If you have ever gone onto Google to find something (haven’t we all?), you probably noticed that the search engine gives you results pretty instantly—even for the least ‘basic’ of queries. On the other side of that speed and accuracy is no small feat—Google’s Algorithm. Consequently, if you are a business owner, a marketer or an SEO professional, knowing what this is combines to build a robust digital presence for your business.
However, when we say algorithm, that is often dominated by “robots” and “codes.” It is, instead, about connecting people to information at the right time. So let’s first humanize the algorithm so that you may better understand what is an algorithm and its importance and what it means for your business.
What Exactly is Google’s Algorithm?
The algorithm is like an actual librarian in the largest library in the World. Every time a person asks the librarian about a question (types a search query), the librarian is filtering through billions of books (web pages), making recommendations for the book that they simply think best addresses that person’s question.
And this “librarian” is not just guessing or picking a random book. The librarian is weighing hundreds of ranking factors that reflect experience, relevance, trust, etc. For example, the factors look at things such as:
Relevance: Is this page even really answering my question?
Credibility: Is this content well-organized or thoughtful?
A Briefly Described Google Algorithm Updates
Google does not use the same algorithm it did years ago, and it is always changing to provide better results. These are the most important updates:
- Panda (2011) - Put emphasis on content quality and rewarded or punished search results for duplicate or "thin" content.
- Penguin (2012) - Targeted link-building practices that were spammy.
- Hummingbird (2013) - Introduced semantic search and improved Google's understanding of intent behind searches.
- Mobile-Friendly Update (2015) - Penalized websites that were not optimized for mobile devices.
- RankBrain (2015) - Added machine learning to better understand user search queries.
- BERT (2019) - Improved Google’s understanding of natural language, especially for conversational style queries.
· Helpful Content Update (2022) - Gave rewards to content that was created for humans as opposed to search engines.
Why Does Google Algorithm Matter for Your Business?
For businesses, ranking on Google is not only important for visibility, it is also important for credibility, leads, and growth. For example, say you own a bakery in Delhi. If someone searches for "best bakery near me," if your website is ranking on page one, your chances of someone coming through the door is greatly improved.
On the other hand, if you are ranking on page 5, your website will have close to no visibility anymore on search results. That’s the power of the algorithm
The Human Aspect of SEO
It's effortless to get so caught up in the nitty-gritty of SEO - Think keywords, backlinks, meta tags, etc. But the reality is that Google's algorithm was created for humans. This means:
- Write content that answers real questions that your audience is asking.
- Share insights, tips and solutions to this in basic, engaging ways.
- Make your site fast, secure and easy to use.
- After you have folks at the forefront of what you're doing, you'll easily align with what Google wants too.
- Best Practices to Keep Google Happy
Here's how you can keep the algorithm working on your behalf:
1. Quality Content
Instead of worrying about adding a ton of keywords to content, write blogs, guidance and articles that help solve problems. If you were a digital marketing company, you might write a piece on "how businesses can enhance their online visibility through a step-by-step (3,5 or 10), guide.
2. User Experience
A good website is mobile and user-friendly, but it also needs to be fast. Users will not stay on a website - especially a mobile one - that is sluggish to load. If visitors are struggling to find what they need, they will lose patience and leave. Google is very aware of this.
3. Relevant Backlinks
Getting relevant websites to link back to yours tells Google that you are an authoritative site in their eyes. A backlink from a trusted website is essentially a vote of confidence for your site.
4. Stay current with updates
Google releases hundreds of endorsement updates each year - I believe it is something like 321 a year. These updates are, of course, normal.
Common Myths Surrounding Google's Algorithm
Let’s set the record straight on a few truths that are often misunderstood by many business owners:
Truth #1: SEO is only
about keywords.
Fact: Keywords are important, but user intent, quality of content, and authority on the domain are even more important.
Truth #2: Buying
backlinks will increase your ranking.
Fact: Spammy backlinks or those that are paid can get you in trouble with your site getting penalized. Focus on earning links from amazing content you generate.
Truth #3: After you
rank, expect to maintain the ranking situation for eternity.
Fact: SEO is an ongoing process, since the digital landscape is dynamic, so your ranking placement can change as a result of competitors’ activities, new content, or updates that may impact your ranking.
The Future of Google’s Algorithm
Google is venturing more towards AI driven search. Tools like the Search Generative Experience (SGE) are making it much more of a conversational experience in addition to personalized results. The future world of SEO will be more voice, mobile-optimized, and intent-based search.
In conclusion, businesses that start with human, helpful content will always stay within the expected SEO future.
Final Thoughts
SEO and Google’s algorithm is nothing to be afraid of; rather it is something to try and understand. The algorithm, is built to reward businesses that are truly trying to help an audience. As long as you create helpful content, deliver a seamless experience on your site, and learn about updates when they happen you will stay on a practical and feasible path.
Last but not least, always remember that SEO is not about trying to trick google.
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