and reviews.
Tools to help: Google Search Console
If you only use one SEO tool, make it Google Search Console. It is free, and it tells you exactly which keywords bring users to your site, what position you rank in, and whether there are any technical issues holding you back. It is also a goldmine for spotting opportunities. For example, if you are ranking just outside page one on a particular keyword (positions 11 to 15), a little extra optimisation could nudge you into the top 10.
Next steps
Understanding how search engines work gives you an edge over competitors who only focus on keywords. Start by keeping your site updated, building trustworthy links, and monitoring your performance in Search Console. From there, you can refine and grow your visibility step by step.
Contact us for free, expert advice on growing your business.
Further learning:
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