Search Engine Optimization Experts & the Secret Sauce of SEO

As search engine optimization experts, you may already know the fundamentals of search engine algorithms. You know how to best harness their functionalities for your business and your clients. To give you a deeper understanding of how these algorithms play a crucial role in your SEO campaigns, let us delve into the history of search engine algorithms.

Image Source: Search Engine Journal

A Briefer on Google Algorithms

Google’s search engine algorithms play a crucial role in search engine processes. Specifically, these algorithms form a complex system that retrieves data from its search index to deliver the best possible search results for a web user’s query. Search engines use a combination of algorithms and ranking signals to provide web pages ranked according to their relevance on their search engine results pages (SERPs).

During Google’s early years, their search engine optimization experts produced only a number of updates to their algorithms. However, as the years go by, Google has been making thousands of updates to their search engine algorithms. Most updates are so minuscule that they mostly go unnoticed. Below, we have identified specific updates that caused significant impacts to search engine results pages.

1. Panda (2011)

   The algorithm’s task was to focus on on-page factors in dealing with websites solely made to rank in search engines. 

2. Venice (2012)

   Venice was capable of understanding how search engine users are looking for results based on proximity. Thus, Venice prioritized showing results that are local or near to where the visitor is. 

3. Penguin (2012)

   The Google Penguin update checked whether a website’s backlinks were genuine or whether they have been purchased to trick search engines.

4. Pirate (2012)

   Google’s Pirate update dealt with the unlawful spreading of copyrighted content. The Pirate update considered several Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown requests.

5. Hummingbird (2013)

   The Google search engine algorithm update of 2013 called Hummingbird laid the groundwork for voice-search, which remains significant today as more devices are employing it, such as Alexa and Google Home.

6. Payday (2013)

   The update targeted spammy search queries linked with shady industries such as super high-interest loans and payday loans, porn, casinos, and debt consolidation websites.

7. Pigeon (2014)

   The Google Pigeon focused on local search engine optimization, which affected Google’s search engine results pages, and Google Maps. 

8. HTTPS/SSL (2014)

   Google wanted to emphasize the importance of security, so they decided to provide small ranking boosts to websites that correctly implemented HTTPS to secure connections between the web user and the website.

9. Mobile Update (2015)

   The algorithm update was a way to address how more than half of Google’s search engine queries came from mobile devices. 

10. RankBrain (2015)

    As such, the algorithm can make guesses about particular words that it is not familiar with by looking for other words with similar meanings and then offering relevant results. 

11. Possum (2016)

    The 2016 Google update called Possum aimed to improve local searches by making several changes to Google’s local ranking filter. 

12. Mobile Speed Update (2018)

    The 2018 mobile speed update made page speed ranking one of the crucial factors for mobile searches. Google created the update to address users’ need for quick delivery of information. 

13. BERT (2019) 

BERT can understand the full context of a word by looking at the words placed before and after it. Thus, instead of focusing on words one-by-one, BERT uses the relationships among all the words in a particular sentence.

14. Core Update (2020)

Google releases several times year core updates and broad changes to its algorithm. While Google did not specifically mention what the focus of the changes is, users have observed that the core update may be focusing on relevancy of content. 

Image Source: Syntactics

The SEO Secret Sauce for Search Engine Optimization Experts

The Search Engine Algorithms are a complex system of rules or “the secret formula” used by search engines in determining the relevance of web pages. Moreover, these algorithms are unique, and they have their own set of rules that differ from others. Their search spiders will crawl into every page of your website and interpret the data they gathered. Then, they will decide whether your website carries essential information that people search for or not. As such, search engine optimization experts label these algorithms as the SEO secret sauce.

Perhaps, these search engine algorithms are the answer to why some web pages rank better than the rest. As a result, search engine optimization experts need to deal with the various changes in these algorithms to ensure that the websites they build remain relevant to users. As such, your website’s fate and success depend on how you address the needs of these algorithms.

Here are some of the most important ways — or the secret sauce —  to address these algorithms:

1. Optimize your meta tags and on page factors – Make sure that your pages have relevant and helpful meta tags like its title and description. Additionally, ensure your pages have proper headings and subheadings which also use relevant keywords. 
2. Use locations on your keywords – This helps you to rank higher in your local area, thus giving you more visibility.
3. Make sure resources for backlinks are of high quality – When building your website’s backlinks through marketing materials submissions, make sure that your resources are of high Domain Authority and Page Rank to ensure these are reliable sites. 
4. Ensure content is original – To avoid being penalized for duplicate content, make sure that your content is original and 100% yours. For example, use plagiarism tools to help you identify any content on your pages that has similarities with competitor websites.
5. Place correct details on your locations and contact page – Make sure the details on your Contact Us page are correct and match your Google My Business Listing’s details too. This helps you to rank better on local searches and show up in your area.  
6. Secure your website – Ensure your website acquires an SSL certificate. This not only keeps your website secure, but it also gives your users confidence in browsing through your website.  
7. Optimize your website for mobiles – It’s no secret that a lot of users prefer browsing on their phones thanks to its compact size and easy access. That’s why your website should be mobile-friendly so that users no longer have to zoom in and out of it when browsing.

Optimize Your Sites with an SEO Agency in the Philippines!

Considering the algorithms mentioned above, you now understand the need to post relevant content and keep your sites updated. Doing quality work is crucial for your search engine optimization efforts.

So, work with trusted search engine optimization experts from an SEO company in the Philippines and create well-optimized websites!

About Jalou Batilong

Most every great writer is a voracious reader, and no word describes Jalou better. Jalou enjoys a good read whenever she has the time to sit down and open a book or browse for interesting articles. It's through reading that she is able to digest information so easily, and write her own unique piece of information to share to everyone else.

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