People use search engines such as Google and Bing every day, and to the average search engine user, the process can seem pretty simple. Type some words into the search bar and the search engine instantly delivers relevant results. In reality, the process is far more complex.

Each search engine has patented algorithms for ranking search results. Google uses more than 200 major factors and thousands of other signals to determine the most relevant website for each search. Results may differ based on device, location, previous searches and perceived intent.