The leaked Google algorithm: changing the rules of the SEO game
SEO Laboratory 
2025/10/25 
Kastytis 
Last year, one of the biggest Google leaks in history appeared online. Thousands of internal documents revealing search ranking factors became public. Although the files themselves did not explain in detail how these factors work together, SEO expert Sean Anderson has carried out a detailed analysis and found an interesting discovery - "Goldmine system.
Goldmine is one of several internal Google systems that together determine how pages are ranked in search, he said. This system focuses in particular on page titles and the quality of content.
🤖 Key insights from Goldmine analysis
1. There is no single Google algorithm
Instead of a single algorithm, Google uses a network of interconnected systems. For example:
- Goldmine - analyses page titles
- Radish - responsible for selecting featured snippets
- NavBoost - monitors user behaviour and clickstream data
2. Title - offer only
"Google will not necessarily show your HTML "title" tag in searches. It looks at other sources such as H1 headings, internal links, content to choose the title that best matches the intent of the search.
3. User behaviour determines positions
If a visitor leaves the page quickly, the system records this as a "bad click". Longer dwell times and engagement are a signal that the page is meeting the user's expectations, and the ranking goes up.
4. Google doesn't trust content right away
The search engine is constantly testing alternative options for your names and descriptions to make sure users get the best experience.
5. Artificial intelligence assesses speech quality
Internal AI systems such as Blockbird and SnippetBrain, analyses the text semantically - looking at logic, clarity and language quality, not just keyword matching.
6. Technical quality - a prerequisite
Too many keywords, template text or a cluttered structure can lead to negative signals and reduce the visibility of a page.
7. Signal integrity
For Google to clearly understand what your page is about, the title, H1, URL and introduction must all convey the same topic and keyword.
8. Visual hierarchy matters
"Goldmine's analysis shows that the font size and distinctiveness of headlines is a measured signal. Headlines should be visually more prominent than the main text.
9. A bad name can be doubly damaging
A weak title lowers the click-through rate (CTR), which sends negative signals to the NavBoost system, which can then reduce the position even further.
10. User experience - the most important criterion
The interplay between all the systems shows that in the long run, the winners are those who create content that is relevant to the intent of the search engine and the expectations of users.
🔎 What does this mean for SEO professionals?
"Goldmine's analysis once again confirms that SEO is no longer limited to keyword density or number of links. To stay competitive, you need:
- creating unique, clear and attractive names
- understand search intent before writing content
- ensuring that the structure, design and content of the website create a good user experience
In short, today's SEO - it's not "playing with algorithms", but a constant drive to meet human needs.
Vilnius, Lithuania