Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Contact Us
(770) 580-3736
  • Who We Serve
  • The Team
  • Testimonials
  • Get In Touch
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Contact Us
(770) 580-3736
  • Who We Serve
  • The Team
  • Testimonials
  • Get In Touch
PersistSEO

PersistSEO

Atlanta SEO Company

  • About
    • Who We Serve
    • Our Leadership Team
    • Blog
  • Services
    • SEO
    • PPC
    • Google Maps
    • Web Design
    • Social Media
    • Review Marketing
  • Free SEO Report
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us
(770) 580-3736

Navigation

  • Home
  • SEO
  • PPC
  • Web Design
  • Free SEO Report
  • Get in Touch

How Do Google Search Engine Changes Affect My Small Business?

March 9, 2018

google search engine changes

Google search engine changes give pause to digital marketing professionals as they determine SEO strategies for success. Some people go into full panic mode until they unearth all of the recent changes to how the search engine works. After all, failing to keep up with these periodic changes can easily result in lost traffic.

A Real World Example

Online retail giant Overstock.com provides a clear example of what can happen when a company doesn’t respond to Google search engine updates. Google tweaked its algorithms in the spring of 2015, and Overstock’s marketing department failed to update their marketing materials in response to those updates. By some measures, Overstock’s visibility dropped by as much as 35% that May. In return, their stock price declined 18% due to reduced profits.

All companies, large and small, are vulnerable to Google search engine changes. Keep reading to learn about some of the most recent Google search engine updates and make sure your website is keeping up.

Google Search Engine Changes: Mobile-First Indexing

Mobile searches are rapidly overtaking computer-based search engine usage. In response, Google is working hard to make sure that digital marketers are taking steps to provide a great mobile experience.

In April 2015, Google released an update that boosted rankings for websites that were optimized for mobile users. As a result, websites that were not set up for mobile devices were penalized. Google helpfully released a mobile-friendliness testing tool that allows you to quickly see how mobile-friendly your website is.

In 2020, we fully expect all sites to be transitioned to mobile first indexing on Google. With this in mind, small business owners should be ensuring their site doesn’t fall prey to a ranking drop due to a poor mobile experience. In summary, Google will rank sites according to how well they perform on mobile phones.

Google Confirms RankBrain and BERT Updates

The RankBrain algorithm continues to be updated as Google learns more information about the intent of various search terms. RankBrain is based on AI and is part of Google’s core Hummingbird algorithm.

BERT came on the scene in October of 2019 and helps Google understand the nuances of various search terms. For example, with search term “2019 brazil traveler to usa need a visa,” the word “to” and its relationship to the other words in query are important for understanding the meaning.

Previously, Google wouldn’t understand the importance of this connection and would return results about U.S. citizens traveling to Brazil. “With BERT, Search is able to grasp this nuance and know that the very common word “to” actually matters a lot here, and we can provide a much more relevant result for this query,” Google explained.

What next?

There is no need to panic as Google search engine changes are continually rolled out. The creation of awesome websites that are lightening fast, secure, mobile responsive, content-rich, and easy to navigate, will prevail in the search results. But if you find that you are not confident in your ability to address these updates or others, call PersistSEO for expert assistance at 770.580.3736.

Previous Post
4 Biggest Mistakes in Web Design and How to Avoid Them
Next Post
5 Small Business Marketing Ideas for Your Start-Up

Request More Info

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Most Popular Content

  • Top 5 PPC Trends for 2021
  • 10 Tips to Rank Higher on Google Maps in 2021
  • How to Prepare Your Website for Google’s Core Web Vitals Update
  • 3 Digital Marketing Tips for Your Telehealth Service
  • 101 SEO Tips for Small Businesses in 2021

Recent Posts

  • 101 SEO Tips for Small Businesses in 2021
  • 10 Tips to Rank Higher on Google Maps in 2021
  • How to Prepare Your Website for Google’s Core Web Vitals Update
  • Top 5 PPC Trends for 2021
  • 5 Local SEO Tips for Google My Business Success

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Contact Us
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
Copyright © 2010-2021 PersistSEO LLC