How Google Has Changed
And what that means for your business
Have you noticed your rankings on Google searches aren’t doing as well as they used to? That may be in part to Google’s search updates. Keep reading to see how Google has changed and what that means for your business.
Why does Google change?
You may have noticed in recent months that things look different when you search on Google. There are more listings for sponsored posts, and there are no more “pages.” The new infinite scroll design technique is becoming increasingly popular. Social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter use infinite scrolling, eliminating the need for pages. Information loads as you scroll. For Google users, you don’t have to click to a second page for more information like you used to.
Google changes its search algorithm for several reasons, but the primary goal is to provide users with the most relevant and useful search results possible. The company constantly seeks to improve the quality of its search results and ensure that users can find the information they are looking for quickly and easily.
As the Internet and user behavior evolve, Google updates its search algorithm to keep pace with these changes. For example, as mobile devices have become more popular and users have begun to search more frequently on their smartphones and tablets, Google has updated its algorithm to prioritize mobile-friendly websites and provide a better user experience on mobile devices. Google also updates its search algorithm to combat spam and other manipulative behavior that can harm the quality of its search results. For example, the Penguin update penalized websites that used manipulative link-building practices, such as buying links or participating in link networks.
Google may also update its search algorithm in response to feedback from users and web admins. The company closely monitors user behavior and seeks to address any issues or concerns that arise to improve the overall search experience.
A brief history of Google search algorithm updates
Google search updates can have a huge impact on website rankings and visibility in search results, and website owners and digital marketers closely watch them. Some of the major updates to the Google search algorithm in recent years include:
Panda: This update from 2011 was designed to penalize low-quality, thin content and improve the overall quality of search results.
Penguin: This update, introduced in 2012, penalized websites that used manipulative link-building practices, such as buying links or participating in link networks.
Hummingbird: This update, first introduced in 2013, was designed to understand the meaning behind search queries better and provide more relevant results for long-tail and conversational searches.
Mobile-friendly update: In 2015, Google began using mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal, meaning that websites not optimized for mobile devices would be penalized in mobile search results.
RankBrain: This update, first introduced in 2015, uses machine learning to understand the intent behind search queries better and provide more relevant results.
BERT: This 2019 update uses natural language processing to understand the context of search queries better and provide more relevant results for complex, long-tail queries.
Google updates its search algorithm regularly. Website owners and digital marketers like our team at Nuvo need to stay up-to-date on these changes to maintain or improve their website rankings and visibility in search results.
Latest updates from Google
In November of 2022, Google made a major change to how Google search results appear. Google changed how you interact with the search results page to a continuous scroll. When you get to the bottom of the page, you’ll now see up to six pages of links before you hit a break.
Google’s main job is to answer your search queries. Google also shows you ads in the process. Google makes money by getting you to click on ads, and the longer you stay on its website, the more likely you are to click on something that makes it money. This new continuous scrolling is supposed to be good for Google and a better user experience.
You already know most people who search on Google don’t look past the first page. If you’re searching for something having results appear without having to click on a new page is simply a better user experience. No pages mean your business could be more likely to get attention.
There are more sponsored posts at the top of the search results than there used to be, which takes away real estate from pages that could be helpful to the user. Additionally, retail sites are being suggested higher on the results than local businesses.
What does this mean for your business?
Google search algorithm changes can have significant implications for businesses, particularly those relying heavily on organic search traffic for online visibility and customer acquisition. Depending on the nature of the update, algorithm changes can either improve or harm a business’s search visibility and traffic.
For businesses that provide high-quality, relevant content and follow best practices for search engine optimization (SEO), algorithm changes can present an opportunity to improve their rankings and visibility in search results. By staying up-to-date on the latest algorithm updates and adjusting your SEO strategy accordingly, your business can optimize its website for the most important ranking signals and improve its chances of appearing at the top of relevant search results.
Algorithm changes can also have negative consequences for businesses that use manipulative or spammy SEO tactics. For example, the Penguin update targeted websites that engaged in manipulative link-building practices, and many businesses saw their rankings and traffic plummet.
Ask us about our Website Management and Search Optimization Services
Our goal is to create high-quality, useful content that provides value to your target audience and follow best practices for SEO to ensure that your website is optimized for the latest ranking signals. Lucky for you, our team at Nuvo can help with that. Keeping up with algorithm updates and generating helpful content are just two ways the Nuvo team can improve your chances of ranking well in search results, even as Google’s algorithm evolves and changes over time.