Google Reveals Why Social Media Signals Will Never Influence Rankings
Gary Illyes explains why Google avoids using uncontrollable external signals like social media shares as ranking factors.
2 min readHighlights
Gary Illyes says Google won’t use social media signals in rankings.
External signals are unreliable due to manipulation risks.
SEO community urged to focus on user experience over unconfirmed ranking myths.
Source: Created by Martech Scholars using an image from Canva Pro_Google Search Central – Insights on Social Media’s Role in SEO Rankings.
In a revealing discussion, Google’s Gary Illyes addressed a long-debated SEO question: do social media shares, likes, or views influence Google search rankings? The answer was a firm no—and it’s not changing anytime soon.
Illyes, known for cutting through SEO myths with direct, no-nonsense responses, spoke to Kenichi Suzuki and Rio Ichikawa of Faber Company. When asked if social media engagement plays any role in rankings, Illyes not only denied it but explained why it never will.
“We need to be able to control our own signals,” Illyes stated. “If we are looking at external signals… that’s not in our control.”
He referenced a lesson from around 2014 when Google realized that external signals, such as metrics from social networks, could be easily inflated—making them unreliable for ranking algorithms. If a social network’s data could be manipulated, there’s no way for Google to verify its authenticity.
Why Easily Gamed Signals Don’t Work for SEO
Illyes’ comments highlight a core principle: any signal Google uses must be trustworthy and resistant to manipulation. External data sources, particularly those under the influence of marketers or webmasters, fail that test.
This skepticism isn’t new. Google has previously dismissed other easily abused signals:
- Structured Data Abuse: While structured data enables rich results, stuffing it with false information violates guidelines and risks penalties.
- LLMs.txt Proposal: Similar to the outdated keywords meta tag, this protocol was deemed unreliable because publishers could misuse it for rankings.
- Fake Author Bylines: Some SEOs even created fake profiles to boost perceived authority—a tactic Google can’t trust as a ranking factor.
The Key Takeaway for SEOs
Illyes’ most important point is clear:
“…we need to be able to control our own signals.”
For SEOs, this means shifting focus away from unconfirmed “ranking factors” like brand mentions or social media buzz. Instead, energy is better spent on genuine site promotion, user experience improvements, and creating content people value.
Catch the full question-and-answer segment around the 10-minute mark of the interview.
By recognizing which signals Google values—and why—it’s easier to align strategies with long-term, sustainable ranking success rather than chasing myths.
