There's a new game in town when it comes to how websites can gain search engine attention. The old ways of keyword stuffing, using single phrases to optimize and concentrating heavily on incoming links are fading away as a newer, more holistic system for judging content comes into its own. This system is Latent Semantic Indexing and it has webmasters scrambling to keep up.



Google is behind the creation of latent semantic indexing. This system, which basically means hidden meaning indexing, was designed to enable the search engine to better scan pages for their overall themes. It boils down to being a system that offers a more sophisticated way for the search engine to measure sites for their relevance in regard to individual searches. While latent semantic indexing doesn't require a complete redo of websites, it does mean that webmasters who focus on high quality content are more likely to get ahead.

Latent semantic indexing is an advancement of Google's designed to push it towards its mission to make its search results more relevant. The company has always stated it wanted to provide high quality, relevant results. Latent semantic indexing is meant to help make this happen. While Google's original system scanned pages for relevancy in regard to keywords, it also put a very heavy reliance on incoming links. The system overlooked sites that were new or had too much content added too quickly. Unfortunately, in the process of trying to weed out sites that were loaded with keyword stuffed, nonsensical content, the system overlooked good ones, too.

Since the former way wasn't necessarily working fantastically, Google wanted to tweak it. Latent semantic indexing is that tweak. Although the old measures still count, such as incoming links and keywords, the rules of the game have changed a bit.

Under latent semantic indexing, sites that want to gain ranking need to make sure they have content that's fresh, updated, keyword rich and relevant. The system is meant to give those who use keyword searches pages that better represent what it is they were looking for instead of those that happen to have bunches of incoming links. All in all, the system is a more fair way of measuring what's on the Internet in regard to relevancy and quality. It also fits Google's mission better.

The days of Google placing a bigger emphasis on incoming links or votes to rank sites for searches are coming to a close. Although incoming links will still be important, particularly if two sites tie on a search, these links don't carry the same weight. This simply makes it easier for webmasters who do their jobs well to gain opportunity for ranking.

All of this doesn't mean web publishers need to start over and scrap what they've done in the past. What it does mean is that those who want to fare better with latent semantic indexing need to make sure their content has relevant keywords, is informative and useful and does rely on fluff and keyword stuffing.

The key to getting ahead in the new age of Google search falls on quality. Sites that provide useful and relevant information in regard to their content will be likely to do better on searches. Those that cut corners could find themselves at the bottom of the search totem pole.