Written by: Vickie Sullivan | May 25, 2021
Search Engine Algorithms Just Taught Me a Hard Lesson
I just learned (the hard way, of course) about the power of search engine algorithms and how one wrong move can set off a chain reaction no one could anticipate.
What happened is I included a certain word in one of my February blog posts that some search engine algorithms identified as porn. Once the algorithms determined that the post fit the category, the bots checked out my other content looking for more. The algorithms grossly misconstrued the interpretation of certain words. Within three weeks, I was trending for things I don’t even think about.
Which begs a bigger question: How many times have we taken one small piece of information, cast judgment about that person, then use that opinion to color everything they say after that? Yep, I’ve done that, too.
Listen: How to Stop Assumptions from Spreading
The good news: I easily replaced the wording in my blog post, and I have fixed my positioning in search engine results. I should be free and clear of the wild world of porn now.
Moving forward, I will be extra careful with my words. And I will assume people I don’t know are reading my content. It is the information superhighway, after all, and your search engine is the on ramp. Plus, this is a lesson that we should all be aware of the many interpretations out there and to proceed accordingly.
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