Google Hummingbird - Implications for Publishers from SEO Perspective

GOOGLE HUMMINGBIRD – IMPLICATIONS FOR USERS & PUBLISHERS

Pradeep Govindaraju

More Digital Marketing Articles @ Meltpress (http://meltpress.com) May 3, 2023

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Google Hummingbird: BASICS

Search Algorithm – used by Google (& other search engines) to sort out and index the webpages so as to return the most relevant pages to a search query

Google Hummingbird

A new search algorithm that Google had developed & adopted since 20th August 2013. News was made official on 26th September 2013

Google’s effort to better match the meaning of search queries with that of the content in the web

Google says the name comes from being “precise” and “fast” and says the update should return better results

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Google Hummingbird: SIGNIFICANCE

There were updates to the Google’s search engine algorithm in the recent years such as PENGUIN and PANDA

HUMMINGBIRD is altogether a new search engine algorithm; Similar change was last effected by Google in the year 2001



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Google Hummingbird: FOCUS AREAS

SEMANTICS - Moving from ‘KEYWORDS’ in the search queries to their ‘MEANING’ to return better results

KNOWLEDGE GRAPH – Now more expansive; It is the carousel on the top of results page that pull out content from popular sources such as Wikipedia, IMDB; Comparison sites etc.

MOBILE – Enhanced voice search capabilities to better understand the user’s queries so that ANSWERS are provided than mere RESULTS



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Semantics: Before Google Hummingbird



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Semantics: After Google Hummingbird



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Knowledge Graph: Now More Expansive



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Knowledge Graph: Now More Expansive



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Mobile: Voice will be the Future

Hey Google, now tell me if I should use butter or olive oil?

Ability for enhanced parsing of voice commands in mobile devices



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Mobile: Voice will be the Future

Oohh, All the answers I needed !!

Understands the INTENTION behind the question to give best ANSWERS


May 3, 2023

11 Google Hummingbird – 2014 & Beyond

AIMS AT ADDING VALUE TO ITS USER BASE

Google HUMMINGBIRD

WHAT ABOUT THE WEBSITES & WEBSITE OWNERS?

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF HUMMINGBIRD ON THEM?


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Impact on Websites

Google claims to impact over 90% of search queries with its new algorithm

However, no significant shifts in traffic patterns were reported by web admins across the world.

On contrast, updates like PENGUIN and PANDA in the past had stirred huge waves in the circles of web admins & SEOs

Hummingbird was introduced on 20th August 2013. If a website hadn’t experienced a shift trend in traffic already, it is likely that it had successfully passed through the implications of the algorithm at this stage.

Does that mean we have to do nothing about it?



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Google gives us a direction for the Long run

Users get results aided by location & NLP (Natural Language Processing) services

Users will see and start expecting ‘Answers’ to their questions than mere ‘Relevant content’ containing certain keywords from the original query

Users will access the information they need right in the results page; Stops the necessity to click on a result and visit that page

SEMANTICS

KNOWLEDGE GRAPH

MOBILE



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Takeaway for SEOs & Web Admins

SEMANTICS

KNOWLEDGE GRAPH

MOBILE Optimize the website for mobile;

Use Rich snippets & Structured data to gain prominence in mobile search results

Content is now more important than ever; Look for ways to expand it – Detailed catalogues; User generated content such as comments etc., Construct ‘Answers’ in the website to the ‘Questions’ the target audience might ask search engines

Increase the Value proportion that the website has to offer its users;Users should be given strong reasons to enter a website even after accessing information though Knowledge graph in the results page



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Summary

90% of all searches are likely to be affected by Hummingbird

No significant change in traffic trends were reported; Full extent and reach of its effects are currently unknown

Semantic search, ‘conversational styled’ or ‘informal’ search terms are processed effectively than before

Reduced weightage on Keywords and Increased weightage on their holistic (semantic) meaning to deliver highly relevant results

Not to be surprised if no changes were observed in the near term;

Recommended to strategize for the direction envisaged by Google Expand Content; Have answers in the websites to the questions that could be asked by the target

audience in search engines Increase value proposition of the website Optimize the site for mobiles


May 3, 2023

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Pradeep Govindaraju

PradeepG (Twitter)[email protected](Skype)

Visit MeltPress.com for more Digital Marketing articlesMeltPress is all about growing Digital while the Press melts

Thanks For Your Valuable Time

http://twitter.com/pradeepg

mailto:[email protected]

Google Hummingbird - Implications for Publishers from SEO Perspective

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