The world of Search Engine Optimization is a landscape of constant confusion. With every Google algorithm update, every new social platform, and the explosive rise of AI, the advice on how to get noticed online becomes a deafening roar of conflicting tactics. Marketers are left chasing trends, trying to master fleeting tricks that become obsolete overnight.

The core problem is that most advice focuses on the how without ever explaining the why. It offers temporary tactics instead of timeless principles. But what if you could understand how search and social algorithms really work, from the ground up? A former search engine engineer, Dennis Yu, offers a “first principles” view that cuts through the noise and simplifies everything. This article distils his five most impactful and surprising insights that explain the fundamental structure of the modern internet—principles that will be just as valid in ten years as they are today.

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1. Stop Chasing Keywords. Become a “Noun” in Google’s Brain.

At the heart of all modern algorithms—from Google Search and ChatGPT to TikTok’s recommendation engine—is a simple concept: the “entity.” An entity is just a noun: a person, a business, a place, a book, or an event.

Google’s “Knowledge Graph” can be pictured as a colossal database of these nouns and the connections between them, much like atoms are connected to form a molecule. To an algorithm, each recognized entity is a verifiable fact assigned a unique identifier, its Knowledge Graph Machine ID (KGM ID). The primary goal of modern SEO is no longer just to rank for a list of keywords. The real objective is to establish yourself or your business as a distinct, authoritative entity within this graph, with strong, factual connections to other relevant entities.

This represents a crucial shift in thinking. It moves the focus away from technical tricks and keyword stuffing toward the much more durable goal of building a real, verifiable identity and reputation. The algorithm isn’t looking for claims; it’s looking for facts it can verify through the connections you have to other established entities.

What is Google looking for facts So what is factually true so if we know that Danny Lee Brandt runs pest control SEO and has a book which is also an object… Those are all facts right if it’s not just like oh I’m an expert in pest control marketing How is that associated with other entities how is that associated with facts that we can determine are true…

2. Everything Is a Review (And Some Are Worth More Than Others)

If entities and their connections form the “skeleton” of the Knowledge Graph, then trust is the “muscle” that gives it strength. From an algorithm’s perspective, almost every form of online interaction is a signal of trust—a small vote of confidence.

Think beyond the five-star rating on a Google Business Profile. A “like” on a Facebook post is a vote. A comment is a stronger vote. A share is an even stronger one. Someone watching your YouTube video all the way to the end is a powerful signal of relevancy and trust. Each of these interactions contributes to the overall authority of your entity.

This insight reveals that algorithms are designed to make real-world trust visible. As Yu explains, “think about you trust your grandma. Does she have any links? Probably not… But you have a lot of trust with her. Trust is just not visible.” Your job is to generate the digital signals that make your real-world reputation undeniable to a machine. This is why genuine engagement is far more valuable than vanity metrics; trust isn’t built with one powerful link, but through a multitude of small, authentic signals that accumulate over time.

think of it as if you’re a local business think of it as like everything’s a review… a like on Facebook might be worth one point and a comment’s three points and a share is worth 13…

3. Stop Creating Content in Silos. Algorithms Need to See It Everywhere.

Your main entity (you or your business) has associated properties called “entity objects.” These are the digital platforms you control: your website, YouTube channel, Facebook page, podcast feed, and so on. To make this clear:

• The Entity: Dr. Hugh Flax
• His Entity Objects: flaxdental.com (website), his YouTube channel, his Facebook Page, his practice’s Google Business Profile, etc.

The single biggest mistake marketers make is creating content that lives on only one of these objects. Algorithms like Google and ChatGPT are powerful, but they can’t see inside “walled gardens” like a user’s private Facebook feed. They can only index and understand what is publicly visible. A podcast that only exists on Spotify or a video that only lives on YouTube is hiding its value from the wider web.

By repurposing your best content across multiple public entity objects, you create a “corroborating loop of trust.” This strategy changes the goal of content creation. It’s not about being hyper-active on every platform, but about making your most valuable knowledge visible on every platform. Each instance acts as an “internal citation,” reinforcing your authority. When all your entity objects and corroborating sources are in alignment, you earn the ultimate prize: a knowledge panel in Google Search, signifying that your authority on a topic is unambiguous.

This is the biggest issue I see in this SEO social media digital whatever it is Someone created a piece of content and it’s a blog post that just lives here or it’s a podcast that’s just on Spotify nowhere else Or they put it on YouTube but it’s nowhere else No one else can see it.

4. Relevance Crushes Raw Power. Stop Chasing Irrelevant Links.

Every vote of trust—whether it’s a link, a mention, or a collaboration—is judged on two primary factors: the power of the source and its relevance to your topic. The critical insight from this first-principles view is that relevance almost always crushes raw power.

This single idea debunks the entire industry built on acquiring links from any site with a high Domain Rating (DR). A powerful link from a top romance novel website does nothing for a digital marketer. The power is there, but the relevance is zero. For a local business, this principle is non-negotiable. An HVAC technician in Chicago proves their legitimacy by being digitally connected to other Chicago entities—they need to be seen arguing about the best deep-dish pizza, talking about the local sports teams, or even complaining about the mayor. Anything that proves they are authentically part of the local fabric, in addition to being topically relevant to HVAC.

Trying to use an irrelevant, high-DR link to boost your authority is a fool’s errand. The algorithms see right through it.

this blows a hole in almost all the people that claim to do SEO because they can say “Oh I got a site that’s like DR73…” Okay Yes Is it relevant… it’s like a fat person trying to lie to a scale about how obese you are. It’s it’s pretty obvious for the search engine to see…

5. Digital Marketing Is Just a Mirror. You Can’t Amplify What Isn’t There.

Perhaps the most profound truth is this: digital marketing is a mirror. Its job is to reflect the reality of a business. The job of a digital marketer is not to create something from nothing, but to be a “mirror polisher”—to ensure the reflection is clear, accurate, and visible to everyone.

Consider the case of Dr. Hugh Flax of Atlanta. In the real world, he is a titan of his industry—the former president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, a man who literally trains other top cosmetic dentists. His real-world authority is immense. Yet, his “digital mirror is cracked.” His real-world status isn’t clearly visible across his digital entity objects. Testimonials from famous clients exist in a photo album in his office hallway, not on his website or YouTube channel. His presidency of a major national association is buried, not celebrated. The mirror is smudged, and the reflection is weak.

This is where the amplifier analogy comes in. Giving a 200-watt amplifier to a great singer makes them sound better to more people. Giving it to a bad singer just annoys more people. Applying great SEO to a bad business will only amplify its flaws. Conversely, even the best business, like Dr. Flax’s, will fail to reach its audience if its digital mirror is broken.

The work begins not with keywords, but with the quality of the business itself. As Yu puts it, this is about the proper order of operations: ingredients, then the chef, then the tools. The ultimate foundation is the quality of the real-world business—the “ingredients.” Without quality ingredients, even the best chef with the best tools can’t create a masterpiece.

The most important thing is the quality of those ingredients. Second most important thing is the expertise of the people the chefs us tools. Third most important thing are the tools in that order.

Conclusion: Polish Your Mirror

Success in the modern digital world isn’t about gaming algorithms with an endless supply of clever tricks. It is a return to first principles. It’s about building a strong, reputable, and well-connected entity in the real world and ensuring your digital presence is an honest and comprehensive reflection of that reality. It’s about demonstrating your value through facts, earning trust through engagement, and proving your relevance through genuine connection.

As you move forward, let go of the old tactical questions. Instead of asking “How can I rank higher?”, what would happen if you started asking, “Is my digital mirror an honest reflection of my real-world value?”