6. So how do we interpret studies like
this?
Does this mean rankings are all about getting
Google +1s?
7. These are hints. Not ranking factors.
Read: Correlation does not equal causation
“Correlation does not imply causation”
Edward Tufte says this is
better:
"Correlation is not
causation but it sure is a
hint."
8. Cyrus has a great ranking factors deck:
http://www.slideshare.net/cyrusshepard
11. "I think backlinks still have many, many years left
in them," he said. "But inevitably what we're trying
to do is figure out how an expert user would say
this particular page matched their information
needs. And sometimes backlinks matter for that."
Links = very much alive.*
http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2343363/Matt-Cutts-Google-Wont-Devalue-Links-
17. “Absolute Rankings”
“Rankings are part of my
reporting, but near the
back now”
“Rankings will be dead
within one year”
“I still report rankings,
but as a composite
metric. Not individual
rankings.”