Google Algorithmic Update – Hummingbird
Strictly speaking this is not an update, but a new algorithm, which Google deployed at the 
end of September. An algorithm is the recipe that Google uses to sort through the billions of web pages and other information it has, in order to return what it believes are the best results.
Google have said that the Hummingbird algorithm will produce more relevant, better results for its users. Google have so called the algorithm due to it being ‘precise and fast’.
The change was announced on the 26th September, but Google added that the change has been in affect for the last month.
News from Search Engine Land state that the new algorithm will be noticed in helping ‘conversational search’, such as speaking into a search engine. For example
‘where’s the nearest place to home where I can get my teeth whitened with Zoom?’
A traditional search engine might focus on finding matched keywords and find pages that say “teeth whitening” and “zoom”.
Hummingbird should focus better on the meaning of the words and the actual intent of the search. It will better understand the meaning of ‘home’, if it been shared with Google. It might understand that ‘place’ means you want a bricks-and-mortar practice. It might get that ‘Zoom’ is a particular type of teeth whitening carried by certain dentists. Knowing these meanings, will help Google go beyond just finding pages with matching words.
According to the news release, Hummingbird is paying more attention to each word within the query, ensuring that the whole query – the whole sentence or conversation or meaning – is taken into account, rather than particular words. The result being that pages matching the meaning do better, rather than pages matching just a few words.
Whilst Google had previously been using conversation search with its knowledge graph, Hummingbird seemingly takes it up another level.
By all accounts within the SEO world, this is a significant change, which has gone relatively unnoticed. Google adds there are no updated guidelines for SEO professionals; just continue with producing pages that have original, high quality content.
We at dental Design have noticed new sites with fresher content hitting the ground running with more success than previously and there have been some losers, as sites with poor content and that are heavily keyword focussed are losing out to those with more relevant page content.
If you would like to know more about the Hummingbird Algorithm or how to ensure your dental website is safeguarded against further Google changes/updates, call Dental Design on 01202 677277.
Kindly thanking Search Engine Land (Danny Sullivan).
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