The freshness factor is something written into search algorithms to ensure that as much new, fresh, and relevant content as possible makes its way into the highest search rankings.It was introduced so trending topics and recent news stories would always appear in results for particular searches, and ensures that newer content will always be given precedence.

The freshness factor does not penalize quality content, such as in-depth articles and academic reports, that were published years ago, and such results will still be presented if they’re relevant.