With Google Hummingbird, Content is Still King

First Panda and Penguin, now Hummingbird. It’s the moniker for Google’s newest algorithm – the largest change it has undergone in 10 years. Hummingbird is unlike Google’s previous iterations, Penguin and Panda. Now, instead of providing search results solely based on keywords, Google has put an emphasis on the intention and meaning behind searches. It will better understand language being used for search, which is increasingly the language we all use to talk to each other.

Hummingbird demonstrates a strong shift toward mobile. Since many utilize voice input to search the web from their mobile devices, this new algorithm update will better understand the way you search as if you’re talking to a human being. Instead of you having to change the wording of searches to suit Google to get the best results, Google has changed its responses to suit you.

So what does this mean for you, your website, and your business? It’s becoming increasingly important to make sure your site is formatted to display properly on all mobile devices. Soon the amount of people searching the web on their smartphones and tablets may outnumber those searching on desktop and laptop computers.

With its focus on intention, Hummingbird will make it more likely that those searching for products and services like yours will arrive at your website intending to get there, and bounce rates could decrease. What this means is that your best bet is to have up-to-date, relevant information on your website so that those who visit can find what they need. Content is still king and will most likely always be the most important way to increase and maintain your rankings.