On the 15th birthday of Google, it unveiled its new search algorithm named Google Hummingbird. Google claims that this new algorithm provides users with more reliable and relevant results for internet search queries. This article explains the impact of Hummingbird on search results and the ways to optimize your website accordingly.
A search algorithm is a technical term used to describe how a search engine finds the data we search for every day on the internet. Let us say we search “how to make a cupcake”, Google sends the task to an index server that functions similar to the index of a book, and the index server identifies the pages that contain data about the search made. This task is sent to a doc server, which retrieves the stored information about the query “how to make a cupcake” and displays as snippets to the user. All these activities are done in a fraction of a second. The user browses through the displayed links and procures the much-needed recipe of the cupcake.
In this case, Google named its algorithm after the world’s smallest bird attributing to its speed, relevance, and intelligence in providing the search results. This new algorithm has influenced 90% of the searches. In addition, it includes other languages than English. Instead of semantic keywords, Hummingbird allows users to search using long-tailed keyword search. Earlier, Google was able to provide query results to only about 2 to 3 phrases, which were difficult to rank due to high cost and competition. The old algorithms also made it cumbersome for the users making them browse many pages before finding the exact result for the search. However, with the rollout of this new algorithm, descriptive searches are made possible, that is, search engines will now read more than three phrases and provide results accurately. Due to the uniqueness of these long tailed keywords, they have low cost, low risk, and high conversion rates in the future while ranking your website for descriptive keywords. Besides, Google Hummingbird allows users to do a conversational search.
The previous practice of using meta-keyword and the secondary keyword is now outdated. Google has now adopted different ways of ranking your website based on many other factors. This should probably include – creating original, engaging and relevant content; using proper backline etiquette; using appropriate page title and descriptions, and updating your page regularly.