The folks at Google refuse to rest until search functions online have been perfected. As perfection is impossible to achieve, webmasters and business owners should get accustomed to Google rocking their world on occasion with new or updated algorithms and codes. Google rolls out a number of small changes on a weekly basis that tend to go unnoticed by the general public. However, when the Silicon Valley giant bothers to announce an algorithm change it usually means massive alterations are coming.
Such was the case with the release of Panda and Penguin in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Over the course of the last 11 years, Google has rolled out new fewer than 30 brand-new or updated algorithms that have altered the state of search on the Internet (view all Google updates since 2003 here). As it stands today, people maintain a tight focus on the Panda, Hummingbird, and Pigeon updates. What impact have these algorithms had, and why do they matter in today’s SEO climate?
Here are tips for keeping up with Google. [Read more…]