Do You Google Google?

If you’re not googling Google, you should be. The search giant frequently updates its algorithm (as in practically daily) and significantly updates it a few times a year. The more substantial updates are called Broad Core Algorithm updates and when they happen, the rules of search, as you thought you knew them, often shift – and – your website ranking may change. While the goal of an update is usually to improve search results, we marketers can’t help take them personally and worry that they are designed to challenge our marketing strategies. Either way, it’s helpful to be informed.

While we do our best at Double Forte to keep clients abreast of industry updates, the speed of change in the digital realm outpaces even an overly caffeinated PR person hoping to get out of work by 5 p.m. on a random weekday. So it can’t hurt to occasionally Google Google and see what’s up.

Google has made a few Broad Core Algorithm updates this year with the most significant in March and June. Here are the takeaways:

• There is nothing you need to fix about your website or your search strategies (related to the algorithm update, anyway. You still should considered losing the 1990s-inspired logos and bad font choices from your past….)
• The latest updates were all about relevance – and delivering the search results that matter to the searcher.

What you can do:

• Continue to build trust. And build that trust by providing relevant content.
• In other words, as we’ve always counseled, know your customer persona, offer them true value, stay relevant, rinse, repeat.

Technology will change. Rankings will change. Fashion will change – and it should. Can you imagine if mullets didn’t go away?! But what should never change is your commitment to your customer – and your demonstration of that commitment via quality, relevant, useful content.