Source ranking is a method used to assess how trustworthy and important a news source is. This score, called the ‘source rank’, is then used to adjust how high up an article appears in your search results.
How is source rank determined?
The source rank isn’t random. It’s calculated using a whole host of metrics, including:
- Productivity: How many articles does the source pump out? For instance, The Guardian might produce 100 unique articles a day, while a smaller local paper might only manage 10.
- Article Length: Longer doesn’t always mean better, but it’s taken into account. A source that consistently produces in-depth, 2000-word articles might score higher than one churning out 200-word snippets.
- Coverage Importance: This looks at how well a source covers big stories. If BBC News has 50 articles about a major event, while another source only has 2, the BBC would likely score higher here.
- Breaking News Score: Who’s first to the punch? If Sky News consistently breaks stories before others, they’d get a higher score in this category.
- User Engagement: Do readers actually click on articles from this source? A popular source like The Times might see more clicks than a lesser-known blog.
- Human Opinion: What do people think of the source? This could be based on polls or even prestigious awards. For example, a source that’s won multiple Pulitzer Prizes would likely score well here.
- Circulation and Traffic: How many people are reading? The Sun, with its large readership, might score highly in this area.
- Staff Size: Larger newsrooms often mean more resources for quality journalism. A source like Reuters, with journalists worldwide, would likely score well here.
- Original Reporting: Does the source produce unique content or just rehash others’ work? Original reporting is valued more highly.
- Topic Breadth: Does the source cover a wide range of topics? A general news site like the BBC might score higher than a niche tech blog.
- International Reach: Is the source read globally? The Economist, with its worldwide readership, would likely score well in this category.
- Writing Quality: Good grammar and spelling count! Sources with consistently well-written articles will score higher.
- Website Authority: How many other sites link to this source? A highly-referenced site like the Financial Times would likely score well here.
How is source rank used?
Once calculated, the source rank is stored in a database. When you search for news, the system looks at each article’s original ranking and then adjusts it based on its source’s rank. They give a boost to articles from highly-ranked sources.
For example, let’s say you search for “Shopify updates”. An article from a high-ranking source like the Shopify website itself might get bumped up in the results, even if it wasn’t originally the top result. This helps ensure that you’re more likely to see news from trusted, important sources first.
If you want to learn more, Google’s documentation about source rank is the best resource to consult.
