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What is the Google algorithm?

We must say that all these prioritizations are under Google algorithms! Google algorithm is what determines how this search engine works. These algorithms are of different types and are constantly being updated, as Google claims to update its search algorithms several thousand times a year! In this article, in addition to introducing the Google algorithm and examining its different types, we will discuss the effect of the Google update algorithm on the site’s SEO.

What is the Google algorithm?

Google’s algorithm is a mathematical system that shows users how to get the best ranking in this search engine. Let’s look at a simple example in everyday life. Consider a location that has different access routes. All these routes end at the desired location, but the important thing is the time each of these routes needs to reach that location. Consider the same issue in our main discussion, the Google algorithm, access paths are algorithms used to provide the best results to users.

When you search for a term in Google, this search engine uses a specific process called an algorithm to provide results. Finding the best results among the thousands of websites created by Google requires a complex and powerful algorithm. For this reason, various algorithms have been created in this search engine; each has been updated many times.

How does the Google algorithm work?

To learn about Google’s algorithms, you should remember that these algorithms are not public information! The performance of some of them is so complex that they include more than 200 different factors. This makes even the most professional web admins unable to be familiar with all the ranking factors of a Google algorithm. In addition, these algorithms are constantly being updated, so you need to stay up-to-date to keep up with them.

What happens to websites when the Google algorithm is updated?

The experience of updating the Google algorithm can be very stressful for websites at times; when websites receive low traffic and keyword rankings change.

 

The Google algorithm update period is usually between a few days and one or two weeks. Google’s official Twitter page publishes news about these updates, so don’t rely on hearsay to learn about Google’s algorithms. In many cases, updating the Google algorithm in a short period leads to the loss of traffic and website ranking. Still, you should know that these updates are useful for high-quality SEO sites after a while.

Familiarity with Google algorithms

Several websites and Google pages are added daily, and this search engine needs more complex algorithms to find the best results related to users’ searches. Due to this issue, various algorithms have been created in Google over time. You will read a list of the most important algorithms below. Note that despitld algorithms are still used and have not been used.

Pand despite the production of new algorithmsa

The Panda algorithm was released on February 24, 2011, with the initial name Farmer, but after a short time, the official name Panda was considered for it. This name refers to the name of the engineer who created this algorithm.

In fact, at the time of the release of this algorithm, user complaints about sites with poor-quality content were increasing. As a result, Google created this algorithm to be an answer to these complaints.

This algorithm focuses on sites with poor content. For example, Panda fights against pages that publish content from other sites under their name. To satisfy this algorithm, your content must be of suitable volume and quality, not over-optimized. The site content must match the user’s query (searched phrase), and reliable and definitive sources must be used to provide the content.

Various tests can be mentioned about how this algorithm works. For example, it receives answers to questions similar to the following from the user in different forms:

  • Do you trust the information presented in this article?
  • Are you okay with providing your credit card information to this site?
  • Does this article have spelling or content errors?

Penguin

The Penguin algorithm was published in April 2012, but despite the passage of several years, it is still used as one of the main Google algorithms. The main goal of this algorithm is to fight against websites that have reached high rankings through illegal methods and by violating Google’s rules.

Among these illegal activities, we can point out the excessive repetition of keywords, the use of spam methods, and illegal links. Unlike the Panda algorithm, Penguin applies its real-world effects on websites.

Regarding the impact of Google’s algorithms on SEO, keep in mind that according to Google statistics, when Penguin was first launched in April 2012, it influenced more than 3% of search results. Similarly, in the fourth Google algorithm update for Penguin in May 2013, approximately 2.3% of all websites were affected.

hummingbird

When Google realized users were eager to get more accurate and relevant results for their search terms, it introduced Hummingbird in its Google algorithm update in 2013.

Although this algorithm has made minor changes compared to the previous options, its impact on SEO sites cannot be denied. This algorithm alone has influenced 90% of the search results. Due to the performance of this algorithm to increase the accuracy and speed of Google, they chose its name Hummingbird.

In the old algorithm, Google tried to prioritize a page containing all the words of a search term in ranking pages, but in this new algorithm, Google ignored some specific words to rank sites more accurately. Observing the following points will help you to satisfy the hummingbird algorithm well:

  • Optimizing all keywords (using synonyms, synonyms, and related phrases)
  • Optimization of anchor texts
  • Creating diversity in the number of characters in articles
  • Using images in articles
  • Using Schema markup codes

pigeon

The Google Pigeon algorithm was introduced in 2014, focusing mainly on local searches. In finding results for users, this algorithm provides the best pages according to their geographical location. Consequently, using this Google algorithm will greatly increase your sales and branding if you have a local business.

The pigeon algorithm combines Google suggestion algorithms, knowledge graphs, language record ignition, aandandenot the hehemmingbirdalgorithm. As a result, it can be considered one of the most comprehensive Google algorithms in local search.

 

Google has provided this algorithm to help local and small websites. For example, consider the functionality of Google Maps. Websites try to increase their chances in local searches by registering their position in this program.

Also, to take advantage of this algorithm, try to include your name, phone number, and address on all pages of the site so that the attention of the pigeon algorithm is drawn to your website. For example, please put this information in the footer of your site so it can be seen on all pages.

Florida

The introduction of the Google algorithm called Florida in 2004 was one of the most important events of that time. This is known as the first major update to Google’s algorithm. This algorithm was released to change Google’s link calculation.

As a result of many problems in this field, a person named Matt Cutts introduced the Florida algorithm to stabilize the ranking of sites. This algorithm helps web admins determine what techniques to use to attract traffic—for example, using keywords or internal and external links.

If you want to please the Florida algorithm, it is better to take these actions:

  • This algorithm is sensitive to poor-quality content, so pay attention to the quality of your content.
  • Avoid unnatural links.
  • Adopt white hat SEO methods.
  • Create unique content and avoid copycats and spam links.

The bag is

In December 2005, Google’s new algorithm called Big Daddy was introduced. To check the impact of Google algorithms on SEO, we must say that this algorithm significantly impacted the overall quality of search engine results pages (SERP) at the time of publication.

Big Daddy was initially introduced as an infrastructure algorithm, and over time, its updates were finally completed in 2006. Many of the factors presented by SEO experts today originate from this algorithm. For example, meta description, internal linking, etc., are among the things that are included in this algorithm.

According to this Google algorithm, website owners should focus on two main factors. The first factor refers to the clarity and organization of the site structure. The second one emphasizes the production of high-quality content.

Jagger

Jager’s algorithm was the first algorithm published after Florida. The algorithm introduced several backlink-focused updates in September 2005, which continued until October 2005. With this update, Google focused mainly on website backlink details, content size, and several other technical factors. The most important things that were considered in this algorithm include the following:

  • Improve website architecture and URL.
  • Remove excessive internal links (excessive footer links throughout the site).
  • Remove low-quality backlinks.

Of course, such changes seem very normal in today’s modern world. But implementing these changes at that time helped Google shine easily against its rival Yahoo.

Venice

The Vince update was released on January 18, 2009, and was named after a Google engineer of the same name. Vince is known as a simple change among the various Google algorithms, but contrary to the impression it creates, this algorithm has significantly impacted Google’s algorithms. The introduction of this algorithm made SEO out of the monopoly of big brands.

Vance can be considered a quick and significant change in the broad and competitive keyword field, favoring less reputable sites, affiliate sites, and those operating solely through SEO efforts. Also, this algorithm has helped a lot in the growth of small businesses. For example, if your business operates in a specific geographic area, you can easily rank in Google search results using targeted keywords.

caffeine

In 2009, Caffeine introduced a completely new indexing system. This new system allows Google to store data more efficiently. By using Caffeine, Google has gained the ability to collect data and add it to its index in seconds; in other words, much fresher information is available on a wider range of sites.

One of the most important reasons for presenting the caffeine algorithm was the daily increase in the number of pages on Google. To introduce the Google algorithm and better understand caffeine, consider the example that you use your devices in your home daily, and everything goes according to routine. Imagine your friend moving into your house with his family and adding a few more people to your family. After these events, it is time for you to reorganize the shelves and home appliances and rearrange your belongings. This is what Google did with the caffeine algorithm.

 

As a result, the caffeine algorithm is the system that monitors your website changes. When a change is made in any part of the website, this algorithm checks and indexes it; note that caffeine does not affect the website’s speed and other indicators and only dispdisplays searched content faster. In short, this algorithm tries to bring the search results closer to the user’s needs.

Freshness Algorithm

The Freshness algorithm is the algorithm that allows Google to increase web indexing on an unprecedented scale and provide the most up-to-date relevant content. This Google algorithm was announced on November 3, 2011. According to statistics provided by Google, this update affected 35% of search results and approximately 6-10% of search queries.

According to this algorithm, Google recognizes that there are generally three types of time about searches that affect your website’s ranking:

  • Recent Events: These are search terms related to trending or current events related to the news. To take advantage of this algorithm, try to be the first to cover recent events.
  • Regular recurring events: Google’s announcement provides examples of annual events, elections, sports scores, TV shows, and corporate earnings reports.
  • Frequent Updates: These searches are for frequently updated topics but not trending events or topics. For example, searches related to the products of companies are updated regularly.

 

To write this article, we took help from the following sources:

  • ahrefs
  • searchenginejournal
  • quora
  • searchengineland

Conclusion

It is good to know that all Google algorithms aim to give credit to quality sites in different ways so that users get better results for their searches on Google. So, suppose you consistently produce unique and high-quality content. In that case, you meet the requirements of internal and external linking well, which means that you have automatically met the requirements of Google’s algorithms.