Wondering why SEO (search engine optimization) strategy is a constant ebb and flow? Plain and simple, Google is always making updates to improve their algorithms. For that reason, business owners and SEO companies alike have to be ahead of the game to earn their spot on the first page of the SERPS (search engine results page).
To give you an idea of how often Google makes updates, we’ve listed some updates that Google has made over the last 10 years that you may not be aware of. Taking some time to learn about the updates listed below could give you insight into why your rankings have dropped or risen throughout the years.
2007 UPDATES
- May: Buffy
- June: Universal Search
2008 UPDATES
- April: Dewey
- August: Google Suggest
2009 UPDATES
- February: Rel-canonical Tag
- February: Vince
- August: Caffeine (preview)
- December: Real-time Search
2010 UPDATES
- April: Google Places
- May: May Day
- June: Caffeine (rollout)
- August: Brand Update
- September: Google Instant
- November: Instant Previews
- December: Social Signals
- December: Negative Reviews
2011 UPDATES
- January: Overstock.com Penalty (precursor to Panda)
- January: Attribution Update
- February: Panda/Farmer
- March: +1 Button
- April: Panda 2.0
- May: Panda 2.1
- June: Schema
- June: Panda 2.2
- June: Google+
- July: Panda 2.3
- August: Panda 2.4
- August: Extended Sitelinks
- September: Pagination Elements
- September: Panda 2.5
- October: Panda Flux
- October: Query Encryption
- November: Freshness Update
- November: 10-Pack #1
- November: Panda 3.1
- December: 10-Pack # 2
2012 UPDATES
- January: 30-Pack
- January: Search + Your World
- January: Panda 3.2
- January: Ads Above the Fold
- February: 17-Pack
- February: Panda 3.3
- February: 40-Pack
- February: Venice
- March: Search Quality Video
- March: Panda 3.4
- March: 50-pack
- April: Parked Domain Bug
- April: Panda 3.5
- April: Penguin
- April: Panda 3.6
- April: 52-pack
- May: Knowledge Graph
- May: Penguin 1.1
- May: 39-Pack
- June: Panda 3.7
- June: Panda 3.8
- July: Link Warnings
- July: Panda 3.9
- June and July: 86-Pack
- August: Pirate (DMCA Penalty)
- August: 7-Results Serps
- August: Panda 3.9.1
- September: Panda 3.9.2
- September: Exact-Match Domain
- September: Panda #20
- August and September: 65-Pack
- October: Penguin #3
- October: Page Layout #2
- November: Panda #21
- November: Panda #22
- December: Knowledge Graph Expansion
- December: Panda #23
2013 UPDATES
- January: Panda #24
- March: Panda #25
- May: Phantom
- May: Domain Crowding
- May: Penguin 2.0
- June: Panda Dance
- June: Payday Loan Update
- June: Multiweek Update
- July: Panda Recovery
- July: Knowledge Graph Expansion
- July: Unnamed Update
- August: In-depth Articles
- August: Hummingbird
- October: Penguin 2.1
- November: Unnamed Update
- December: Unnamed Update
- December: Authorship Shake-up
2014 UPDATES
- February: Page Layout #4
- March: Unnamed Update
- May: Payday Loan 2.0
- May: Panda 4.0
- June: Payday Loan 3.0
- June: Authorship Photo Drop
- July: Pigeon
- August: HTTPS/SSL Update
- August: Authorship Removed
- September: Panda 4.1
- October: “In the News” Box
- October: Penguin 3.0
- October: Pirate 2.0
- December: Penguin Everflux
- December: Pigeon Expands (update for UK, Australia, and Canada)
2015 UPDATES
- February: Unnamed Update
- April: Mobile-Friendly Update (Mobilegeddon)
- May: Quality Update
- July: Panda 4.2
- October: RankBrain (announced in October, this update could have actually taken place as early as spring 2015)
2016 UPDATES
- January: Unnamed Update
- February: AdWords Shake-up
- May: Unnamed Major Update
- May: Mobile-Friendly 2
- September: Possum
- September: Image/Universal Drop
- September: Penguin 4.0
- September: Penguin 4.0 – Phase 1
- October: Penguin 4.0 – Phase 2
- November: Unnamed Major Update
- December: Unnamed Major Updates
2017 UPDATES…SO FAR
- January: Intrusive Interstitial Penalty
- February: Unnamed Major Update
- February: Unnamed Major Update
- March: Fred
Is the list above surprising? What may be even more surprising is that these updates are only the highlights of updates that Google has been making throughout the year. Google’s CEO revealed that 516 updates were made to Google’s algorithm in 2010 alone. In addition, Google has not confirmed all of the updates listed above despite major flux in algorithms during those months.
Does the prospect of maintaining your rank seem daunting? Contact eMarketing Concepts! We stay on top of updates, are practiced at adjusting strategies, and know what practices can help you minimize changes after an algorithm update.