How Google Hummingbird Will Affect SEO

With everything from Penguin to Panda to Hummingbird updates, Google is starting to sound more like a zoo than a search engine! The most recently introduced update is Hummingbird and it has changed the way that Google operates focusing on the more important keywords in human related search queries. Although it only has only had a direct influence on 2% of search rankings, it’s important to try and understand the details of this algorithm as there are a number of clear implications for the future of content marketing and SEO.

What is a Search Algorithm?

A search algorithm is an algorithm that can be used to find a specific item with certain properties among a collection of similar items. In terms of Google, these items are websites that are indexed by the search engine.

The Google Algorithm is incredibly important to the way that the search engine works, as it creates a formula for how to display the Google results and where your website will be placed which can determine how much traffic it gets. Google are continually updating their algorithm and introducing new changes to make searches better for the users and produce more direct and relevant results. SEO is the art of optimising a website according to Google’s algorithm in order to obtain the highest rankings for search queries that are relevant to that business or website.

What is the Hummingbird Algorithm?

The new Hummingbird Algorithm is the biggest change to the Google algorithm since it was launched in September 2013. Most users will not notice any difference to their search results. However, the algorithm has been developed in order to improve the sophistication of the web search as users are starting to make more complex queries.

How Will the Hummingbird Algorithm Affect SEO?

There are a number of ways that the Hummingbird Algorithm will affect search engine optimisation.

• Google is putting more focus on the important keywords in human related search queries e.g. best Italian restaurant in hong kong my dear, “my dear” isn’t relevant to the search query and Google’s algorithm can now recognise this. This may affect businesses targeting long tail keyword phrases.
• Google search is adapting to the fact that 50% of people are searching on a mobile device. The new algorithm is making searches simpler, cleaner and more optimised for touch screen. Google’s rankings are affected on smartphone and tablets if websites are not optimised to these devices.
• Google are also much smarter at finding authority sites, so if your business is considered to be trusted and you are a specialist in your field it is encouraged that you produce content so you can be considered a resource in your business domain. Also related to the Google Penguin update with a focus on removing spam, content produced needs to be quality and educate the readers, and links need to be made with quality and relevant sites.
• Another change to the algorithm is that many people are using more natural language to make searches, especially when making a voice search. This means that people are not just looking for a key word, but rather for an answer to a question. Content being produced can be focused on “Who”, “What”, “Where”, “When”, “Why” to educate the reader and provide answers to search queries.
• The idea of the “Semantic Search” means that Google can provide more accurate search results by understanding refining results based on intent and location and other data known about the searcher.
• In the future, search engines will be able to understand concepts rather than just words. This means that semantic analysis and high quality in-depth content will be much more important than just words for marketers.

These are just a few of the ways that Google’s Hummingbird and other recent updates will affect SEO in the future, so that you can prepare and optimise your strategy.

To find out more on Google’s Hummingbird, SEO and the future of search in 2014, check out this video from Matt Cutts giving one of his most recent keynote speeches: