Google Algorithmn Update: Hummingbird

Last month, Google announced its Hummingbird algorithm update. The purpose of this update is to provide more accurate search results to the user. The name is based on the speed and accuracy of the Hummingbird. The hummingbird update uses semantic search to return search results that are a better match to the user's intent. Googles increasing mastery of semantic search enables them, in their own words, to "understand real-world entities and their relationships to one another."

Semantic search focuses on determining what a user really means, rather than a string of keywords , and then serving relevant results. As conversational search becomes the norm, Hummingbird lends understanding to the intent and contextual meaning of terms used in a query.

What does the Hummingbird update mean for SEO?

This information about Hummingbird has made some marketers nervous, but at PubCon last week, Googles Matt Cutts from Google recently reminded marketers that the algorithm had been up and running for more than a month before it was announced, and no one even noticed.

How do I ensure that my content is Humingbird friendly?

Google's Hummingbird algorithmn update makes search quicker, easier and more intuitive. But how do we ensure that our content is optimised for this update?

SEO now requires a keener understanding of your audience. Writing content that includes appropriate terminology can demonstrate to Google that your site is authoritative and valuable. Quality content is crucial, and that includes at least some level of keyword optimisation. Although, while keywords continue to be important, Hummingbird makes it possible for a page to rank for a query even if it doesnt contain the exact words the searcher entered.