On 27th September 2013 which was
Google’s official birthday, the Internet giant announced a new search engine
algorithm which is here to change the way people search. After giving out
Google Penguin and Google Panda, which were similar updates to the search
algorithm, Hummingbird comes as a major change in strategy in Google’s
searching ways and like the hummingbird it is known for its speed and accuracy.
The Hummingbird is of special concern for SEO handlers of various websites, as
a change in the search algorithm changes website ranking along with several
other things.
Let’s have a look at some of the major
changes that Google has rolled out-
The
Meaning Matters
The meaning of words and phrases in tandem
with each other, become more important rather than their specific individual
meaning. The keywords take a backseat and long-tailed queries become the front
runner in the present scenario of searching. The answers to the queries will be
more in regards to the whole context of the query rather than specific word
citings from different sources.
To put it in a gist, Google will now
comprehend the question in tonality and give us relevant answers.
Making Content The King
Google has always sought answers from the
searcher point of view and Hummingbird too, aids searches and not websites.
Websites would find a way on Google search lists based on genuine, original and
authentic content, nothing more and certainly nothing less. The SEO strategy of a website does not take a
beating, if only it is surrounded by rich content. This is something which
defines Google’s Hummingbird for SEO strategists around the world.
Smartphone Friendly
The Hummingbird puts in critical view the
mobile-friendliness of the site. After content, this is of major concern to the
new update. The lighter the mobile interface of the site, the better the
rankings. The boom in the smartphone industry during the year has made Google
pause and look at the potential that smartphones hold. In order to make a
better impact on to a growing sector, websites now need interfaces which are
mobile friendly to get a better ranking by Google.
Lighter
Interface
Page ranks according to the latest
Hummingbird update shall also be based on the interface heaviness. If the
interface is comparatively lighter, i.e if the loading time is low, then the
website has more chances of garnering traffic through higher page ranking.
Websites which are too heavy to load have a slim chance of appearing in the
high ranking, according to the latest update.
An amalgamation of the basic factors as
mentioned above makes for a great site according to Google and has higher
potential to be the frontrunners for queries relating to their subject matter.
