SEO is the holy mecca for gaining website visibility and getting your content out into the world of Google. But, how does a digital marketing agency, or any business with an online model for that matter, adjust to algorithm updates?
Google continues to switch up, ship out, and update their SEO algorithms on a regular basis. Algorithms are the science and calculations that tell a computer what to do, and these algorithms give outputs, often different, for each input a user puts in. SEO comes into play when a user searches with keywords; the algorithm creates relevant outputs (results) based on user input (search terms).
For example, if you were to search “Digital Marketing Agency Chicago,” our website is the first result. The higher the result, the more relevant Google thinks the result is to your search. In order to be ranked highly in SEO, your website must fulfill the needs of users, based on their search. To get the most out of this, your approach and strategy needs to be two steps ahead.
Keeping your SEO strategy strong sounds straightforward: keep an eye on your keyword ranking, and use the algorithm to your advantage. All simple, until Google hits you with an algorithm update. There have been a multitude of updates to Google’s SEO algorithms, and they have all made the process smarter and more efficient than before. Some examples of past Google SEO updates include:
Panda – Ranking sites on quality, and filtering high quality sites from platforms that might be of lower quality.
Penguin – aimed to examine links that may be purchased + examine links used by and going to websites.
Hummingbird – examined users search queries and aimed to better understand what users really meant when using certain keywords.
Recently however, Google has been under scrutiny because their algorithms and updates are often kept under wraps and hidden from the public until post-launch. According to a recent Forbes article, “German chancellor Angela Merkel’s main argument is that, ‘Transparency is vitally important to maintaining a balanced society; after all, our daily searches shape our behavior in subtle and blatant ways, and not knowing the mechanisms that influence that behavior can leave us in the dark’”.
The key takeaway is to always stay up-to-date on the current algorithm. Given that Google usually only announces new algorithm changes after it is already active within the platform, it is important as a business to be able to change and adapt your strategy based on these updates in a timely manner. SEO is the perfect avenue to getting your website and business in front of people, and ensuring you adapt to any changes promptly is the key to a successful transition.
Need help refining your SEO strategy or creating an adaptable strategy to ensure smooth transition with a Google algorithm update? A digital marketing agency like Mabbly can help! Contact us today.
