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Clicks on search engines shape your online presence. Hence, knowing how your search engines position your web pages is important. Google algorithm updates are one major factor determining the results you get for your SEO effort. Minor changes to Google’s algorithm could adversely or favourably affect your website.
Even a tiny change can move your web pages from the top of the search results to page two or further. This could result in a loss of website visits and revenue for you. This article explains Google algorithm updates and gives tips on how to get the best results regardless of updates.
How Google’s algorithms have changed over time
When Google started, its algorithm was less innovative than today. You can rank your website for a search term by adding said term as much as possible to your web page content. Google has come a long way since then in terms of giving its users better results for their search queries. Below are 6 major updates to Google’s algorithm to get where they are today.
- PageRank changed the way search results were ranked when it was launched in the late 1990s. All at once, the quality and usefulness of links became the most important thing. You were in a race to get high-quality backlinks and place your business strategically in the complex web of connections to get ahead of the competition.
- Google’s Panda update tried eliminating low-quality and duplicate material. This was your wake-up call, telling website owners to improve their content strategy and give the audience important and valuable information.
- Using the Penguin update, Google cracked down on unethical ways to build links. Your efforts to make real connections and grow reliable links became more important. This ensured web page search rankings were long-lasting.
- The Hummingbird update in 2013 focused on semantic search. Website owners had to write material that fits with the language and culture of their audience.
- RankBrain update in 2015 came with the idea of machine learning, which makes computers more intelligent and more flexible. Google could analyze large amounts of user data to determine whether pages met users’ query intent.
- BERT update in 2019 helps Search better understand the nuance and context of words in searches and better match those searches with valuable results. This aims to enhance language understanding, especially for natural language/conversational queries.
Read also: All You Need to Know About Technical SEO
Why do Google algorithm updates happen
Google’s algorithms, which are constantly changing, are at the centre of the search engine’s exceptional capabilities. They are the invisible factors responsible for organic results generated by your business. But why does Google make these updates? Here are 4 reasons why Google algorithm updates happen.
1. Improves the quality of search
Imagine that you live in Nigeria and that your potential buyers use Google as their guide to find their way through the digital maze. Google’s search engines work hard to ensure these search results are the best. With each update, the goal is to make search results more accurate so that when someone looks for a solution or service that your business offers, they can easily find it. Google’s algorithm changes are part of its promise to give Nigerian users search results that are relevant and useful, improving their time online.
2. Unmasks deceptive practices
In Nigeria’s vast digital business environment, there can be a lot of fierce competition. Some people might use questionable methods to get an unfair edge, which hurts the entire online ecosystem. The computers that run Google keep these terrible things from happening. Google algorithm updates like Penguin look at your website’s link profile to ensure that the links to your business are genuine recommendations, not just fake ways to boost your ranking. As an intelligent business owner, you should ensure your tactics align with these changes and focus on making real connections that strengthen your digital presence honestly.
3. Improves user experience
If you want your business to do well in Nigeria’s many areas, you must know what your customers want and need. The computers that run Google are very aware of this. Google closes the gap between what people look for and want to find by changing its algorithms like Hummingbird and BERT. They help the search engine understand the subtleties of language and context, ensuring that your material speaks to the heart of your Nigerian audience. By making material that answers your customers’ questions and solves their problems, you align your business with Google’s goal of putting the user first.
The user experience is the most essential part of any online tool. Google knows this, and algorithm changes like Core Web Vitals show how important it is for a website to be smooth, fast, and consistent in how it looks. Your efforts to improve your website’s loading times, interactivity, and general usability align with Google’s goals. Still, they also give Nigerian customers a more exciting experience, leading to a higher conversion rate.
4. Staying ahead of changes in tech
The digital world is constantly changing, and Nigerian companies are used to this. With the rise of mobile devices as the primary way to access the digital world, Google’s algorithm updates, like mobile-first indexing, make sure that your online presence stays smooth and available to your Nigerian audience on all devices. These changes show that Google wants to keep up with technological changes, and if you adapt to them, your business will stay relevant in the ever-changing digital world.
7 types of algorithms updates
As a business owner in Nigeria, you know that the digital world is constantly changing and that you need to adjust and have good judgment to stay ahead. Google’s algorithm updates are at the heart of this always-changing world. These mysterious changes can help your Nigerian business reach new heights or push it into the digital shadows. Let’s break down the different parts of these changes so you can understand their subtleties and adjust your strategies for online success.
1. Content-based updates
As Google’s algorithms have changed, content that engages and informs has become more critical. With updates like Panda, you must give your Nigerian community high-quality, unique content that makes sense to them. Thin content or duplicated articles could lead to setbacks, so it’s clear what you need to do: build a solid online profile by writing original, valuable content that engages and teaches.
2. Link-related updates
Nigeria’s digital roads are full of links, but not all are alike. Google’s Penguin update watches your link profile, looking for signs of spam or trickery. As you make online links in Nigeria, remember that quality is more important than quantity. Authentic, relevant links strengthen your online image and make it easier for users and algorithms to trust you.
3. User experience updates
How Nigerian customers use your website is a vital part of your success. Enter changes like Core Web Vitals, where the speed at which your website loads, how interactive it is, and how stable it looks are the most important things. Your efforts to make a smooth and enjoyable experience are similar to what Google was trying to do. You’ve also ensured that your digital shop is easy to use on Nigeria’s devices and connections.
4. Semantic updates
Google’s semantic updates show how rich Nigeria’s language is. Hummingbird and BERT understand context and purpose, so you can make content that speaks to your Nigerian customers’ hearts. Adjust your language and tone to match theirs, giving solutions that hit home and building relationships beyond keywords.
5. Mobile-focused updates
Mobile-first indexing is an essential update in Nigeria, where smartphones are the most common way to get online. Ensuring your website is flexible and mobile-friendly aligns with Google’s goals and that Nigerians can easily interact with your business no matter their device.
6. User intent and behaviour updates
To get around the busy markets of Nigeria, it’s essential to know what users want and how they act. Updates like RankBrain look deeper into what users are searching for and figure out what they are trying to do. By ensuring your content and products fit what your Nigerian audience seeks, you create a relationship with Google’s algorithms to help your business stand out.
7. Security and HTTPS updates
Trust is the coin of the digital world, especially in Nigeria’s online world, which is full of different sites. This trust is shown by how much Google cares about secure links, shown by HTTPS. By securing your website, you protect your Nigerian customers from possible dangers and follow Google’s goal of making the Internet safer.
Read also: How to Write SEO-Friendly Content
7 tips for adapting to Google’s algorithm updates
As an intelligent business owner, adapting to change is the key to staying in business. This concept is even more important online, where Google’s search algorithms have much power. Your Nigerian business is at an intersection of change every time an algorithm updates. This is a chance to change, improve, and grow. Here are 7 tips for adapting to Google’s algorithm changes
- Stay up-to-date: Information is your most potent weapon in Nigeria, where technology continually changes. Listen to reliable sources for Google algorithm updates. Keep up with changes that could affect your business’s internet visibility. This lets you edit your strategy responsibly.
- Put quality content first: Your Nigerian business’s internet appearance depends primarily on its content. Panda and BERT algorithm updates emphasize quality, relevance, and connectivity. Answer Nigerians’ queries to create content they’ll like. This is what Google wants and makes you a credible source in Nigeria’s digital world.
- Use ethical SEO practices: SEO practices are as important as business ethics. Penguin and other Google improvements aim to eliminate spam and deception. Build real ties, encourage natural link connections in Nigeria’s online community, and avoid shortcuts that could lead to algorithmic fines.
- Ensure your UX is excellent: Core Web Vitals updates demonstrate the importance of a smooth, engaging online experience. To give visitors a pleasant experience on any device or connection, optimize your Nigerian website for speed, interaction, and visual stability.
- Ensure your site is mobile-friendly: Mobile devices dominate Nigeria’s internet environment, and Google’s mobile-first indexing reflects this. Ensure your Nigerian website is mobile-friendly, flexible, and smooth. The system wants, and your audience likes, this.
- Get help: Consult SEO professionals who understand the Nigerian market for help. Nigeria-specific guidance from their expertise can help you confidently handle algorithmic waters.
Final thoughts
From knowing how algorithms change over time to figuring out how they affect your search rankings, you now have a better idea of how SEO works. As an SEO expert who has spent much time in Nigeria’s thriving digital ecosystem, I know how algorithms, keywords, and user purpose work together to shape your business online.
Let’s work together to develop strategies that work well with Google’s changes and help your Nigerian business stand out in the digital world. By working with me, you’re investing in a better future for your online presence.
