Skip to content

Ranking Score Visualizer

Run Fullscreen

About This MicroSim

This MicroSim demonstrates how search engines combine multiple ranking signals to determine which results appear first.

Iframe Embed Code

1
2
<iframe src="https://dmccreary.github.io/search-microsims/sims/ranking-visualizer/main.html"
        height="502px" width="100%" scrolling="no"></iframe>

Description

Ranking Signals

Signal Description Example Impact
Term Frequency How often query terms appear "pendulum" appears 5× scores higher
Title Match Query terms in title Title match beats description-only
Subject Match Topic alignment Physics query + physics sim = boost
Freshness How recently updated 2026 scores higher than 2022
Popularity Usage metrics High views = higher rank

How to Use

  1. Adjust weight sliders to change how much each signal matters
  2. Watch results reorder as weights change (smooth animation)
  3. Toggle "Show Breakdown" to see stacked score contributions
  4. Click "Equal Weights" to see balanced ranking
  5. Click "Reset Defaults" to return to typical weights

Key Insights

  • Small weight changes can dramatically shift rankings
  • Title matches often matter more than you'd expect
  • Freshness can override content quality
  • Combined signals produce nuanced rankings

Learning Objectives

After using this MicroSim, students will be able to:

  1. Interpret how different ranking signals contribute to final scores
  2. Experiment with signal weights to understand ranking behavior
  3. Predict how changing priorities affects result ordering

Lesson Plan

Introduction (5 minutes)

  • Ask: "Why does Google show certain results first?"
  • Discuss that ranking is not just keyword matching

Signal Exploration (10 minutes)

  1. Set all weights to 0 except Term Frequency
  2. Observe which results rank highest
  3. Repeat for each signal alone
  4. Discuss: Which single signal works best?

Combined Ranking (10 minutes)

  1. Use "Equal Weights" preset
  2. Gradually increase Title Match weight
  3. Watch "Pendulum Art Generator" move up despite being Art, not Physics
  4. Discuss: Should title match override subject relevance?

Real-World Application (5 minutes)

  • How might e-commerce sites weight signals differently?
  • How might academic search weight freshness vs popularity?
  • What happens when users can game certain signals?

References