How does Google separate popularity from authority?

Channel:

Google Search Central

Subscribers:

751,000

Published on April 2, 2014 3:51:41 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfLaC325S6M

Duration: 2:57

32,577 views

214

As Google continues to add social signals to the algorithm, how do you separate simple popularity from true authority?
Blind Five Year Old, SF, CA

Have a question? Ask it in our Webmaster Help Forum: http://groups.google.com/a/googleproductforums.com/forum/#!forum/webmasters

More videos: http://www.youtube.com/GoogleWebmasterHelp
Webmaster Central Blog: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/
Webmaster Central: http://www.google.com/webmasters/