Google serves over 3.5 billion daily searches, making it the world’s most-used website and the most prominent search engine in terms of search volume. Google’s algorithm, known for its complexity and rapid evolution, integrates advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to enhance search results. Going through these updates is crucial for digital marketing experts to align their SEO strategies with Google’s latest algorithm updates.
So how many algorithms does Google have? You’re on the right page if you are looking for major Google Algorithms updates. This blog will walk you through the ten major Google algorithm updates.
What are Google Algorithms?
Google algorithms are complex mathematical functions that enable Google Search to find and rank the most relevant results on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for a given search query. These algorithms are designed to analyze and evaluate various factors, such as the content, structure, and user experience of web pages, to determine their relevance and authority. Google’s algorithms are constantly evolving to improve the search experience and provide users with the most accurate and helpful results.
Major Google Algorithm Updates
What is Google Algorithm? Before digging deeper into Google Algorithm updates, we may discuss the basics to better understand the Google algorithm concept. Google algorithm is a set of metrics Google relies on to retrieve the most related data against search queries.
How many types of Google Algorithms are there? Google releases thousands of Google algorithms updates yearly in its continuous effort to improve its product experience. Besides the minor algorithm updates, Google has released ten major algorithm updates to date. These updates are crucial as they influence webpage rankings in Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs).
How Google Algorithm Updates Work
Google algorithm updates are changes made to the algorithms that power Google Search. These updates can be minor or major, and they can impact how search results are ranked and displayed. Here’s an overview of how Google algorithm updates work:
Crawling and Indexing
Before a web page can be ranked, it must be crawled and indexed by Google. Crawling involves Google’s software programs, known as “crawlers” or “spiders,” scanning the web for new and updated content. Indexing involves storing the crawled content in a massive database called the index. The index is used to generate search results.
Ranking Factors
When a user submits a search query, Google’s algorithms analyze the index to determine the most relevant results. The algorithms consider various ranking factors, such as:
- Content quality and relevance
- User experience and engagement
- Mobile-friendliness and page speed
- Technical optimization and crawlability
- Link equity and authority
- Local search signals and proximity
These ranking factors are weighted and combined to determine the final ranking of search results.
Major Google Search Engine Algorithm Updates
What is Google Algorithm? Before digging deeper into Google Algorithm updates, we may discuss the basics to better understand the Google algorithm concept. Google algorithm is a set of metrics Google relies on to retrieve the most related data against search queries. Google’s frequent updates to its search algorithms ensure that the most relevant and high-quality content is delivered to users.
How many types of Google Algorithms are there? Google releases thousands of Google search algorithm updates yearly in its continuous effort to improve its product experience. Besides the minor algorithm updates, Google has released ten major algorithm updates to date.
Panda – Feb 24, 2011
Google released Panda as a filter on Feb 24, 2011, to set a bar on content quality. Later, Google turned Panda into a complete algorithm in Jan 2016. Panda filter the enlisted factors to assign a score to web pages. Google uses that score as a ranking factor for websites.
- Keyword stuffing
- Thin content
- Plagiarism
- Spam content
- Duplicate Content
- User experience
Site owners are encouraged to create high-quality and high-value webpages to improve their rankings.
Google has released multiple updates of the Panda to improve its product experience further. These updates also address issues like expired domain abuse as part of Google’s efforts to combat manipulative tactics.
Penguin – April 24, 2012
As another significant algorithm update, Google released the Penguin on April 24, 2012. Google aimed to derank the sites with spammy and irrelevant linking through its Penguin algorithm update, which specifically targeted link spam. Its core focus was on the following factors,
- Spammy links
- Irrelevant backlinks
- Unduly optimized anchor texts
- Backlinks from sites purely designed for link building
In 2016, Google included the Penguin in its core ranking algorithms to let it operate in real-time. It enhances the penguin algorithm efficiency to speed up the penalties and recovery processes. Google’s ongoing efforts to neutralize spammy links include regular link spam updates, which introduce AI-based systems to identify and counteract link spam practices. These updates are part of broader efforts by search engines to enhance user experience and content relevance.
Hummingbird – August 22, 2013
Google released the Hummingbird update on August 22, 2013. Digital marketing experts and audiences felt the impact of its release. It affected almost 90% of the search results. Hummingbird update enables Google to follow the search intent instead of solely looking at the keywords to extract the best-matched results.
After the Hummingbird update, Google started looking at the synonyms to follow the search intent and extract theme-related results. It enables Google to set another check on content quality and relevancy that adds quality to results on SERPs, significantly impacting search rankings and website visibility.
Pigeon – July 24, 2014
Google released the Pigeon algorithm update periodically for different regions of the world. It was released for the US on July 24, 2014, and for the UK, Canada, and Australia on December 22, 2014. The core focus of the Pigeon algorithm was to tie the Google local algorithm with the core algorithm. It enables Google to rely on the same SEO factors for ranking a site in local and non-local results. Google Pigeon update’s primary focus was on the enlisted factor,
- On page SEO
- Off-Page SEO
- Distance
- Location
- NAP consistency
- Local Directories
- GMB setup
- Citations
Changes to the search index can significantly impact search results, especially with Google algorithm updates like Pigeon. Staying informed about these updates is crucial for maintaining and improving search rankings.
For more insights and updates on local SEO factors, you can refer to the Google Search Central blog.
Mobile Friendly Google Update April 21, 2015
Google released the Mobile Friendly Update on April 21, 2015. The core focus of this update was to improve the user experience for the increasing number of mobile users. Mobile-friendly Google update emphasizes the following factors,
- Have a mobile version of the site
- Enhanced mobile usability
- Improver viewpoint configuration
- Illegible content
Mobile-friendly websites started getting ranked for Google mobile searches after this algorithm update. However, it does not impact desktop searches. This highlights the importance of mobile search, as websites that are not optimized for mobile will see a decrease in their rankings when accessed via mobile devices.
RankBrain – October 26, 2015
RankBrain Google algorithm update get launched on October 26, 2015. RankBrain was designed to strengthen the Hummingbird algorithm further. That’s why it’s known as a part of the Hummingbird algorithm.
RankBrain algorithm uses a machine learning system to thoroughly evaluate the web page’s content. It looks at the relevancy of a webpage with search queries, content quality, and other ranking metrics. Google considers RankBrain as one of its most effective algorithm updates.
On-page SEO factors such as title tags, content depth, and keyword usage play a crucial role in influencing a webpage’s position in google’s search results. These elements serve as signals to Google that can affect how well a page ranks in search outcomes.
Possum – September 1, 2016
Google Possum update’s was released on September 1, 2016. Possum update core focus was on improving the local search results. It enables Google to prioritize businesses near the searcher location for the SERPs. Business location and distance from digital searcher remains the top factors in getting visibility on SERPs. Google Possum update gives local businesses an incredible boost by leveraging Google’s algorithm, which integrates AI and machine learning to enhance search results.
Fred – March 8, 2017
Fred Google Algorithm Update was released on March 8, 2017. Its core focus was restricting the website’s visibility, violating the Google webmaster instructions. Most blogging sites designed solely for earning got affected by the Ferd Google Algorithm update. The Ferd update emphasizes the enlisted factors,
- Thin content
- Low-quality content
- Affiliate heavy content
- Ads rich content
In addition to targeting low-quality content, Google has introduced policies to address site reputation abuse, which combats manipulative strategies like parasite SEO.
After the Fred update, it’s impossible to publish a web page full of affiliate links and trick Google. Fred update allows Google to hunt down web pages with low-quality content and restrict their visibility in Google’s search results by focusing on factors that influence webpage rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Broad Core Algorithm Update – March 9, 2018
Google released the Broad Core Algorithm Update on March 9, 2018. The Broad Core update focused on the relevancy of search queries and websites. Google aimed to extract the best-matched and quality content-loaded sites for SERPs through this algorithm update. This update gets visibility for the quality sites that Google ignored earlier. The recent March 2024 Core Update also highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of these updates, impacting search visibility and performance within Google search results.
Broad Core Algorithm emphasizes writing quality content, getting quality backlinks from higher authority relevant sites, and sending social signals to get featured on top SERPs against related search queries. The October 2023 Core Update further underscores the importance of adapting strategies to align with Google’s evolving standards, especially with the overlap with the Spam Detection Update.
BERT Update – October 25, 2019
BERT is one of the most effective made by Google to date. Google launched the BERT update on October 25, 2019, to improve the product experience. It allows Google to use deep learning models for natural language processing (NLP) to find the intent of search queries. BERT assists Google in extracting the most relevant data via NLP to provide a positive user experience.
BERT emphasizes writing quality content with an engaging tone, detailed information, and proper structure. Well-structured quality content is key to getting visibility after the BERT update, reflecting the ongoing efforts by search engines to enhance user experience and content relevance.
Impact of Google Algorithm Updates on Search Results
Google algorithm updates can significantly impact search results, causing some web pages to rise or fall in rankings. The impact of an update depends on various factors, such as the type of update, the quality of the content, and the user experience of the web page. Here are some possible impacts of Google algorithm updates on search results:
- Improved relevance and accuracy of search results
- Increased visibility for high-quality, user-friendly content
- Decreased visibility for low-quality, spammy, or irrelevant content
- Changes in search rankings and traffic
- Increased emphasis on mobile-friendliness and page speed
- Improved local search results and proximity signals
Overall, Google algorithm updates aim to improve the search experience and provide users with the most relevant and helpful results. By understanding how these updates work and what factors influence search rankings, webmasters and SEO professionals can optimize their content and improve their online visibility.
Final Words | How many types of Google algorithms are there?
Google releases thousands of algorithm updates yearly to optimize the product experience. This blog has thoroughly discussed the ten primary Google algorithms to date. It’s essential to go through these updates for digital marketers to align their SEO strategies with Google.
Understanding how on-page SEO factors influence google’s search results is crucial. Elements such as title tags, content depth, and keyword usage serve as signals to Google that can affect a page’s position in search outcomes.
There is nor will there be a Google update that can disrupt your business site if you’re practicing the white hat SEO, following Google webmaster guidelines, and writing quality content without looking for loopholes to crack for visibility.
