People with concerns about SEO and any changes in SEO processes have to focus primarily on the Google Algorithm. When you understand Google does at least 90% of the searches, in one way or another, it is apparent that that is where the beef is.
Whenever Google updates this algorithm - which has usually been a secretive event. This is probably done because the change is in part an experiment and in part to give black hat practitioners no time to plan any exploitation before the changes are operational. There is also the matter of competition with Yahoo! and MSN, among others.
There has been plenty of reaction and talk about the rather sudden and noticeable changes in SERPs that seems to have commenced in early July. This was evidenced by a percentage of websites moving quickly into the top 10 - and others pushed out. This was not to minor jockeying noticed from week to week with various site changes - this was a tremor. And not a pleasant tremor for sites that lost ground so suddenly.
Reportedly many webmasters and SEO experts saw the shifting occurring around three axes - 1) PageRank 2) Domain Age 3) Backlinks. These have been rather crucial factors for several years to one extent or another, but changes had to have been made, and may even continue to be made.
1) PageRank seems to have changed as a factor with several resultant features. One of those changes is that PageRank seems to have lost some weight - and especially in regard to the weight of PageRank as to the value of a backlinks. If this reading is correct it is a very positive change for Google because it reflects the reality that PageRank is not any true indicator of a website’s real importance or value. PageRank itself is most probably being rethought, possibly to be replaced by other better systems that are meant to more accurately gauge the importance or value of a website.
2) Domain Age has been given a good deal of importance in Google’s algorithm. Age of a domain may be one small indicator of how solid a company or website has been. But there are many new sites that provide excellent information and new ideas that are in that respect better than many of their older counterparts. Many of the older websites lost substantial ground in the July shifting. Certainly it is a good idea to give a website some time to develop before setting them atop the SERPs, and in this respect Domain Age definitely has some value.
3) Backlinks have been very important, but their importance seems to get a recalculation in the new algorithm’s ranking shift. One major apparent shift is that one-way or nonreciprocal links, that may have been more relevant, has lost weight, while the gross numbers of links, even less relevant links, seems to have gained some weight. Although link accumulation could be seen in part as a function of the age of a website, with the loss of weight in relevancy Google may have taken a step backward.
These algorithm changes may continue, and certainly could be seen as a series of staged changes on Google’s part, to allow a more gradual development and improvement. Google’s major trends have been positive over the years - and it seems that despite some interesting shifts and one tremor - positive and steady change is underway.
Arthur Browning
Arthur Browning began his career teaching technical writing in a small midwestern university for 15 years. He later edited and published a national professional journal for some ten years. He is now an investor. His interests include art collecting, web marketing, writing.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Arthur_L_Browning
Keyword Tags: algorithm, Google, MSN, Search Engine Marketing, SEM, SERP, Yahoo
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