After a long wait, Google is finally updating their search algorithm. It’s true! The Penguin 4.0 algorithm has been released! But now, instead of periodically refreshing data, updates are being made in real time! So, you’re probably wondering what this means for you. Ultimately, the change will prove to be a good one, but you may experience a bumpy ride during the rolling out phase.
- In the immediate future, rankings will show fluctuations on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
- These fluctuations are a normal part of the process as Google recrawls (visits and follows links on your site for tracking purposes) and reindexes (adds webpages into Google search).
- For any of you who’ve noticed a shift in your rankings already, no need to worry. We’re aware and will monitor how the fluctuations affect your site.
Feeling the Need for Speed?
Here at cj, we know that SEO has never been a speedy process. We’ve always reminded clients that things can be in flux for about 90 days after we make changes. But as more of the algorithm is updated in real time, these periods of flux will continue to decrease. We can all agree that this is good news.
But SEO is still the long game. All the elements of your site need to be built in a sustainable way and not with the intention of beating the algorithm. We’re not trying to game the system for short-term benefits. Our brand-first focus puts the emphasis on great content and a site that is designed to convert. This approach allows us to weather these updates with little risk of penalty. And if I may for a moment “recrawl” cj’s Interactive history, we’ve never had a manual penalty applied to any of our sites. We plan to keep it that way.
As the real-time update process stands now, changes can be tested and integrated more quickly, but the updates won’t be announced as major events. And although we’re not going to have direct insight into the changes they’re making, with over 200 signals being used to determine rank, we’re also not spending time trying to predict the impact of Google’s next major refresh. Instead, we’ll have more time to continue our focus on creating websites that resonate with potential clients and help generate leads for your firm.
If you have any questions about this or any other SEO-related topics, feel free to reach out to me at bcombs@cjadvertising.com.
