Speaking at the MozCon industry conference this week, outspoken former Moz CEO and SparkToro founder Rand Fishkin offered his thoughts on how SEOs and marketers should adjust their strategies based on his interpretation of the recent Google API leak.
In a packed session with Dr. Pete Myers, Fishkin outlined specifically how he thinks unverified leaks could affect best practices.
Fishkin believes the leak contradicts Google's public statements about its systems.
“Google is being unkind and unfair. They're getting rough on this,” Fishkin said, after reviewing the leaked information.
Regarding Google's lack of transparency, Fishkin said:
“Google has said many times that they don’t use clicks to rank. That’s what I’ve always heard, but they don’t use capital ‘C’ clicks to rank with a capital ‘R’, so maybe this is being generous on my part. And the truth is, I think in my case, it was being generous too.
And anyone who's aware of not only these documents but Andrew Navik's testimony last year has seen that that actually confirms a lot of what we saw, what we saw with NavBoost.”
He added:
“They lied by omitting information or by giving false information.”
Fishkin's Recommendations
Fishkin acknowledged that he speculated and offered specific examples of how SEO strategies might change if his interpretation of the leak was accurate.
However, these are his opinions, not instructions. Some of his potential recommendations include:
1. Invest in the authority of the author/organization
Fishkin, who was surprised to see the leaked code continue to place emphasis on author and entity signals, said brands should prioritize hiring writers with established, reputable authority who Google already associates with quality content.
Fishkin said he's trying to do things differently:
“We’re going to hire a content marketer, basically a part-time content person, to make sure that there are two to three new posts published on the SparkToro blog every week.
And with all the things about authors and entities, I thought I should find someone who already has a profile.”
2. Supplement link building with public relations
Fishkin said the leak uncovered evidence that Google may be downplaying links to sites that don't have enough brand recognition and search volume.
That’s why he recommends engaging in more extensive brand-building efforts, such as PR and advertising, in addition to traditional link acquisition, to drive branded search demand.
Fishkin said:
“If you get a ton of links in one day and nothing else, guess what? You’ve manipulated the link graph.
If you're a really big brand, people will talk about you.”
3. Embrace geographic nuances
Fishkin frequently cited geographic and country-specific signals throughout the code and warned against a one-size-fits-all global strategy.
What works in major markets like the U.S. may not be effective in smaller regions where Google needs more data.
Fishkin advised attendees:
“I encourage you to think of SEO as being even more geographically specific than it is for web search results.”
4. Rediscover experimentation
Above all, Fishkin hopes the leak will spark new curiosity and skepticism within the SEO industry.
Regarding the value of experimentation, Fishkin said:
“We've seen it time and time again. I think one of the things we've lost is the spirit of experimentation. And how do you think we can get that back as more and more things come out that make you think you can't take for granted what Google says?”
He called on practitioners to conduct tests that reveal what leads to results, rather than simply repeating Google's public statements.
Regarding metrics not accounted for in the leak, Fishkin said:
“My dream would be to come back to MozCon next year and have someone stand on this stage and say, 'Hey guys, I got the Keto Score. Let me share it with you and I'll spread the word.'”
A warning?
Fishkin framed the breach as a pivotal moment in many ways for an industry that he believes has become insular, conflict-averse and all too accepting of Google's carefully crafted narrative.
His call to action heartened some, but put others off by his unbridled candor.
But whether you admire Fishkin's bold statement or not, there's no denying that the leak reveals Google's black box.
Fishkin argues that for those willing to dig into the technical details and chart a path through testing, lucrative opportunities await once they stop taking Google's word for it.
Google API Leak Warning
Questions have been raised about the true nature and significance of this “leak.”
Evidence suggests that the data may be connected to Google's public Document AI Warehouse API rather than revealing the inner workings of its ranking system, and the information also appears to be at least five years old.
Fishkin's plans to tweak his SEO strategy are intriguing, but shouldn't be taken too seriously given the ongoing debate over what the data actually means.
This shows the importance of scrutinizing sources when evaluating so-called “inside information” about how search engines work.
As the debate over the Google “leak” continues, let’s be careful not to fall victim to confirmation bias – the bias of looking at data through the lens of existing theory rather than objectively evaluating it.
Featured image: Photo taken by the author at MozCon in June 2024.