When it comes to delivering search results, search engines like Google have two primary concerns: Provide web searchers with timely and accurate results while protecting the secret algorithms that enable the search engines to deliver those results. If the algorithm is too easy to sort out, it will be a simple task for nefarious web designers to take advantage of its weakness and position sites near the top of lucrative search markets.
Google’s latest update, titled “Hummingbird,” is a total redesign of the original Google search engine. Though it carries forward many of Google’s core components, such as reliance on page rank and backlinks, it also presents a bevy of new challenges for SEO experts due to its focus on “secure search.”
What is Secure Search?
In the classic days of SEO marketing, a firm could simply saturate pages with appropriate keywords to trick Google into giving that site a higher priority. As Google caught on to this trend, it complicated its algorithms to ensure the results delivered were of higher quality and provided less spam overload. However, keywords have remained an important component of Google’s algorithm design, and most SEO marketing firms rely on detailed keyword data from Google to determine which search phrases are performing best for clients.
Hummingbird, however, changed by implementing secure search. In short, secure search means that keyword data is no longer available to site owners. In September of 2013, Google switched all of its search servers to encrypted HTTPS mechanics that prevent site owners from seeing which keywords sent visitors to their site.
The decision was implemented to make searching more secure for users (and probably to make it harder for blackhat SEO firms to game the system). However, talented SEO marketing firms that focus on high quality, original content will still see the same types of success as before — Google has always touted the importance of relevant and high quality content in regards to search results.
The world of SEO changed dramatically with Hummingbird. However, firms with established practices in creating better search results through Google-approved methodology (good content, originality, relevance) will find success even without keyword data readily available. For more information or to request a complimentary analysis please visit www.ladsolutions.com.
