SEO Trends 2018: Latest Google Algorithm Changes & Updates 2018

Search engines such as Google keep tweaking their search algorithm now and then. For the last two decades, there have been hundreds of major and minor algorithm changes. Some have had remarkable outcomes and impact on different sites. Some changes can result in a dip in your page rank, while others will leave you smiling. Discernment marketers need to be on their toes since search engine updates can show up anytime.

Whereas a search engine like Google will effect minor changes, it so happens that they will roll out a major algorithm change in the range of their previous Panda and Penguin changes. If a marketer knows when the updates are due, it becomes easy to prepare. Updates are handy when you want to understand gradual and drastic changes in ranking and traffic numbers.

For instance, in 2018, Google has announced the release of the page speed update. This one caters to the sites that present slow speed when users type their query. There are other updates that Google affected on its core search algorithm. There is a lot of surrounding Google algorithm that could make this year worth remembering. From the mobile first, RankBrain, AI, and search personalization are likely to make a huge buzz.

As Jean Jennings, the content manager of Serpbook, share her recent thoughts, “Google will sometimes maintain a tight-lipped policy and you need to be all ears if you want to turn around your SEO.”

Rank Brain Google Algorithm Updates 2018

As part of Google’s Hummingbird algorithms, RankBrain has a significant impact on page ranking. It’s a machine learning-artificial intelligence algorithm whose purpose is to improve keyword-based results in relation to the user’s intention. Here, the machine is learning from task rather than being instructed by man. RankBrain comes in third as one of the crucial ranking factors on Google. The Google algorithm change was geared towards helping Google understand a variety of search queries and providing the best results.

The algorithm change can be attributed to Google’s ability to understand more than just language but intent as well. It is now easy for Google to assess a site’s ability to best fulfill a user’s intention. With this update comes the need to align your focus. It’s important to create relevant and in-depth content to help you keep up with the ever-changing SEO techniques.

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Mobile First Indexing Algorithm

Since March 2018, after the SERP algorithm shakeup, a lot has been said about the update that will see how search performs on mobile. This is touted to be the first Google algorithm update. Today, over 65% of search traffic comes from people using mobile devices. Apparently, site speed has been rated as a critical ranking factor. As such 2018 seems to be the year when marketers polish their mobile architecture to facilitate fast speeds. The update signals the possibility that Google will rank search results based on the mobile concept.

This development seems to be sending a message to those who rely on sites that aren’t optimized for mobile. This type of search seems to be the future of search. If your website hasn’t adapted to accommodate mobile users, the ranking is likely to tumble. There is the likelihood that the speed update will impact well-searched pages for popular keywords.

How Will This SEO Trend Affect You?

Google loves to see mobile and desktop search indexes together, but the responsive site quality needs to be in the mix. If your site is responsive and it offers the same experience on the desktop and mobile, you don’t have to do things any other way. You only need to streamline the mobile experience to ensure page speed; navigation, load time and the like are optimized for the user.  The lack of a mobile-friendly site, in the end, is what will impact the site rank albeit negatively.

Broad Core Google Algorithm Update

Google will from time to updates its core search algorithm to improve its capacity to grasp and rely on to search queries. This core update happened in March of 2018, but there is a clear indication that sites that experience an impact didn’t necessarily do something wrong. With the update, website owners need to acknowledge a number of aspects. On one hand, this update was geared towards improving SERP. The site that took a hit didn’t flout the rules and the improvements were recorded based on the content.

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Algorithm Update Was More Pronounced

Google’s Broad Core algorithm update was more pronounced and extensive compared to the conventional updates that Google will make on a daily basis. There is not much that Google discloses about the core updates. However, it’s easy to predict the elements that make up these updates. These will analyze the rules that dictate and map user intent. The updates will equally seek to come or with the best results in the end not to mention they will be looking for exceptional comprehension of the content in the picture.