8 Google Algorithm Core Updates Rolled Out in 2020
Posted On :January 20, 2020
/Categorized In : Google Algorithm Updates
/Written By : FSC
Each year, Google makes thousands of changes to its search algorithm. Most of the updates go unnoticed as they barely have any impact on websites. However, a few of the Google Algorithm Core Updates that will have a significant effect on the search results.
If you have experienced a sudden drop in website rankings or organic traffic, it might be because of the latest Google Algorithm Updates.
Let’s understand the major Google Algorithm Core Updates that have had the most significant impact on the search results.
1. Google Panda – Released on February 23, 2011Google Algorithm Core Updates
Google Panda was released to stop sites with poor quality content from ranking on the top of the search results and reward websites with unique, compelling content.
Panda was last updated on September 25, 2014.
How to optimize for Google Panda?
- Publish high-quality content.
- Eliminate filler words.
- Remove above the fold ads.
- Optimize pages with low-quality or outdated content.
2. Google Penguin – Released on April 24, 2012
Google launched the Penguin update to better catch websites spamming its search results by buying links or obtaining them through link networks. It also penalizes sites involved in keyword stuffing.
Penguin was last updated on September 23, 2016.
How to optimize for Google Penguin?
- Monitor your backlinks regularly and eliminate the bad ones.
- Disavow any bad link that you can’t control.
- Never buy backlinks.
- Avoid keyword stuffing.
3. Google Pirate – Release on August 11, 2012
Google launched Pirate with the sole aim of defeating the piracy issues. Google Pirate filters copyright infringement reports and penalizes the websites with lower search rankings.
Pirate was last updated on August 2012
Should You be Worried about Google Pirate?
No, unless and until you offer pirated content to your audience.
4. Google Pigeon – Released on August 20, 2013
Google Pigeon was released to improve ranking parameters based on distance and location. One of Google’s stated purposes for the launch of Pigeon was to connect their local algorithm more deeply to their traditional web algorithm, enabling it to take the full advantage of hundreds of ranking signals that go into the web algorithm. This has helped Google improve local search results.
Google Pigeon was last updated on December 22, 2014.
How to Optimize for Google Pigeon?
- Create text, image, and video content that associates your business with your neighborhood or local region.
- Improve the accuracy of local citations.
- Remove duplicate listings.
- Gain favorable reviews.
5. Google Hummingbird – Released on September 26, 2013
Google Hummingbird was released to help Google understand the intent of the search queries and match them to more relevant results.
Although Google has released a few updates of the Hummingbird, the dates are not known.
How to Optimize for Google Hummingbird?
- Focus on long-tail keywords.
- Create content that answers the most common questions of your audience.
- Make your website responsive.
- Focus on building your online reputation.
6. Google Mobilegeddon – Released on April 21, 2015
Mobilegeddon ensures that mobile-friendly sites rank on the top of the mobile search results. It filters out the websites not optimized for mobile from the SERPs or lowers their rank.
How to Optimize your site for Google Mobilegeddon?
- Optimize your site for mobile devices.
- Improve the usability of your site for mobile devices.
- Optimize your mobile site for speed.
Ensure your mobile website doesn’t have any mobile-only 404s, faulty redirects, unplayable content or blocked JavaScript, CSS, and image files.
7. Google Rank Brain – Released on October 26, 2015
RankBrain is a part of Google’s Hummingbird algorithm. RankBrain uses machine learning to determine the best results for search engine queries. It helps Google understand the intent behind the search. RankBrain is the third most important ranking signal.
RankBrain was last updated in October 2014.
How to Optimize for RankBrain?
- Optimize your meta descriptions and titles for clicks.
- Create content that addresses user intent.
- Improve your dwell time.
- Optimize for medium and long-tail keywords.
8. BERT – Released on October 22, 2019
BERT is an acronym of Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers.
BERT was released to understand natural language processing (NLP) in a better way. After the BERT update, Google Algorithm Core Updates are now taking prepositions such as “for” and “to” into account that can completely change the meaning of a query.
Here’s an example of how the search results changed after the BERT update.
How to Optimize for BERT?
According to Google’s John Mueller, you can’t optimize your website for BERT. However, make sure that the content on your website is relevant to your business and establishes a connection between the ranges of search intent. The more you cover about a topic or a niche, the more authoritative your website gets (thereby increasing your site’s ranking in the SERPs).
Wrapping Up
The sole aim of Google updates is to provide a better user experience. Irrespective of the upcoming updates, if you focus on offering better content to your audience, answer their queries in the best possible way, and improve your site’s navigation, you’ll likely be awarded better rankings in the SERPs.
FSC Pvt. Ltd. is the leading digital marketing agency in Delhi. Our SEO experts always have an eye on the changing Google algorithms. Leave all your SEO worries to us and see your website ranking on the top of the search results.
SEO for Startups: How Small Businesses Can Benefit from Professional SEO Services From Local to Global: How Social Media Marketing Agencies Help Small Businesses Expand Unlocking Growth: The Benefits of Investing in Custom Ecommerce Development for Your Business The Power of Visuals: Importance of Website Designing in Ecommerce Turn Followers into Customers: How a Social Media Marketing Agency Can Help
Thanks for providing this informative and comprehensive blog. This is very interesting Blog.
You have done a great job in this category, I got the best and useful information and suggestions from this category. You made a good site and it’s a very interesting one. Thanks for sharing the best information. Regards.
Your blog is very nice and we hope you are providing more information in future times.