Everyone is talking about the recent Google headlines. They all range from something along the lines of “Hummingbird -Google’s biggest change in years,” to “Algorithm adapts to the new age.” So what exactly does that mean to the average Google user? We’ll break it down to explain pretty simply what this change really entails.
Google Hummingbird allows for much more complex searches to be understood by the search engine.
Previously it would pick out keywords from your entry and deliver your results that way. Now you can enter, “What services does Spiracle Media provide in Charlotte, North Carolina?” The new algorithm takes the search query data, understands it, links it, retains it and then answers it through the Knowledge Graph. More naturalistic or ‘conversational’ search terms are now more important than ever. There is now far less focus on individual keywords and more on their collective meaning.
Another change to take advantage of is the comparison feature. Previously when you were trying to compare two different products or services you would need to conduct two separate searches. After your searches were complete you would have to manually list and decipher which option was the best choice for you. Hummingbird allows Google to be a Comparison Engine and do the work for you in one search and half the time. “White bread vs Wheat bread”, for example brings up a comparison chart of the nutritional facts of both breads. More complex search queries, once they’re understood, provide greater data to Google search that can be used to widen and deepen the search results.
With the switch to Hummingbird, it’s obvious that the search is getting smarter. This change affects 90% of searches worldwide. Businesses that used to rely on simple keyword strategy to rank in search will find themselves re-thinking their strategies, especially since Google has quit reporting keywords in Google Analytics making it very difficult to create a SEO strategy around them.
