Ever since Google introduced the Hummingbird algorithm in
September 2013, the definition of search has changed forever. Because Google
enjoys a considerably high share of search traffic, it is only obvious that any
change it brings about will be conspicuous to everyone. This time, the change
is rather huge and it aims at changing the searching experience forever.
What’s different now?
Till now, searches were very keyword focused. Short-tailed
and to-the-point searches were supposed to be better and expected to return
better results. Google, however, has rubbished all such claims with its latest
algorithm. It aims at making searches more conversational rather than robotic.
This way, searching will seem like just another conversation and will return
better results. The reason behind this is quite justified, actually. If people
type in the name of a technology or a product, then three things will rank
under the same website –
- the one who manufactures the product,
- the one who provides services related to the product,
- and the one who offers guidance or knowledge regarding the product.
This leaves the user with lesser relevant result. This means
that the searches will now be more long-tailed and the results will be more
specific and relevant. This will also wipe off unfair competition by the big
fish.
How to keep flying with the Hummingbird?
To keep pace with the change, the content of a website needs
to change accordingly. Now that the searches will be more conversational rather
than keyword-specific, paying attention on stuffing in keywords here and there
has been rendered useless. The whole sentence along with the keywords should
make grammatical sense. Google’s emphasis on good, fresh and informative
content has been reiterated with the introduction of this algorithm and so has
the overall user-friendliness or usability of the website. The whole SEO
process does not change, though. It is still down to good content and good link
building. However, a few things have certainly gained tremendously more
importance. Keep in mind the following things when optimizing your website for
Google:
