Mastering Google Algorithm Updates: Key Changes And Their Powerful Impact On SEO Success

1. Core Algorithms

These are key to how Google ranks websites and are often changed with Google Algorithm Updates.

Google Hummingbird (2013): Improved semantic search and understanding of the intent behind queries

Launched in 2013, Google Hummingbird was a key update to its search algorithm. It moved away from just matching keywords. Now, it also aims to understand the meaning and intent behind searches.

Key Features of Google Hummingbird:

Semantic Search: Hummingbird lets Google focus on the context and meaning of phrases. Now, it gives more accurate and relevant answers, even to complex or casual questions.
Focus on Intent: The algorithm, instead of matching keywords, found the query’s intent. For example, if a user searched for “best places to buy a smartphone near me,” Google would prioritize results by location and intent to buy.
Conversational Queries: Hummingbird made Google better for voice search and natural language queries. Queries that resembled everyday speech, such as “How do I fix my broken phone screen?” were better understood and answered.
Integration with Knowledge Graph: The update used the Knowledge Graph. It let Google to answer queries, like the weather or sports scores, without users clicking a link.

Impact on SEO:

Websites with content that answered user queries comprehensively saw better rankings.
Keyword stuffing and over-optimization have become less effective. Google is now focused on context and quality.
Content strategies shifted to creating value-driven, user-centric materials.

Why Hummingbird Mattered:

It was key to future advancements in search, like RankBrain and BERT. They improved Google’s ability to process natural language.
It laid the groundwork for mobile-first indexing and voice search. Both are crucial for modern SEO strategies.
In summary, Google Hummingbird shifted search from keywords to user intent. It made search more relevant and user-friendly.

RankBrain (2015): A machine learning-based algorithm to improve search query interpretation.

Google launched RankBrain in 2015. It’s a machine learning algorithm. It improves the interpretation of search queries to deliver better results. RankBrain, part of Google’s Hummingbird algorithm, uses AI. It helps understand the intent behind complex, vague, or conversational search queries.

Key Features of RankBrain:

Context Understanding: RankBrain helps Google move beyond literal keyword matching. It analyzes the connections between words and phrases in a query. This helps it better understand user intent.
Handling Unfamiliar Queries: Before RankBrain, Google struggled with new or rare search queries. They made up a significant percentage of daily searches. RankBrain predicts meanings by linking unfamiliar terms to known concepts and queries.
Improved Search Relevance: RankBrain uses user interactions to improve search results. It checks clicks, dwell time, and bounce rates to ensure users find what they need.
Machine Learning Component: Unlike traditional algorithms, RankBrain learns and adapts over time. It analyzes past search behavior to improve future results. It makes the algorithm smarter with every interaction.

How RankBrain Works:

Word Vectors: RankBrain turns words into mathematical entities (vectors). It uses them to measure relationships and relevance.
Query Matching: RankBrain compares ambiguous queries to similar past ones. It uses the results to predict the best matches.
Contextual Signals: It uses signals, like location and device type, to adjust searches. It also uses query history.

Impact of RankBrain:

It marked a shift to semantic search. It focused on meaning, not exact keyword matching.
Encourage marketers to prioritize high-quality, user-focused content instead of keyword-stuffing strategies.
Natural language queries are now vital. This shift is driven by the rise in voice search and more conversational search habits.
If you’re optimizing for RankBrain, align your content with search intent. It must be valuable and easy to read for both humans and algorithms.

BERT (2019): Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers. It seeks to better understand the context of natural language.

BERT (2019): Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers is a model by Google AI. It is groundbreaking for Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks. It greatly improved how machines understand and process word context in a sentence. Here’s an overview:

Key Features of BERT:

Bidirectional Understanding:

Unlike traditional NLP models, BERT reads text both ways at once. It processes text either left to right or right to left. This allows it to grasp the full context of a word based on the words before and after it.

Transformer Architecture:

BERT is based on the Transformer model. It’s a neural network. It excels at handling sequential data and capturing word relationships.

Pre-trained Language Model:

BERT is pre-trained on massive text corpora (e.g., Wikipedia and BookCorpus) using tasks such as:
Masked Language Model (MLM): Predicts a randomly masked word in a sentence.
Next Sentence Prediction (NSP): Predicts whether a sentence logically follows the previous one.

Fine-tuning for specific tasks:

Once pre-trained, BERT can be fine-tuned for specific NLP tasks. These include sentiment analysis, question answering, named entity recognition, and text classification. This makes BERT very versatile.

Why BERT Matters:

Contextual Understanding: BERT captures the nuances of language, like polysemy and complex sentences.
BERT set new benchmarks for several NLP tasks. It advanced the field.
Open-Source Model: Google released BERT as open source. It allows developers and researchers to use and adapt it for various applications.

Applications of BERT:

Search engines (e.g., Google Search) use BERT to understand user queries better.
Virtual assistants (improve the understanding of conversational input).
Chatbots and customer support systems.
Sentiment and emotion analysis.
Legal, medical, and academic text analysis.
BERT is a key model in NLP. It inspires newer architectures like GPT, RoBERTa, and T5.

MUM (2021): Multitask Unified Model; it improves complex query understanding and integrates multimedia.

Google’s MUM: A Revolutionary AI Model Explained

Google introduced MUM (Multitask Unified Model) in 2021, and it’s a game-changer for search engines. It helps Google handle complex questions in smarter and faster ways. Here’s what makes MUM so special:

Key Features of MUM

1. Multitasking Across Contexts

MUM can work with text, images, video, and audio at the same time.
This makes it super versatile and perfect for answering tricky questions.

2. Deeper Contextual Understanding

Unlike regular search engines, MUM doesn’t just match keywords.
It understands layered and detailed questions, giving you accurate and thoughtful answers.

3. Cross-Language Insights

MUM can take information in one language and apply it to another.
This is great for users who speak multiple languages or don’t use English.

4. Multimodal Capabilities

You can ask a question with an image and text together, and MUM will analyze both.
For example, show a picture of hiking boots and ask, “Will these work for hiking in the Himalayas?”

5. Efficiency in Complex Queries

MUM saves time by answering multi-layered questions in a single search.
Example: If you’re traveling, MUM can suggest what to pack by considering the destination’s climate, culture, and activities.

How MUM is Used

1. Personalized Search Results

It combines multimedia input to give you tailored answers.
Example: Suggesting travel tips, recipes, or products based on your input.

2. Integrated Answers

MUM pulls information from various formats (like text, images, and video) for a complete response.

3. Health and Wellness Queries

MUM can explain complex health topics in multiple languages.
It uses trusted global sources for detailed answers.

Why MUM is Important for SEO and Marketing

1. Create Rich, Multimedia Content

Since MUM understands text, images, and video, marketers should focus on creating diverse content that combines these formats.

2. Reach Global Audiences

Use MUM’s language capabilities to connect with people worldwide.

3. Optimize for Semantic Search

Answer users’ detailed questions instead of just relying on keywords.
Focus on providing content that truly helps solve problems or answer questions.

Example of MUM in Action

Scenario: You’re planning a trip to Japan in winter.
Old Search Model: You might need to search separately for weather, clothing, and activities.
With MUM: You can ask, “What should I pack for a winter trip to Japan?”

MUM will consider the weather, culture, and activities to give you a single, detailed answer.

MUM is making search faster, smarter, and more helpful than ever before. Whether you’re a casual user or a digital marketer, understanding how MUM works can help you make the most of this revolutionary AI tool!

2. Content Quality Updates

Focused on improving the relevance and quality of content

Panda Update (2011): Penalizes low-quality, thin, or duplicate content.

The Panda Update, released by Google in 2011, is a major algorithm update. It aimed to improve search results by penalizing low-quality, thin, or duplicate content. Here’s an overview of what it entails:

What Was the Panda Update’s Purpose?

Google wanted search results to show good-quality websites. The update aimed to push down websites with:

Thin content: Short and unhelpful pages.
Duplicate content: Copy-pasted or repeated stuff.
Low-quality content: Boring, poorly written, or misleading information.

Instead, Google rewarded websites with:

Valuable, original, and well-written content.

What Did Panda Target?

Thin Content:
Pages with very little information, like:
- Short blog posts that don’t explain much.
- Auto-generated content (stuff written by bots).
Duplicate Content:
Pages with the same content copied from other websites or other pages on the same site.
Low-Quality Content:
- Poorly written or confusing content.
- Overly commercial (only trying to sell something, not help users).
- Clickbait (tricky headlines that don’t match the content).

What Was the Impact of Panda?

Lower Rankings: Websites with bad content dropped in Google’s search results.
Penalties: Some websites got punished so badly they almost disappeared from search results.

How to Avoid Panda Penalties (or Fix Them)?

If you want your website to succeed, follow these tips:

Create Awesome Content:
- Write original, interesting, and helpful stuff.
- Make sure it’s well-written and easy to read.
Keep Content Fresh:
- Update your website often with new and useful info.
Fix Duplicate Content:
- Remove or rewrite pages with the same content.
Don’t Cheat:
- Avoid keyword stuffing (repeating the same words over and over).
- Don’t try sneaky tricks to rank higher.
Make Your Website Easy to Use:
- Fast loading.
- Easy to navigate.
- Mobile-friendly.

Why Does Panda Still Matter?

The Panda Update is now part of Google’s main system. It constantly checks websites for quality. If you focus on creating good content and a great user experience, you’ll have better chances to rank higher in search results.

Quick Recap:

Panda = Google saying “Bye-bye!” to bad websites and “Hello!” to helpful ones. Want to stay on Google’s good side? Keep your content awesome!

Helpful Content Update (2022): Prioritizes content created for people over search engines.

Google’s Helpful Content Update (August 2022)

Google’s Helpful Content Update was a big change to how search results work. The goal? To show better content that actually helps people, not just content made to trick search engines.

What is the Helpful Content Update About?

Focus on Helping People
- Write content that answers questions, solves problems, or teaches something new.
- The goal is to help readers, not just rank high on Google.
Punishes Useless Content
- Google lowers the rank of content that:
  - Feels like it’s written only to rank high in search results.
  - Uses too many keywords or is written poorly.
  - Doesn’t actually give value or depth.

How Does Google Decide If Content Is Helpful?

Google checks for these signals:

Does the content add value? It should be more helpful than what’s already online.
Is it written by an expert? It should show real knowledge and experience.
Does it meet search intent? It should match what users are looking for and solve their problems.

Why This Matters

Create Content for People, Not Just Google
- Stop focusing only on keywords or writing just to rank higher.
- Instead, write based on what your audience needs.
Better User Experience Wins
- Google wants websites with helpful, expert, and engaging content to rank higher.
Low-Quality Content Hurts Your Whole Site
- If your site has lots of bad or unhelpful content, Google might lower its ranking across the board.

What This Means for SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Value Matters More Than Volume
- Focus on creating useful, well-researched, and meaningful content.
E-A-T Is Important
- Google now cares about Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T).
- This means your content should come from experts or reliable sources.
Forget Keyword Overload
- SEO strategies that rely too much on keywords or tricks to rank higher will no longer work.

Key Takeaway

The Helpful Content Update tells everyone to create content that is:

Useful
Easy to understand
Authentic
Well-researched

If you do this, your content will rank better, help your audience, and make the internet a better place!

3. Link Quality Algorithms

To combat spammy links and ensure the quality of backlinks

Penguin Update (2012): Targets unnatural link building and spammy backlinks.

What Was the Penguin Update?

The Penguin Update was a major change to Google’s search algorithm on April 24, 2012. Its main goal was to stop websites from using shady tricks like spammy backlinks to rank higher on Google. Here’s a simple breakdown:

1. The Problem with Bad Links

Before Penguin, some websites ranked high by cheating:

They got lots of low-quality backlinks from random sites.
They used tricks like link farms, paid links, and other shady methods.

Google decided to stop this and focus on link quality instead of quantity.

2. What Are Spammy Backlinks?

Spammy backlinks are bad-quality links that don’t help users. Examples include:

Links from irrelevant sites (like a cooking blog linking to a car repair website).
Overusing exact same anchor text (the clickable part of a link).
Participating in link schemes (buying or exchanging links).

If a site had too many of these, it got penalized.

3. SEO Changed After Penguin

After the update, people had to stop bad link-building practices and focus on:

Getting quality backlinks from trusted, relevant websites.
Avoiding any link schemes or shortcuts.

4. Long-Term Penalties

Penguin introduced serious consequences for spammy tactics:

Manual penalties: Sites had to fix their bad backlinks to recover.
Later, Penguin became real-time, meaning fixes could help sites recover faster.

Webmasters had to:

Disavow bad links (tell Google to ignore them).
Build a clean, natural link profile.

5. Good News for Honest Websites

Websites that played fair and earned high-quality backlinks got better rankings.

Google rewarded great content and honest SEO practices.
This helped improve the quality of search results for everyone.

Why It Matters

The Penguin Update taught everyone an important lesson: There’s no shortcut to success in SEO. You have to focus on:

Quality links
Useful content
Ethical practices

It changed how websites compete and made search results better for users

Disavow Tool (2012): Allows webmasters to disavow low-quality links.

The Disavow Tool, introduced by Google in 2012, lets webmasters tell Google to ignore certain backlinks to their sites. This helps with low-quality, spammy, or unnatural backlinks. They could hurt a site’s search rankings.

Here’s how the tool works:

Purpose

Backlinks from harmful sources can hurt your site’s SEO. These sources include link farms, irrelevant sites, and sites that violate Google’s guidelines. Webmasters can use the Disavow Tool to ask Google to ignore certain links when evaluating their site.

How it works

The tool works by submitting a list of URLs or domains that you want Google to ignore. This is typically done by uploading a text file through Google Search Console. After submission, Google will consider the disavowed links when ranking the site. This will reduce the risk of a penalty from an algorithm or manual review.

When to use it

The tool should be used carefully. It’s only for cases where a website has been targeted by spammy links or has many low-quality, unremovable links. For sites with a clean backlink profile, disavowing may not be necessary. This applies if there are only a few suspicious links.

How to Use the Google Disavow Tool: Step-by-Step

Evaluate Your Backlinks:

Use tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Semrush to analyze your backlink profile.
Identify spammy, low-quality, or unnatural links.

Create a List of Links to Disavow:

Compile the domains or specific URLs you want to disavow into a plain text (.txt) file.

Access the Disavow Tool:
- Visit Google Disavow Tool.
- Select the property (website) you want to manage.
Upload Your Disavow File:
- Click “Upload Disavow File” and select your .txt file.
Submit the File:
- Confirm and submit the file.
- Google will process the disavow request, which can take several weeks.
Monitor Results:
- Keep an eye on your backlink profile and search rankings for changes.
- Adjust the disavow file if necessary.

Important Notes:

Use the tool only for harmful backlinks.
Avoid disavowing legitimate links that may positively impact your SEO.

Important considerations:

Incorrect use of the tool can harm a site’s SEO. For example, disavowing good links. Before submitting backlinks for disavowal, audit them thoroughly. Additionally, the disavow process may take time to reflect in search rankings.

In summary, the Disavow Tool helps webmasters. It protects their sites from harmful backlinks. They can cause penalties or lower search rankings.

4. Local SEO Algorithms : Enhances results for location-based queries

What It Did

Google started showing local business results directly in regular search results, even without “near me” or a city name in the query.
Example: Searching “pizza” could show nearby pizzerias based on your location.

Key Features

Local Results in Organic Search: Local businesses now appear alongside regular search results.
Importance of Google My Business (GMB): Businesses with accurate GMB listings rank higher.
Focus on Location: Google uses your location and keywords (e.g., “Dhaka plumber”) to show relevant local results.

Why It Matters

Local businesses gained more visibility.
Searching became more personalized and helpful.

How Businesses Can Benefit

Keep your GMB listing updated (address, phone, website).
Use location-based keywords in content.
Focus on local reviews and backlinks.

This update made finding local businesses easy for everyone, even without adding “near me”!

Pigeon Update (2014): It improves local search by aligning it with core ranking signals. It boosts accuracy and relevance.

The Pigeon Update improved local search results by using Google’s main ranking factors, like content quality, backlinks, and site authority. It made local searches more accurate and useful.

Key Points:

Better Local Results:
- Improved how Google understands user location, showing nearby businesses more accurately.
- Local search results now rely on core SEO factors like content quality and authority.
Local Packs Changed:
- The “map and business listings” (local packs) became less important compared to organic search results.
Impact on Local Directories:
- Sites like Yelp and Yellow Pages saw ranking changes. Businesses relying only on directories lost visibility.

What It Means:
For businesses, focusing on traditional SEO and local SEO became essential to appear in local searches. The update helped users get more relevant and trustworthy results.

Vicinity Update (2021): Focuses on hyperlocal search intent and reduces over-optimized local listings.

Google’s Vicinity Update improved local search results by focusing on two key things:

Hyperlocal Search:
- Google now shows results based on your exact location. For example, if you search “coffee shop,” it prioritizes the closest one instead of just showing popular options nearby.
Reducing Spam:
- The update targets fake reviews and keyword-stuffed listings. Authentic businesses with real user signals rank better.

Key Points About the Vicinity Update

Proximity Matters More: Businesses closer to the searcher now rank higher, even if they’re less popular.
Hyperlocal Focus: Local relevance is key. Businesses must connect with their community, not just rely on SEO.
Avoid Over-Optimization: Use real content, genuine reviews, and avoid spammy SEO tactics.
For Agencies: Ensure clients’ Google Business Profiles (GBP) have accurate, location-specific info.

This update makes local SEO more about being truly local!

5. Mobile and Speed Optimization:

Improves the user experience on mobile devices and page speed.

Mobile-Friendly Update (2015): Boosts rankings for mobile-friendly pages in mobile search results.

The Mobile-Friendly Update, or “Mobilegeddon,” was a major Google algorithm update. It was released on April 21, 2015. The update aimed to improve mobile search. It boosted rankings for mobile-friendly websites. The goal was to prioritize mobile-optimized websites in search results on mobile devices.

Key Aspects:

Mobile-Friendly Ranking Factor:
- Websites that were mobile-friendly received a ranking boost in mobile search results.
- Criteria for mobile-friendly sites:
  - Responsive design (adjusts to screen sizes).
  - Touch-friendly interfaces.
  - Fast loading times.
  - No intrusive pop-ups.
Impact on Mobile Search:
- Websites that weren’t mobile-friendly saw a drop in rankings in mobile searches.
- The update pushed businesses to prioritize mobile optimization for better search visibility.
Mobile Usability Factors: Google focused on the following factors to assess mobile-friendliness:
- Responsive Design: Sites that adjust to different screen sizes.
- Readable Text: Avoiding zooming for easy readability.
- Accessible Navigation: Ensuring clickable buttons and links.
- Optimized Images: Images that load quickly.
- No interstitials: avoiding pop-ups that hinder usability.
Mobile-First Indexing:
- After this update, Google began ranking sites based on their mobile versions, even for desktop searches.

Why It Matters:

Increasing mobile usage:
- Mobile users quickly surpassed desktop users. So, Google pushed for mobile-friendly sites.
SEO Implications:
- Websites not optimized for mobile were penalized. Their search rankings and traffic fell.
- Businesses were forced to invest in mobile optimization to maintain visibility.
Turning Point in SEO:
- The Mobile-Friendly Update changed how Google ranked websites. It made mobile optimization key to success.

Page Experience Update (2021)

Key Aspects:

Introduction of Core Web Vitals:
- Google integrated Core Web Vitals into ranking signals to measure user experience.
- Core Web Vitals focus on three main aspects of performance:
  - Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures loading performance.
    - Good LCP score: Under 2.5 seconds.
  - First Input Delay (FID): Measures interactivity.
    - Good FID score: Under 100 milliseconds.
  - Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability.
    - Good CLS score: Under 0.1.
Other Page Experience Signals:
- Mobile-Friendliness: Mobile optimization remains crucial.
- HTTPS Security: Sites must be secure with HTTPS.
- Intrusive interstitials: Avoid pop-ups that disrupt the user experience.

Why It Matters:

Google’s Goal:
- Google wants to reward websites that offer a better user experience.
- Sites with better scores for Core Web Vitals are more likely to rank higher. So are those with better experience signals.
SEO Implications:
- Businesses must optimize for Core Web Vitals to maintain or improve search rankings.
- Websites with a poor user experience risk losing visibility. Slow loading, poor interactivity, and layout shifts can cause this.
Competitive Advantage:
- In competitive industries, you must optimize for Core Web Vitals to rank well in search.

Conclusion:

The Mobile-Friendly Update and the Page Experience Update both stress good UX in SEO.
To rank higher in Google, businesses must optimize for mobile. They need fast loading times, smooth interactivity, and stable layouts.

6. Spam-Related Algorithms

Prevents spammy and low-quality results from ranking:

EMD Update (2012): It lowers rankings for spammy, exact-match keyword domains.

What is the Exact Match Domain (EMD) update?

In 2012, Google launched the EMD Update. It aimed to lower the rankings of low-quality, spammy sites. This update targeted sites that used Exact Match Domains to rank higher in searches. An Exact Match Domain is a domain name that exactly matches a keyword or search query you want to rank for. For example: bestroofingservices.com (for the keyword “best roofing services”)

Why was the EMD update needed?

Before the update, Exact Match Domains often ranked better. This was despite poor content and unethical SEO tactics, like keyword stuffing and link schemes. Some website owners registered Exact Match Domains. They had little relevance to their site’s content. These sites prioritized keyword optimization over providing quality, relevant info for users.

How did the EMD update change the rankings?

After the EMD Update, Google de-emphasized the role of Exact Match Domains in rankings. Instead, content quality, user experience, and backlinks became more important ranking factors. An Exact Match Domain could still be valuable. But, it no longer guaranteed high rankings.

Key Takeaways:

EMD Update Targeted Low-Quality Sites: The update lowered rankings for spammy, exact-match domains.
Focus on content and SEO best practices: Google wants sites to have high-quality, relevant content and to use ethical SEO.
Improve SEO Strategy: Websites with Exact Match Domains must improve their SEO and content to maintain or boost rankings.

Conclusion:

The EMD Update shifted the focus of SEO from domain names to content quality and user experience. It was a reminder that a domain name alone is no longer enough for high rankings. Digital marketers and website owners must provide valuable, relevant content. They must also use ethical SEO practices to succeed.

SpamBrain (2022): AI-based system to tackle spam behavior.

SpamBrain: Google’s AI system for fighting spam in search results.

SpamBrain is an AI system introduced by Google in 2022 to combat spam and bad behavior in search results. It uses machine learning and NLP to detect spammy content. This improves search results and users’ experiences. Below is an overview of how SpamBrain works and why it matters:

1. AI and Machine Learning

Advanced AI: SpamBrain uses advanced AI to find patterns. It detects spammy content that violates Google’s guidelines.
Continuous Learning: The system improves by analyzing vast amounts of data. It gets better at spotting legitimate content and spam.

2. Spam Behavior Detection

Behavior-Based Detection: Unlike older filters with static rules, SpamBrain studies spammy behavior patterns.
It checks for clickbait, link schemes, hidden text, and content scraping.

3. Impact on Search Results

Improving Quality: SpamBrain filters out low-quality, misleading, or irrelevant content. This helps provide users with better, more relevant search results.
Better SERPs: The system increases the chances of showing useful, high-quality content in search results.

4. Real-Time Detection

Immediate Action: SpamBrain works in real time to detect spam as soon as it emerges.
Adapts to New Spam: It can learn and adapt to new, previously unseen spam tactics, helping Google stay ahead of spammers.

5. Natural Language Understanding

NLP for Context: SpamBrain uses NLP to analyze content. It looks beyond basic tactics, like keyword stuffing or link tricks.
It can find clickbait. It detects sensationalized headlines, exaggerated claims, and poor grammar.

6. Impact on SEO and website owners.

Penalties for Spam: SpamBrain’s better detection may penalize sites for spam. This includes cloaking, low-quality backlinks, and keyword stuffing.
Focus on Quality: Website owners must create high-quality, useful content. It must follow Google’s SEO guidelines to avoid penalties.

7. Long-Term Benefits

A Cleaner, Trustworthy Web: In time, SpamBrain should make the Internet better. It will weaken unethical SEO practices.
Level Playing Field: For legit sites, rankings will depend on content quality and user experience, not on spammy tactics.

Conclusion

SpamBrain represents a significant step forward in AI-based spam detection. It improves search results. This aligns with Google’s goal to prioritize user experience. It reminds SEO pros and website owners to create valuable, high-quality content. They should also follow SEO best practices. Spammy tactics are no longer a reliable way to rank; the focus should be on delivering real value to users.

7. E-A-T and YMYL Guidelines

The Medic Update (2018): What It Means for Websites

In 2018, Google made a big change to how it ranks websites. This update, called the Medic Update, mainly impacted websites that give advice on health, money, and law. These topics are called “Your Money, Your Life” (YMYL) because they can directly affect people’s health, safety, and finances.

What Is E-A-T?

E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s how Google decides whether a website’s content is reliable or not, especially for YMYL topics.

Expertise: The content should come from experts in the field. For example, health advice should be written by doctors or healthcare professionals.
Authoritativeness: The website and its authors should be seen as credible and well-known in their industry.
Trustworthiness: The website must be reliable, with accurate information that users can count on.

Impact on YMYL Websites

YMYL websites are those that give advice on things like health, money, and law. Google made these websites follow higher standards because bad or incorrect advice could harm people’s lives.

Health: Health websites need to have doctors or medical experts creating and reviewing the content.
Finance: Financial websites must have reliable experts and trustworthy sources.
Law: Legal websites should have experienced lawyers or legal professionals contributing to the content.

If a website doesn’t meet Google’s E-A-T standards, it could get lower rankings in search results.

Content Quality and Author Credentials

Google wants content to be high-quality and credible. For YMYL topics, the advice must be accurate and trustworthy. For example:

Health articles must be written or reviewed by doctors or trusted medical sources.
Financial advice should come from experts in the field, like certified financial planners or well-known financial websites.

Websites with low-quality or untrustworthy content will likely see a drop in search rankings.

Reviews and Reputation

Google also looks at what people are saying about a website. If a site has good reviews or mentions from trusted sources, it helps boost its reputation.

User Reviews: Positive feedback from users can help.
Backlinks: Links from other trusted websites (like well-known news outlets or medical organizations) also improve trust.
Mentions: Being mentioned on respected platforms shows credibility.

Why Is It Important?

The Medic Update helps ensure that websites giving advice on important topics like health, money, or law are accurate and reliable. Google wants to make sure that users get the best, most trustworthy information to protect their well-being, safety, and finances.

Summary: The Medic Update means that websites offering advice on sensitive topics (like health, money, and law) need to show they are experts, trustworthy, and reliable. Websites that don’t meet these standards could lose their place on Google search results. So, if you have a website offering advice in these areas, it’s important to make sure the content is from trusted experts and is high-quality!

8. Visual and Multimedia Search

Enhances search results with visual and multimedia content:

Google Images Update (2018): Improves relevance and user experience in image search

The 2018 Google Images Update: What Changed?

In 2018, Google made some important changes to how Google Images works. These changes helped users find what they wanted faster and more accurately. Let’s break it down:

1. More Relevant Results

Google got better at understanding your search and showing the right images. For example, if you search for “red apples,” you’ll now see images of red apples, not random or unrelated pictures.

2. Focus on User Experience

The update made Google Images easier to use. It helped people find the best images without scrolling endlessly or getting lost in too many results. The goal was to make searching for images quicker and more efficient.

3. Better Understanding of Context

Google now understands more about the context of an image. It doesn’t just know what’s in the image, but also where it came from and why it’s relevant. For example, if you search for “soccer game,” you might see images from a recent soccer match, maybe from a sports blog.

4. No More Right-Click to Visit

Before the update, you could right-click on an image in Google Images and visit the website it came from. After the update, that feature was removed. Now, images show up without a direct link to the original page. This made people click through to the website to see the image and learn more.

Why Does This Matter?

Website owners and marketers needed to make sure their images were high quality and properly tagged. With this update, it became easier for good images to show up in Google Image search results, helping websites get noticed by the right people.

Bonus: Google Lens (2017)

Google Lens is like a smart camera that helps you search using pictures instead of words. For example:

You can take a photo of a flower, and Google Lens will tell you what kind of flower it is.
You can snap a picture of a book, and it will give you information or reviews about it.

It makes your phone super powerful, turning the world around you into a search engine just by using your camera!

In short, Google’s 2018 update improved image searches. Google Lens took it further by letting you search with pictures instead of text. Cool, right?

9. E-Commerce and Product Reviews

Improves product-related search results

Product Reviews Update (2021): It rewards in-depth, authentic product reviews. It penalizes thin, low-value ones.

Google’s Algorithm Updates for Better Reviews and Fresh Content

1. Product Reviews Update (2021) – What You Need to Know

Google made a change to how it ranks product reviews. It rewards high-quality, detailed reviews. Here’s how to do well with this update:

Focus on In-Depth Reviews: Google likes detailed, thorough reviews. Don’t just write a few sentences; explain things well.
Be original: Write personal and unique reviews. Avoid copying or using generic phrases.
Go Beyond Features: Instead of just listing features, talk about how the product works in real life. Share your experiences, pros, and cons.
Offer Real Value: Short, surface-level reviews won’t do well. Make sure your review helps the reader make a better decision.
Help Consumers: The goal is to provide users with honest reviews. This will help them make informed purchases.
Expertise is key: Google wants reviews from trustworthy and knowledgeable sources. If you are an expert, your review will rank better.

2. Freshness and Real-Time Search – Keeping Results Up to Date

Google wants to make sure search results are relevant and fresh. Two updates focus on this:

Caffeine Update (2010): This update made Google faster at finding new content. It helps Google keep up with the latest information.
- Before this update, Google took time to index pages. Now, it works more quickly and continuously.
- It doesn’t change website rankings. But, it helps Google manage larger, complex sites.
- This made it easier for Google to find and show fresh content more quickly.
Freshness Update (2011): This update prioritizes new content for time-sensitive searches.
- Searching for “latest tech trends” will show the newest articles on Google, not old ones.
- It helps with searches for news, events, sports, and anything that changes often.
- Websites that frequently update their content, like news sites, are rewarded.

These updates aim to give you the most relevant, fresh results when you search!

Ready to boost your website’s ranking? Contact PEAKONTECH today for expert SEO services and stay ahead with the latest Google Algorithm Updates!