SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization”. SEO is the act of making changes to your website so that it appears higher on the rankings in Google, Microsoft Bing, and other search engines whenever someone searches for.
We’ll look into the thinking behind these updates, how they work, and whether our SEO strategies need to be modified:
- Panda :
Release date : February 24, 2011
Why this introduced : Keyword stuffing, user-generated spam, thin and redundant material
How it works : Web pages are given a “quality score” by the Panda algorithm. Although Panda’s effects were initially small, in January 2016 it was permanently added to Google’s basic algorithm. Panda penalties and recoveries have since occurred more quickly due to the increased frequency of update rollouts.Use a plagiarism detector such as Copyscape to see if any of your content has been copied from another website.
- Penguin :
Release date: April 24, 2012
Why this introduced : Links that are spammy or unrelated; links with heavily optimized anchor text
How it works : The goal of Google Penguin is to penalize websites with fraudulent backlink profiles. Low-effort link building, such as purchasing links from PBNs and link farms, was discontinued with this update.Use a backlink checker such as SEO SpyGlass to do regular checks and keep an eye on the growth of your link profile to protect yourself from the effects of the Google Penguin update.
- Hummingbird :
Release date : August 22, 2013
Why this introduced : Stuffing keywords; poor content
How it works : Google uses the Hummingbird algorithm to better understand search queries and deliver results that are relevant to the intent of the user.
The Hummingbird algorithm allows a page to rank for a query even if it doesn’t contain exactly what the searcher input, even though keywords are still important.You’ll benefit from increased engagement as well as search engine optimization by producing extensive information that meets searcher intent.
- Mobile :
Release date: April 21, 2015
Why this introduced : low mobile usability; absence of a mobile version of the page
How it works : The priority now is on your website’s mobile version rather than its desktop version as a result of this and later mobile search improvements (2018, 2020). These days, Google gives each website a ranking based on how quickly and easily accessible its mobile version works.With Google’s mobile-friendly and page speed tests, you can determine which parts of your page require work. As part of your complete website review you can examine the mobile optimization of your pages due to the tests’ integration with WebSite Auditor.
- RankBrain :
Release date: October 26, 2015
Why this introduced : Poor user experience; thin material; lack of query-specific relevance
How it works : A part of Google’s Hummingbird algorithm is RankBrain. It’s a machine learning technology that helps Google in understanding user queries and providing the most relevant search results. RankBrain is ranked by Google as the third most significant ranking element.Use competitive analysis to optimize your pages for accuracy and relevancy. You can find whole lists of relevant terms and concepts that some of your top-ranking competitors utilize by using the TF-IDF tool in WebSite Auditor.
- Medic :
Release date: May 4, 2018
Why this introduced : YMYL websites lack trustworthiness and have poor E-A-T signals.
How it works : The Google Medic change appeared to have a significant impact on websites related to medicine as well as those dealing with potentially life-changing choices (financial, legal, education).As of right now, the Medic upgrade lacks a tested recovery plan. While some SEOs believe that creating entities for your brand is the response, others advise employing professional writers to give your website credibility. But if we were to stick to the facts, building your backlink profile is the only certain strategy to raise your website’s authority. Using a backlink research tool such as SEO SpyGlass and collecting backlink concepts from competitors might be an effective strategy.
- Bert :
Release date: October 22, 2019Why this introduced : information that is poorly written, unfocused, and out of context.
How it works : The processing of natural language technology is used in this Google algorithm upgrade to better understand search queries, analyze text, identify entities, and detect relationships between entities. The BERT upgrade is the outcome of Google’s efforts to shift away from keywords, which started with the Panda, Hummingbird, and RankBrain improvements. This allows Google to recognize far more variations in search results and inquiries.
The time has finally come when Google will genuinely reward excellent writing. It is crucial now more than ever to aim for relevant copy. It implies that you should write in an informative manner and avoid using a lot of unnecessary words.
- Core Updates :
Release date: 2017-present
How it works : Google began referring to larger updates as “Google core updates” back in 2017. Since then, information regarding the updates’ contents and the areas of search that they are meant to enhance has become even less transparent. After an upgrade, SEOs would frequently monitor changes in ranking and attempt to determine the specific cause, but rarely would they come to a definitive conclusion. Google’s core updates are probably only enhancements over earlier releases, or possibly collections of related but lesser upgrades.Monitoring the SERP history for the keywords you are targeting is one way to monitor the impact of Google core modifications, as their impacts are frequently unplanned. As soon as the update is released, you may see who of your competitors has improved or decreased in the rankings and estimate the reasons why.