Over 10 years ago I predicted that google might use email list quality scoring for organic rankings, and also offered a number of ways they might quantify website quality and specific factors that could be vital for that. Recent updates to the core algorithm and medic update over the past year, as well as the release of quality scoring guidelines, broadly indicate that a company's reputation is also key in this regard. If you want to know how it all can work, read on. I first predicted that google might apply a quality score to organic search in 2007, and in subsequent years I've pointed out the need for: about us pages so people know who's behind a website; good contact us pages to instill trust; good usability and user experience; copyright statements; and good spelling and grammar.
I have predicted enough of these factors to still see the direction of evolution of the algorithm. The most recent edition of google's "Quality evaluators guidelines", also called "Quality rating guidelines" ("Qrg") is almost a script of my past recommendations involving quality factors. Google quality ranking guidelines seem relevant for recent updates it seems clear that email list quality factors, such as those listed in the qrg, have become more influential in google search rankings. You might already be saying, "Oh, no - he's barking up the wrong tree about the quality guidelines", as others have written about them too, since their release in july (as well as with previous versions "Leaks") and googler's have stated that reviewer scores are not used directly in website rankings.
Notably, jennifer slegg reported that danny sullivan confirmed email list that human reviewer ratings aren't used in machine learning for algorithms, responding on twitter, "We don't use it that way." he also noted that data from reviewers is used like restaurants using comment cards so thatothers pointed to specific items mentioned in the guidelines as likely signals, particularly around expertise, authority, and trust (google cites these as “eat”). For example, marie haynes discussed how she believes the items mentioned in the quality reviewer guidelines could be influential ranking factors, such as a company's bbb rating and author reputation.