As we near the end of 2015, we’re looking back at some of the major core algorithm updates of this year in a bit more detail.
Google’s algorithm is in a constant state of flux with changes being made daily to adjust and refine results. Google is enthralled in a never-ending battle against spammers and black-hatters to ensure the results they provide are genuine, trustworthy and useful. As a specialist SEO agency, it’s essential we are always up to date with the latest algorithm changes and are looking ahead at what changes may be introduced in the future.
If you’d like to learn more about why Google changes it’s algorithm, read our article on how Google’s algorithm has developed over the years.
Mobilegeddon
April 2015
Google announced an update to their algorithm concerned with identifying mobile-friendly websites. This update caused a huge stir within the industry as the announcement was made before the actual update was released. In actual fact, the on-going effects of the update were relatively minor but it does show Google’s increasing focus on mobile.
Quality Content Update
May 2015
A huge part of modern SEO is ensuring websites are packed full of quality content that is relevant and useful for visitors. Although there have been several previous instances where Google’s algorithm has shifted towards quality content, this update caused very noticeable changes to results. This update was focused on how quality was assessed and therefore had a major impact on a number of sites.
Panda 4.2
July 2015
Google announced the release of Panda 4.2 in July this year. The nature of Panda means this was most likely refresh rather than an actual update – if you’d like to read more check out our article on Panda 4.2. The rollout of this Panda update has been slower but is reported to give small and medium, high quality sites better rankings.
We hope this post provides a useful recap of 2015 but keep checking our blog regularly for information about future updates.