A Compilation Of Google Algorithm Updates For User Experience

Today, adapting to search engine algorithm updates has become a big part of improving Google SEO rankings. Online businesses continuously look for core algorithmic updates, SERP format changes, new features and products, and more to get ahead of their competitors. These Google SEO algorithms focus on targeting and penalising spam, low-quality content, and unreliable links. Sometimes, they are designed simply to give the search engine a better understanding of customer intent and behaviour.

Below is a list of some of the top Google updates that have been used by the search engine to focus on giving users a better experience online.

Google Panda

In February 2011, Google launched Panda, which targeted websites that contain poor content. With Panda in place, more webmasters shifted their focus on creating quality content to enhance user experience.

Website owners were greatly encouraged to create webpages that contain high-quality information about a certain product or service. Moreover, it focused on quality instead of quantity. The length of the content, was not a huge factor for Panda, but webpages needed to contain enough information to answer searcher queries. Lastly, it prevented ecommerce websites from using duplicate content to artificially improve their Google SEO ranking.

Google Hummingbird

Google Hummingbird focused more on semantic search, helping the search engine to understand human search intent. At the time, searchers were typing in queries in a more conversational manner. Therefore, it was crucial to optimise user experience by providing content with long-tail keywords.

After Hummingbird was launched, the SEO community speculated that Google was using Natural Language Processing (NLP) to distinguish black hat techniques and create personalised rankings in the search engine results pages (SERPs). It also focused on penalising SEOs who stuff keywords into their content to manipulate their SERP rankings.

E-A-T

E-A-T, which means Expertise, Authority, and Trust, was one of the most famous Google system algorithms since it first appeared in 2014. Today, it is now a part of Google’s guidelines on your money or your life (YMYL).

This algorithm advised marketers to create content that impacts a reader’s future happiness, safety, financial stability, or health. Because of Google’s E-A-T guidelines, they were able to enhance user experience by providing them with quality content from trustworthy sources. Therefore, articles must include information from reputable websites, reviews and testimonials, as well as content written by expert authors.

Mobile Update

The Mobile Update Google algorithm focused more on a user’s experience on mobile devices. This algorithm was launched due to the increasing number of searchers that use their mobile gadgets to type in queries.

This new updated forced the Google SEO community to improve their websites, making them friendlier for mobile devices. Some of the factors that were involved in this Google algorithm are site navigation, mobile optimisation, as well as design factors, such as mobile page structures and responsive designs.

Shortly after the Mobile Update, a Quality update was quietly issued, pushing webmasters to avoid putting irrelevant and user-generated content on their sites. It also prevented them from putting too many advertisements, which was a sign that Google was prioritising user experience.

Recently, Google has given SEOs more time to prepare for algorithmic changes. In May 2020, the search engine giant released a public statement, saying that they will give at least six months of notice before algorithmic updates are rolled out.

Warnings from Google are not only limited to algorithm system updates. They also typically warn the SEO community about changes to their set of guidelines, features, SERP layouts, and more. It is advisable to work with a professional SEO agency to be well-prepared for the coming changes in Google algorithms.

Here at Position1SEO, our team of experts is highly knowledgeable about the newly updated Google algorithm systems. When you work with us, you can be sure that our methods and strategies meet the highest standards in the SEO industry.

If you are interested in our offers, email us at office@position1seo.co.uk or call 0141 404 7515.