The Six Most Significant Algorithm Updates in Google’s History

Is Google giving you the SEO Blues? The six most significant updates in Google's history Blues Fact: Blind lemon Jefferson, the father of Texas blues was an original Trail Blazer blues guitarist in the 1920's. The Beatles and Bob Dylan both did covers of his songs. Blues Clue: The core algorithm for the Google search engine is Page Rank. Named after Larry Page, one of Google's founders. Page Rank measures the number and quality of links pointing to a website. Page Rank continues to provide the foundation for all of Google's web search tools. Even Blind Lemon could see quality links are vital for high organic rankings. Blues Fact: Considered by many to be the most influential Blues musician in history, Charlie Patton played guitar behind his head and back three decades before Rock and Roll. Blues Clue: In 2000 Google launched their ToolBar Page Rank starting the SEO arms race that inspires all of us today. The death of spammy links took years to come to fruition but this is where it all started. Blues Fact: Want to hear the man who inspired Jimi Hendrix? Lightnin' Hopkins unique finger-style acoustic guitar work foreshadowed the great blues guitarists of the late 1960's. Besides with a name like Lightnin' Hopkins, who wouldn't want to listen to him play? Blues Clue: How Apropos, from lightning' to the Jagger update of 2005? Talk about a great segue. Low-quality links, including reciprocal links, link farms, and paid links were put in a crossfire hurricane, leaving most SEO's in more need of a blood transfusion than Keith Richards. Quality links; are we beginning to see a pattern here? Blues Fact: A song called “Boogie Chillen' " released in 1948? Long before we were all "chillin' like a villain" in the 90's John Lee Hooker took the blues sound to a rump shakin new level, inspiring the likes of Led Zepplin and ZZ Top. Blues Clue: In 2009 Google kicked it up a notch themselves with the Caffeine update. Google got faster, it also got more accurate making keywords more important to SEO. Just like Mr. Hooker, caffeine ushered in a new sound. The sound of keyboards typing up higher quality content. Blues Fact: Yes, that is Eric Clapton rocking 80's metal hair back when photos were still being taken in black and white. If you don't know the blues significance of Clapton, take your pulse, then get counseling. Blues Clue: Everybody loves Clapton and everyone loves social media. Not surprisingly Google wants to know what the cool kids in class are talking about. In 2010 the Social Signals update required websites to have a strong social media presence to achieve organic rankings. Blues Fact: B.B. King's raw blues sound and contrastingly smooth vocals brought Mississippi blues to the masses. His career has spanned six decades and he still tours today. Blues Clue: Just like B.B.'s career the Penguin and Panda updates seem to be never ending. With over 30 new updates combined since they were released respectively in 2011 and 2012 we can learn two obvious lessons from Google. Pay attention to your offsite anchor link text and don't over optimize. Write quality content or everybody gonna know why you sing the blues!