Google Hummingbird and the Conversational Search

Google Hummingbird is the new algorithm introduced by Google. It is the biggest search algorithm change which Google launches since 2001. What is the interesting part about it? Google launched the change a month before its official announcement on 27^th September 2013…and no one noticed.

What are the changes?

Google claims that its new algorithm has a better and more human-like way of interacting with users. Rather than searching for separate words, the new algorithm better focuses on the interconnection of the given words. So, for example, if you are searching for “grocery shop in x area” Google Hummingbird will focus on finding a grocery shop in the area which you have requested rather than “grocery shop” and “x area”. Google claims that this improved search option will better fulfill the search requests as its goal is that pages matching the mеaning dо better, rather than pages matching just a few wоrds.

Another major change introduced by the new algorithm is “Conversational Search” which allows users to speak out their search requests. This can be done with smart phones, tablets or simply computer microphone. The idea behind the new search option is that the search process becomes a lot more personalized and conversational, acquiring a more close-to-human form. It becomes just like asking another person and expecting an answer…Hummingbird does it!

According to Google, Hummingbird is much smarter, faster, precise and better in many ways.  It can answer questions, filter the answers, and give you comparison results. It can better understand the relationship between words and requests, improving the time and quality for retrieving the matching search result.

How does it affect SEO?

When the new algorithm was announced the online marketing world was shocked and terrified by this major change. For many this automatically meant decrease in links strength which affects SEO, traffic to the website and Page Ranking. Google claims that there are no changes concerning your SEO efforts…if you have done it right so far.

Google Hummingbird`s goal is to be less dependent on keywords. You might be terrified by this but relax! This only means that the new algorithm will try to connect words in more complex, interconnected way. So if you have good quality content which is well structured there is nothing to worry about. If not, consider rewriting your content in order to optimize it according to Google`s new algorithm and finding SEO solutions for your website. In addition, many assume that the new algorithm decreases the importance of external link building which generates traffic to your website. Google responds- make sure you have relevant website linking to your own website and you will continue generating traffic to your own website.

Google`s new Hummingbird algorithm is here for better or worse…we still don’t know and the outcomes of this new revolutionized algorithm are still to be seen. Whether it is faster, better and more precise or it is about to burry any SEO efforts? Time will tell. Until then we should keep doing everything the way we used to- with professionalism and passion.