Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a process to help a website rank higher in search engine result pages (SERPs) for specific keywords or phrases.
To do this, SEO professionals must stay abreast of the constantly changing rules and algorithms that search engines use to rank websites. In particular, Google’s algorithms play a major role in how websites are ranked.
Google algorithms are constantly evolving, and they are the primary factor in determining the ultimate success of a website’s SEO campaign. Google algorithms are complex, and there are hundreds of them in use. Here, we will demystify some of the most important Google algorithms and their impact on SEO.
The first algorithm to consider is RankBrain. This algorithm was launched in 2015 and is Google’s artificial intelligence machine-learning system. RankBrain uses AI to learn from user behaviour and adjust search engine rankings accordingly. It is designed to give more accurate results and better understand the intent behind queries. To optimise for RankBrain, SEO professionals must ensure content is of a high quality, relevant to the query, and provides the answers users are looking for.
The second algorithm is PageRank. This is Google’s oldest algorithm and is still used today. It looks at the number and quality of links pointing to a website and assigns it a score from 0 to 10. The higher the score, the higher the website will rank. To optimise for PageRank, SEO professionals must focus on link building and ensure that they are from high-quality, relevant sources.
The third algorithm is Hummingbird. Launched in 2013, this algorithm is Google’s most significant update since PageRank. Hummingbird is designed to better understand the context of queries, rather than simply matching keywords. To optimise for Hummingbird, SEO professionals must focus on producing content that is relevant to the query and provides the answers users are looking for.
The fourth algorithm is Mobilegeddon. This algorithm was launched in 2015 and is designed to reward websites that are optimised for mobile devices. To optimise for Mobilegeddon, SEO professionals must ensure that websites are designed to function properly on mobile devices and are easy to navigate.
The fifth algorithm is BERT. This algorithm was launched in 2018 and is designed to better understand natural language queries. To optimise for BERT, SEO professionals must focus on producing content that is written in a natural, conversational style.
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Finally, the sixth algorithm is Core Web Vitals. This algorithm was launched in 2021 and is designed to reward websites that offer a good user experience. To optimise for Core Web Vitals, SEO professionals must focus on improving website speed, visual stability, and mobile responsiveness.
To sum up, Google algorithms have a major impact on SEO and website rankings. SEO professionals must stay abreast of the constantly changing rules and algorithms and optimise websites accordingly.
The six most important algorithms to consider are RankBrain, PageRank, Hummingbird, Mobilegeddon, BERT, and Core Web Vitals. By understanding these algorithms and their impact on SEO, SEO professionals can optimise websites to better rank in SERPs and ultimately drive more traffic to their websites.