#107 Top SEO Algorithms That Shaped Search: A Deep Dive

1. Panda

• What it does: Panda focuses on the quality of content. It penalizes sites with low-quality or duplicate content, keyword stuffing, and thin content (pages with little value).
• How it affects SEO: If your site has poor content, it will rank lower. Focus on creating valuable, original content for users.

2. Penguin

• What it does: Penguin targets websites that use manipulative link-building tactics, such as buying links or using spammy backlinks.
• How it affects SEO: If your site has low-quality or unnatural backlinks, it may get penalized. Build backlinks naturally by creating quality content.

3. Hummingbird

• What it does: Hummingbird focuses on understanding the meaning behind search queries, improving how Google interprets search intent (what the user really wants).
• How it affects SEO: It encourages the use of natural, conversational language in content rather than just stuffing keywords.

4. Pigeon

• What it does: Pigeon helps improve local search results by tying them more closely to traditional web ranking factors like SEO signals (backlinks, content quality) and location.
• How it affects SEO: Businesses with optimized local SEO (like having Google My Business listings) rank higher in local search results.

5. RankBrain

• What it does: RankBrain is an AI-based algorithm that helps Google understand the context and relevance of search queries, even if the query is unfamiliar.
• How it affects SEO: It emphasizes user experience, relevance, and understanding of content. Sites with engaging, relevant content perform better.

6. BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers)

• What it does: BERT helps Google understand the nuances and context of words in search queries, especially for complex or conversational searches.
• How it affects SEO: Focus on writing content naturally and answering user queries clearly. BERT rewards content that aligns with user intent.

7. E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

• What it does: E-A-T is not a single algorithm but a concept that Google uses to assess the quality of content, especially for topics related to health, finance, and news.
• How it affects SEO: Websites that demonstrate expertise, authority, and trustworthiness rank higher. Building credible content and gaining authority in your field is crucial.

8. Core Web Vitals Update

• What it does: This update focuses on user experience, specifically site speed, interactivity, and visual stability (how elements shift on the page).
• How it affects SEO: Sites that load faster, are interactive, and offer a stable user experience rank better. Improve page speed, reduce delays, and ensure elements don't move unexpectedly.

9. Mobile-First Indexing

• What it does: Google indexes and ranks websites based on their mobile version rather than the desktop version, prioritizing mobile-friendly sites.

How it affects SEO: Ensure your site is fully responsive and optimized for mobile devices, as Google uses the mobile version to rank pages.