Created under everyone’s noses, Google released their newest algorithm update with Hummingbird. While officially announced at their 15th birthday on September 26th, Google had been using Hummingbird without anyone’s knowledge for about a month before that. Though many now claim to have figured out the algorithm had occurred before Google’s announcement, others are confident that no one should have known. If you were “correctly” marketing your business online, you should have seen no difference in the numbers during that month or so. If you did see a negative impact or are just curious to stay on top of your game, here are some important factors that have been found to please the bots of Google’s search engine results.
Mobile
Mobile-based searches account for nearly a quarter of all internet searches. If your business has not optimized your website and content for mobile, you are behind in your marketing strategy. Google believes that since so many people own mobile devices and use it to search, that it is clearly an important factor. With this update, Google created their search landing page to be “cleaner and simpler, optimized for touch.” Another part of the update is an improvement on their mobile voice search tool, more commonly called Siri. They believe that Siri is a great tool that will be even more wanted and useful in the future.
Natural Language
Because of the belief that Siri should become more of an electronic assistant for all your inquiries, Google has been working on improving all search platforms to have more natural, human-like features. They have created a search that takes on a more natural language by better understanding an entire query and not just its keyword parts. As proof of their confidence, Google has recently stopped reporting keywords in Google Analytics, ensuring that owners and marketers stop creating content only based on a few specific keywords. Search will also be able to better understand longer and more complex queries in order to deliver better results.
In its mission to become more human-like, Google is also working to have search understand the intent behind the consumer’s query (already used with Google Now), refining the results by that person’s personal data, and by understanding the concepts and the relationship between concepts. Another large update is the retention of information. Google will be able to remember previous searches consumers have made so they can answer any future questions more accurately.
Content
Since Google is ditching the concept of keywords, content writing has begun to take on a different form. In progress for some time already, the importance of content writing has shifted from featuring keywords to creating content that entertains the consumer and can answer any questions they may have. In order to answer accurately through your content, you must know the questions your customers are most likely to ask. The better you can meet the needs of your audience, the higher ranking you are likely to get. Though some may see this as giving too much to customers without the promise of return, I believe that the more you can help someone for free, the more they can trust you, and are more likely to use your business in the end.
Gaining authority on the internet is a difficult task though. With this update, Google is putting greater importance on having relevance and trust in your content. Having links and references from reputable sites is still appropriate but another way to gain authority is to work with Google Authorship. This links your content to your Google + page, seen as your personal online identity. Authors become more respected by Google search, especially if they are shared by others with good authority, and gain advantages to other content writing.
Social
Though not confirmed yet, it is speculated that Google and other search engines and beginning to look at social signals to find this relevant and authoritative content. The focus for all businesses on social networks should be on social engagement, reputation, authority, and proof. Again it is more important for those of good authority to share your content then to get a specific number of like and shares from your content.
Of course because it is Google search, one of the best ways to increase the results your business online is to make profiles and active on all Google platforms. With a simple Google + profile, you can create your Google Authorship, become active in Google + communities, help answer questions, and more easily spread your fresh, original, and helpful content in order in increase your Google reputation.