Google use to update its algorithm about 350 to 400 times a year. Many times, Google algorithm updates were welcomed by the white-hat SEO practitioners and at some times it left everyone confused. SEO industry has faced so many challenges and battles against irrelevant information and poor-quality content. Hence to fix these issues Google made algorithmic changes to provide quality results for the users. The better you understand the history of Google algorithm, you will get to know which process will work and you can easily avoid getting penalized from Google.

Why Google is changing its ranking algorithm?

Every day Google releases one or more changes to its ranking algorithm designed to improve its results. Some are focused around specific improvements and with no wonder, it tries to shake up the SEO industry at least once in a year with a major update. Neither SEO Specialist nor a content marketer can accurately predict what the future algorithm update will look like.

Google Search Statistics

Google processes over 40,000 search query every second on average, which translates to over 3.5 billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide

Google ranks #1 search engine on the web and it achieved this position because of providing quality results and the best user experience where no other search engines can deserve to hold it! Nearly 75% of all desktop searches come from Google, followed by Baidu around 11%. It also dominates tablet and mobile search, owning more than 92% of the traffic whereas Baidu holds the second position with 4%.

5 major Google Algorithms

The better you understand the history of Google algorithm, the more likely you are to run a site that ranks well. The 5 major algorithms of Google are,

1. Panda
2. Penguin
3. Hummingbird
4. Pigeon
5. Fred

Panda

Launch Date: Feb 24, 2011

Hazards: Duplicate, Plagiarized or thin content, user-generated keyword stuffing

It was the first time Google shocked the online world with its major algorithm update in ranking. Yes, it was Panda! Panda was once a filter considered to be the part of Google’s ranking algorithm, but in June 2016, it was officially incorporated into the core algorithm.

Panda revolutionized SEO by combatting low-quality content that ranks high on its search engine result pages (SERPs). This is where content quality and user experience became the core of Google’s algorithm. Prior to that poor quality content, websites with high volume of backlinks could often do rank well in SERP.

Quality Filter targeted the poor quality content and thin sites who have been ranked top in Google’s search result. As a result of these changes in the algorithm, many sites were penalized with lower rankings while other sites experienced a surge in organic traffic and improved rankings. Panda changed the content strategy, keyword research and how links are built. The high-quality relevant links pointing to a site will add value to the SEO.

Panda rewards the site that organizes and present useful, unique and relevant information to the user and at the same time, it downgrades websites that are publishing thin & poor quality content just to earn money. Panda made a revolution in Google’s algorithm history to improve the quality of search results in spite of the war of spammy links and hacking sites.

How to adjust?

Focus on providing the best possible experience for users. Provide unique content and useful information. Run regular site checks for content duplication, thin content & keyword stuffing.

To check for instances of external content duplication, use a plagiarism checker like Copyscape

Note: The Panda algorithm runs continuously as a part of Google’s primary indexing and scoring system.

Penguin

Launch Date: Apr 24, 2012

Hazards: Spammy or irrelevant links; links with over-optimized anchor text

Penguin penalizes websites that use spammy link building tactics to boost their search engine rankings. It created a mission of the search engine focus on quality over quantity. Penguin works in real time. Over-optimized sites and sites that have other forms of unnatural link building are usually trapped in Penguin. It will also down rank the sites whose links it considers manipulative.

In this algorithm, Google introduced “Google disavowal tool.” This helps you to notify whether spammers are trying to attack your site with low-quality links.

How to adjust?

Building high-quality links mainly from niche which will make your site rank high in Google’s search results. Monitor your link profile’s growth and run regular audits with a backlink checker.

Hummingbird

Launch Date: Aug 22, 2013

Hazards: Keyword stuffing, low-quality content

The main purpose of Hummingbird is for Google to better understand the user. At the time of Hummingbird, both Penguin and Panda algorithms continued to work and this added a new part to the search engine. Hummingbird gives Google a “Precise and Fast” platform where search users can easily find what they’re looking for when they type a given keyword in the search engine. Hummingbird uses long-tail key phrases where the sites that use long-tail keywords have experienced a lot of success.

How it works: Helps Google better interpret search queries and provide results that match searcher intent. It brought natural language processing that relies on LSI, Google related searches and Google autocomplete.

To know more about Google algorithm update, its benefits, effects and how to adjust: https://internest.agency/blog/things-to-learn-from-google-algorithm-updates/