The Invisible Hand of Google: Algorithms That Reshape Your Rankings
Why Google Introduce Algorithms? Before Google, search engines like Yahoo, Lycos, and Excite used keyword counters instead of algorithms for ranking. The search engine ranks the page that uses a keyword repeatedly as the top result. Consequently, users of these pages have the least experience. This phenomenon is why the Google founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, introduced algorithms to Google to improve user experience. With the help of algorithms, Google mainly solved three types of problems. 2. To Fight Spam and Deception 3. To Understand Human Intent Algorithms That Reshape Ranking Towards the end of 2005 and the beginning of 2006, Google made another infrastructure-related change, called Big Daddy algorithm. It was not an initiative aimed at changing rankings of websites; rather, it was meant to make Google understand the web better. This is what Big Daddy did: It aided the removal of the negative material from the web by addressing problems like URL canonicalization, hidden redirects, and purchasing cheap backlinks. It improved the data center technology to make Google crawl and index billions of pages in a much better way. Furthermore, it improved Google’s ability to distinguish the quality links from the artificial ones made just to manipulate Google’s algorithm. To summarize, Big Daddy helped Google get rid of the unnecessary and harmful stuff online. 2. Florida The first important algorithm change introduced by Google in the year 2003 changed the way the internet worked from being a platform where it was all about manipulating the system into one that appreciated the content quality. Prior to the update, search engines used an algorithmic process that was based entirely on text matching. To gain higher ranking, people would use certain words in excess throughout their page in order to get a higher ranking through the search engine results. With the introduction of this algorithm update, many unethical SEO techniques vanished. 3. Panda In essence, Google Panda is an electronic quality controller which was launched in 2011 to improve the quality of results that the engine delivers. Prior to Panda, it was very easy to game the system through writing countless keyword-loaded articles in order to attract users. Panda brought new emphasis to its operation by putting the user at the forefront.It lowered the ranking of pages with little value content referred to as thin content. Another criterion that led to penalties included content theft or plagiarism. Sites which carried too many advertisements which disturbed users’ experience were not exempted either. Currently, the approach employed by Panda is one of the integral elements of Google’s main algorithm, rewarding sites with valuable content and knowledge. 4. Penguin Google Penguin is also known as the “spam police” for the search engine. This tool was created to increase the quality of search results by recognizing the websites that try to abuse the search algorithm. Its main aim is to discover black-hat tactics such as link spam, when low-quality backlinks are bought to increase the site’s popularity, and keyword stuffing, when an excessive number of keywords are used. The point is to make sure that the search rankings are built on high-quality materials only. At present, the process is automatic and happens in real time.It helps the creators who want to be honest by ignoring bad links without hurting the whole site. 5. Hummingbird Google’s Hummingbird algorithm brought about a fundamental shift in the way the search engine interpreted users’ requests. It was a significant alteration in the search giant’s core algorithm, released in 2013. Prior to Hummingbird, Google would concentrate on identifying keywords that matched a request. In other words, if one asked Google “best place for tacos,” then it would present sites featuring an exact match of the requested phrase. Hummingbird, in turn, provided a completely new method of analyzing user inquiries.Instead of simply looking for keywords, the search engine interpreted the essence of a particular search query by understanding the meaning of the whole sentence used. The Ever Evolving Dance with Google Ultimately, it should be clear that Google’s “invisible hand” is trying to reward you, not scam you. The way forward has been made obvious from the changes made in Florida and Bigdaddy, and even the content guidelines set up by Panda and Penguin. It took Google Hummingbird for it to start thinking like a human being. Putting the needs of the reader first is far more important than adhering to new rules, which will help you remain one step ahead of the algorithmic changes that come your way.Don’t just cater to search engines when creating your website. You will see how the “invisible hand” is really helping you out when you create something valuable for readers.