How does Google’s algorithm evaluate website authority?

Google’s algorithm evaluates website authority primarily through assessing the quality and quantity of backlinks to a site. Backlinks, which are links from other websites pointing to a webpage, serve as indicators of credibility and trustworthiness. The assumption is that if many high-quality websites link to a page, it signifies that the content is valuable and relevant, thereby contributing to the site's authority.

The quality of backlinks matters significantly; links from reputable and authoritative sources carry more weight than links from lesser-known or less credible sites. This is because Google seeks to provide users with the most reliable and relevant information. Therefore, a site with numerous high-quality backlinks is more likely to be seen as authoritative.

In contrast, while other factors such as website updates, user reviews, and design can influence rankings, they do not serve as primary indicators of authority in the same way that backlinks do. Frequent updates may help with freshness but do not inherently confer authority. Similarly, user reviews and site design might enhance user experience or perception but don’t directly impact the evaluation of authority as assessed through backlinks.