How Google is Ranking Tweets

Posted by Sharon Hayes on Thursday, January 14, 2010 · Comments 

WebProNews reported today the first solid information on how Google is ranking tweets. Three major things were mentioned:

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  1. Tweets are ranked by how many followers someone has along with how reputable those followers are. (Good)
  2. Google is able to sift through tweets, even on popular subjects, to find the freshest information (Good)
  3. The use of #Hashtags is considered spam-like behavior (what?)
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I agree and commend Google for the first two but I really don’t agree with the third. It gives me the idea that the “powers that be” at Google don’t have a firm grasp on how Twitter works.

I use hashtags on most of my tweets. I am definitely not a spammer. I do it to help people find information more easily and find relevant information.

Since this news is relatively fresh, I still haven’t decided what I am going to do. Do I cater for a more limited search base who use Twitter’s search engine or do what is needed so that my tweets appear in Google and get wider exposure?

The reason it is a hard call is simple: I share a lot of third party information/links that I feel are beneficial. Someone finding my tweets via Twitter search may end up following me. Someone finding my tweets through Google may click through on the link or read the information in the tweet but it brings no real value to me.

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Here’s the original article at WebProNews.

Update: I also found an article at MIT’s Technology Review published yesterday on the subject.

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What are your thoughts? Will this change your tweeting behavior?

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  • What seems apparent from the hashtag debate is that (1) Google needs to expand on this element of their ranking algorithm with further explanation of exactly how this info is used and (2) probably will refine their use of this "signal" in order to achieve more accurate rankings. It would not be the first time Google has been decidedly murky on a subject, nor would it be the first time it tweaked an algorithm to provide more accurate results. There's no doubt that hashtags are a really valuable utility for Twitter users...and as easy as it is to assume a nefarious intent where Google's concerned, the idea that it's doing this to change behavior doesn't really pass the sniff test.
  • Todd Dewell
    Perhaps Google does not like #Hashtags because it increases the number of Twitter searches that happen and that competes with Google.
  • sharonhayes
    Thanks for your comment Todd. Unless Twitter comes up with a more robust way of searching and showing more relevant results, hashtags are almost a necessity.
  • Todd Dewell
    Hashtags are awesome. I love how they can be used to create ad hoc topic oriented discussions, connect you to real time events like the #vikings or organize your updates.

    So do you give up all of that usefulness just to get your updates into Google search results? I don't think so.

    SInce #hashtags drive more Twitter searches it makes sense for Google to not show those updates, so that they don't drive traffic to Twitter search.

    .....

    p.s. ... this commenting thing is fun to do also
  • I kinda think that the Hashtag rule is wonky . Agreed that there are tweeps who force hashtag trending and hence spamming , but that percentage is so small that giving them weight , will actually hurt the legit users of hashtags
  • sharonhayes
    Agree with you.
  • I completely understand why Google considers #Hashtags spam "like" activity. Go to Twitter. Then look at the trending topics with hash tags. Here are two topics on Twitter right now: #ifyoucheatonme and #uknowurbreathstink. I've seen similar topics trending with #hashtags for months now.

    I believe hash tags are very helpful in organizing tweets and sharing. But when you look at the whole of the Twitter universe, you'll find huge numbers of poor quality tweets associated with #hashtags.
  • sharonhayes
    Thanks for your comment Doug. I understand what you mean but hashtags for trending topics - as I explained to rtstrategy - is a different ballgame than using hashtags for tracking events, specific topics etc. There's a lot less spam that comes up when searching hashtags for serious topics than when you try and search without the hashtag for the same. At least that has been my experience.
  • I agree with you. I use hashtags. I will continue to use hashtags. But Google isn't really "ranking tweets" with this strategy. What Google is doing is deciding which tweets on a hot or "trending" topic should be included in their "live" search. Their "live" search is all about giving Google users up-to-the-minute info on these trending topics. Here's a video that explains it in more detail, http://bit.ly/8tswbD
  • sharonhayes
    I'll be putting up a post later that will more or less give the the current/definitive word from Google on the subject.
  • rtstrategy
    Regarding the hashtag dilemma... I certainly agree with the comment re Google not understanding how Twitter is used.

    I'll throw this thought at you... there's a principle at stake here (Mike has alluded to it already). That principle being "It is the Twitter community that has shaped Twitter, and it is the Twitter community that should continue to do so".

    Changing the way I Tweet to satisfy Google would just rattle me and make me feel that I was "giving in to big business".

    Yes Twitter spam bugs me a little. Not often and not a lot. Just a little. Spammers will adapt quicker than the average user anyway, so it seems a little pointless. Or maybe we could all play along with it until all the spammers are off the hashtag streams ;-)
  • sharonhayes
    Spamming trending topics is something that many people filter out anyway. I think here - when it comes to using hashtags for events, for specific topics (for example #seo) etc.... there is definite value and the stream is not clogged with them yet.
  • I agree with you that #3 (#hashtags) should not be considered spam indicators. Maybe if the entire tweet is hashtags, and they are not related, the tweet should be considered spammish. For example:

    #travel #love #sex #cool #funny #great #FF #OMG #shoutout #haiti [and some link] #sexy

    However, moderate or even heavy use of hashtags should not be considered spam, IMO. For example,

    @hashtagmafia: "Once I thought I was out...they pulled me back in" #classicmoviequotes #mafiaquotes

    @RedDelicious17: 8 more tweet til I hit 10,000 ... Wow! I've really wasted a lot of time tweeting! LOL! #HookedOnTwitter

    I use hashtags about 15% of the time. I'm not changing my tweeting behaviour because of this. Google might change their algorithm. They usually fine-tune things on-the-fly without us noticing anyway.

    I disagree with your comment that someone finding your tweet from a Google search will bring you no value. If the person searching is on Twitter, I think there's a small but significant chance they will check out your twitter profile if they find you by an interesting tweet.

    Happy Thursday!
  • sharonhayes
    Hi Bevan.... what I meant was that the value of continuing to include hashtags to enable those ON Twitter to more easily find info of interest to them is better for ME than seeing more of my tweets rank on Google. This is different if the tweets are leading to my own sites of course.
  • Hey Sharon,
    OK, Thank you, I get where you're coming from. I sometimes use Google to search for older tweets. Also, this tool is a good simple archive browser (when you want to look at chronology of old tweets):
    http://www.shotbeak.com/oldtwe...
    Good luck with your seminar tomorrow, I'll try to listen in. I'm trying to think of a good question for you.
  • sharonhayes
    Gotcha :) Thanks Bevan - and yes, think of a great q - nothing is too much of a challenge! :)
  • Sharon, I had a reaction similar to yours about the hashtags. I want to follow the proper protocol. I don't want to be considered a spammer. I have been tweeting photos of the fossils in this local community because when I did research for identifying my fossils, I couldn't find any public information online. I decided to try and improve the public resources for it so the next person would have an easier time than I did identifying their finds. My fossil photos of are now coming up on page one of a Google search. I certainly don't want to rock the boat by using hashtags on those tweets.
  • sharonhayes
    Thanks for sharing your experience Dana. I'm curious: are you seeing significant traffic from this?
  • Sharon, Take a look at my Flickr photo stats from yesterday. The first number is the view count. Half of the search engine traffic is coming from Google searches. Remember, I blog about Cretaceous fossils from the North Sulphur River in Texas, so I cater to a very select group of users.

    Flickr 49 64%
    Search Engines 10 13%
    Other Sites 5 6%
    Unknown Source 12 15%
  • sharonhayes
    Thanks for sharing your stats Dana! Very interesting given how tight of a niche this is.
  • eyecatchaz
    I'd say stick with the tags. People go to twitter when they want to search for tweets and hashtags are useful there. Until Google becomes the larger platform for searching tweets, it makes sense to target the platform that targets your market. I'm curious if the general googler will care about tweets in google's search results?
  • sharonhayes
    Great points.... especially the last part. Maybe I'm wrong but I think even Twitter users interested in finding content from tweets will look at Twitter search before going to Google.
  • Interesting review, thanks for pointing it out. Personally, I don't think I will be changing my 'tweet' behavior as I probably don't need to, the only thing that would affect me would be the hash tag thing and I don't typically use hash tags anyway because twitter search seems to do a good enough job of it for me.
  • sharonhayes
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
  • I felt the same way with #3, Sharon. My thought is Google doesn't determine my use of twitter. I will continue to use twitter as I see fit. Thx 4 your post & tweets. ;D
  • sharonhayes
    Thanks for your comment and kind words Mike!
  • deborah_lee
    This does seem odd .. but Google being Google I expect their rationale will reign supreme
    I have to admit I rarely hashtag my tweets .. but that's only because from my personal account the content is so varied.
    From my business account I've tried to remember .. but then again I am a relative Twitter newbie :-/
  • sharonhayes
    I think the hashtag issue comes down to how you want to use Twitter. For me, the content I share has helped me build my following. Some of this comes from RT's - others from people finding my tweets in Twitter search. Do what works for you! :)
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