With 2015 in full swing, there’s no better time to reflect on some of the most notable changes Google introduced over the past 12 months. Online marketers had their work cut out keeping up with the latest updates and trends, which steadily rolled out over the course of the year.
So what were the most notable changes to SEO and how do they impact your online marketing strategy?
Google Panda 4.1
Google took aim at poor quality content in 2014 and the rollout of the Panda 4.1 update was testament to this. If you’re operating a small business, then there’s every chance for you to take advantage and adapt your website in line with these changes.
Those with regularly updated and top notch content benefit most from Google Panda 4.1, while content also needs to be as in depth as possible to rank favourably. Consumer engagement should be at the forefront of your mind when it comes to SEO management – and Google Panda 4.1 ensures that.
Google Penguin
Google Penguin is designed to eliminate spam from search results, as well as any sites that fall foul of strict linking guidelines.
If you’ve got a site with plenty of high-quality content earning legitimate links then it’s unlikely that Google Penguin will have had much of an impact – It may even have been positive. It should nevertheless give you the incentive to take a closer look at your referral links and change anything that might be perceived as spam.Most notably, Google announced that this would become a regular update, rather than the full year between releases!
Google Pigeon
US search results were initially affected by the Google Pigeon update, but as 2014 drew to a close, UK websites finally started to see the impact.
Google Pigeon is linked to local search results, so location-specific information is likely to work in your website’s favour. One way to achieve this is to include the names of towns and cities names in H1 and title tags – Apparently.
Social media can also play a critical role, so make sure you encourage customer reviews and other means of interaction within your site. It’s nothing new, just more of the same: Write for people and produce good quality content. If changes makes it easier for users to navigate and use your website then you are doing it right.
What do you think will be the biggest factors influencing SEO in 2015? And has your website already seen the impact of Google Pigeon?
