Google Algorithm Updates

Google is the #1 search engine in the world by prioritizing its user experience. It is achieved by continually updating its algorithm to meet the user's needs. Over 4 billion Google searches are made every day. This is a list of Google's biggest and most impactful updates that have turned it into the best search engine in the world.

Major Google Algorithm Updates

1. Google Panda 

Released Date: February 23, 2011 

 

This is a major update in the Google algorithm. Google cracked down content spamming, duplication, thin pages, content spinning, spelling mistakes, and other quality issues. It affects a lion's share of search results and causes dramatic losses for some companies. Google panda attempts to mimic human qualification. 

Another major update in the Panda series is Panda 4.0 which released in May 2014. It adds a permanent filter to indexing the websites.

2. Google Penguin 

Released Date: April 24, 2012 

Officially referred to as the " Web-spam Update".  Penguin adjusts a number of spam factors including keyword stuffing, link spamming, link farming; which generates links through link generator, comment spamming and guest blogging. Its objective is to down-rank sites whose link seems to manipulative.

Penguin 4.0  

Released Date: September, October 2016

The most awaited Google algorithm update and this update was real-time and part of the core algorithm. The spam factors made punishable. 

3. Google Pigeon 

Released Date: Google Pigeon was released on July 24,2014 in the US and December 22,2014 in the UK, Canada, and Australia

Google made the Pigeon update to better calibrate the local algorithms with the core algorithm. This update provides more useful, relevant and accurate local search results. 

4. Google Humming Bird 

Released Date: 20 August 2013

This updation provides a more interactive human search experience. Google understands the content of what people searching for. The knowledge graph was introduced. Hummingbird uses natural language processing that includes semantic search results, interaction questions. It sweeps out keyword stuffing, low-quality content.  

5. Google RankBrain

Released Date: April, May 2015

This updation is a part of Humming Bird. RankBrain is an artificial intelligence-powered component of Google algorithm; which makes a better understanding of searcher and deliver the most accurate, relevant results. 

6. Google Mobilegeddon 

Released Date: 22 April 2015 

This a mobile-friendliness update made by Google. If the website is not mobile-friendly Google either penalized or removed from search results. The website must mobile-friendly means that without tapping or zooming the reading size and space must appropriate for the user.

7. Parked domain update 

A parked domain is the registration of the domain name that is not linked to a website. Meanwhile, the domain is not actively used. Instead, it parked for later use. This Google updation removed all parked domains and provide quality websites.

8. EMD updation 

EMD stands for "Exact Match Domain ".It is launched in 2012. This updation ensure that low-quality website do not gain a high-rank position. 

9. Pirate updation 

Released on August 2012  

It is designed to prevent sites with many copyright issues. The violation of copyright may file a case under DMCA. DMCA stands for the "Digital Millennium Copyright Act  ". This algorithm updates periodically and caught the websites violate the copyright act. 

10. Possum 

Released Date: 1 September 2016

This updation makes sure that the local results vary more depending on the searcher's location. The closer to a business's address, it may see to the local search results. 

11. Medic

Released Date: 1 August 2018

The core algorithm updation had made a big impact on health and fitness sites.

12.Bracket 

This updation was launched in 2018. This updation mainly a new focuses on the quality of websites. Quality issues such as pages filled with ads, sponsored links, etc.. are punished through this website updation.

Hope you have got a brief idea on the Google Algorithm Updates. You can view my blog about the history and evolution of search engine optimization.