Google Hummingbird Algorithm Update Guide
Google Hummingbird made its debut on August 20, 2013, marking the big release of the summer for the search engine giant. This was a release that marked a new beginning for Google, bringing a new search platform to the forefront and changing the way that users received results.
The Changes by Google Hummingbird
Google Hummingbird changed the way in which searches worked over the search engine. Before the release of Hummingbird, Google would analyze individual words in a search query. If you decided to search for used cars, for example, those two keywords would be the focus.
What if you searched for, “Buying used cars locally where I live?” The way that Google worked before Hummingbird, you would still just get results based on the used cars keywords. The new update had Google taking into account the whole query.
Understanding the Meaning of the Search
Google wanted to make its search engine smarter and did so by essentially allowing it to read your whole sentence. In the above example about a full string of search, a query from start to finish, you would get results for used car dealers where you live, locally.
Knowledge Graph Facts
The combination of Google being able to understand the meaning behind a full sentence of search language, in conjunction with Knowledge Graph facts, is beneficial. The whole idea here is to allow users to get back better search results. When you get back a page of search results, you want more matches on the full string search, not just a few keywords that the engine decided to hone in on.
Conversational Search
Do you remember older search engines that had you ask them questions? AskJeeves ring a bell to any of you? Conversational search is precisely what Google brought to the table with Hummingbird. The premise was to allow for Google to be able to answer a question and then judge context. Google wants its search engine to have a full grasp of the intent of what you are doing with your search.
Search Engine Optimisation Tweaks
Search engine optimization professionals and to change up their approach dramatically as a result of Hummingbird. Content had to be very specific and catered towards quality. If you intended to put out a piece of material that answered a question someone may have on Google, putting in enough detail so that it is the authoritative result is the key.
The Google Hummingbird update had and continued to change the future for the search engine. Paving the way for conversational search and improved results, Google Hummingbird made an impact years ago and continues to do so still today.