Biggest Google Algorithm Changes

Google is constantly changing its algorithm, and as a business owner, it is important to stay up to date on the latest changes. In this guide, we will discuss some of the biggest Google algorithm changes of all time.

Panda Update

The first major change that Google made to its algorithm was in 2011, with the launch of Panda. This algorithm update was designed to stop sites with poor-quality content from ranking high in search results. As a result, sites that relied on keyword stuffing or duplicate content were no longer able to rank. Furthermore, Google would also penalize sites with a lot of ads or low-quality content.

Suddenly, keyword stuffing was over, and webmasters had to concentrate more on creating high-quality content that would attract visitors.

Hummingbird Update

Google’s next big algorithm update was the Hummingbird update in 2013. Whereas Panda focused more on content quality, Hummingbird changed how Google interpreted search queries. Rather than focusing on individual keywords, Hummingbird looked at the search query in its entirety, taking into account the context of the query. This allowed Google to better recognise the intent of a search, resulting in more accurate and relevant results.

Mobile-Friendly Update

In 2015, mobile searches surpassed desktop searches for the first time ever. To coincide with this shift to mobile devices, Google released its Mobile-Friendly algorithm update that same year. This update was designed to reward websites that were optimised for mobile devices by boosting their rankings in mobile search results. Accordingly, sites that weren’t optimised for mobile suffered a drop in rankings.

RankBrain

In 2015, Google also unveiled its new machine-learning artificial intelligence system called RankBrain. This AI system is used to process search engine results, helping to offer up more relevant and accurate results. Instead of relying solely on traditional search signals like keywords, RankBrain looks at the context of queries to give better answers. RankBrain is one of Google’s most important ranking factors today.

Helpful Content Update

More recently, Google has released an update designed to reward helpful, informative content. This algorithm change is focused on rewarding long-form content with relevant information that users are looking for. For example, articles that answer common questions related to the user’s query, or provide in-depth information on a particular topic are now favoured over shorter content with less detail. The idea here is that Google wants to reward sites that are truly helpful to their users and make sure they get the best search results.

Featured Snippets

Back in 2016, Google launched a new feature called “featured snippets” which highlights the most relevant result from a search query in a box on the SERP. This is designed to give users a quick answer to their queries without having to click on any links and visit an external website. Featured snippets are often pulled from longer, detailed pieces of content as they usually provide more information than shorter articles.

Of course, the advertising world took notice and SEO experts found ways to optimise their content for featured snippets. This has led Google to make constant updates over the years to make sure the featured snippet results are relevant and useful. There have been tweaks to how they display these results, such as presenting more related information in a carousel format or breaking apart long-form articles into multiple snippets.

If you use Google for ads or SEO, use an SEO agency or Google Ads agency to keep your website optimised for search engines. They will be able to keep up with the latest algorithm changes, such as the ones mentioned here, and improve your website’s presence in search results.