AmberBurnham4: The Impact of Google Hummingbird on Online Reputation …

Google “Hummingbird ” is here, and it has a lot of people scratching their heads. What were the changes made during the recent update, and how can you protect your site rankings in the search results and your online reputation in the process? In this post we are going to highlight some of the key points that top names in the industry have to say about the latest Google algorithm update.

The Impact of Google Hummingbird on Online Reputation Management image Depositphotos 5565964 xs

Here’s What We Know About Google Hummingbird

First off, unlike Panda and Penguin, the Google Hummingbird updates may seem like they didn’t affect as many websites as previous updates. If you didn’t see a dramatic increase or decrease in traffic, you are probably safe or at least not greatly affected (for now). This doesn’t mean there won’t be some drastic updates and SERP changes in the coming months or years. Most algorithm updates sustain many smaller/larger updates after they are released.

To give a synopsis of the update, Eric Enge of “Digital Marketing Newsletter” explained Hummingbird as follows:

Hummingbird is a platform that enables Google to better process conversational search queries, and then translate those into more basic keyword-ese like queries. In short, it is a new front-end query processor. In the near-term, this might impact your traffic if the practical impact is a reduced value of rankings on long tail search queries. We will learn that in due time.

But what does this really tell us about how we should build links to our websites and content to build our brand while also focusing on our reputation? Mashable had the following to say:

Hummingbird is the search giant’s largest search algorithm update since 2001. The search engine’s recent overhaul — which affects 90% of searches — aims to filter “fluff” content that is created solely for nabbing search engine optimization and instead deliver better, higher quality search results.

In practice, this means that users’ searches are becoming longer and more specific. Whereas prior search algorithms focused on keywords, the new algorithm will now focus on users’ intent by answering questions that they are asking in their searches.

For many of us, this is nothing new. The transition from exact match and 1-3 word keywords to long tail keywords has been something that many of us have been working on for years now. This is one of the main focuses behind Google Hummingbird, which was implemented to provide a better and more accurate search result for the end user.

This is just the beginning of Hummingbird, and we can expect plenty of movement and updates in the coming months. If you haven’t already, now is the time for you to start focusing on quality content and getting real authority sites linking back to you while removing or updating any stale content you might have.

What Does Google Hummingbird Mean for ORM?

As online reputation management experts, our concern with Hummingbird is what this update could potentially mean for our brand, customers and you. We already know that ORM is more then just SEO. Adapting to changes in the industry is nothing new for Brand.com and that is why they are the best at it. Panda, Penguin or Hummingbird… Brand.com is still the best at making content rank for what matters: you and your audience.

Search Engine Journal just recently went live with an article titled, “Reputation Management is on Google’s Radar. What Now?” which touched briefly on Hummingbird and how Google might be looking at the ORM industry and possibly taking action. The good thing is that if you are following Google’s guidelines and practices, then you have nothing to worry about. At the end of the day, Brand.com always has original and trustworthy content on all of their sites while working with clients of all sizes. No matter what Google algorithm comes out with next, legitimate and quality content will always win.

SEJ pointed out the following five steps that all ORM specialists should be focusing on:

Create Fair, Relevant Content

Take Advantage of Sites that Offer a Natural SERPs Boost

Take Advantage of the Freshness Factor

Content Removal Needs to Be Part of Your Equation

Be Worthy of a Good Reputation

These are the core basics that Brand.com follows. By always following the rules and providing premium content and services to our customers, we can relax with each algorithm update and watch as our competition continually falls out of the rankings and no longer remains a relevant ORM provider.

Google Hummingbird and Looking Ahead

The Internet is no longer a world of one way conversations. The Internet is now social, and the search engines are adapting accordingly. When searching for “reputation management” in the search engines 10 years ago, you might have some across an article in well-known newspapers from several years before. If you were to search that same phrase today, you would find an active website with a full company, blog and active audience using it daily.

The web is no longer static and stale data… which means you can no longer be either!

Your online reputation can no longer be static data. If you want to continually own the first page of rankings for your personal or business name, you are always going to need to add new content to your sites, be active on your social networks and have a blog that is updated with valuable information that caters to your audience. Why?… because this is what Google and the people searching for your name want!

Don’t be afraid of Google Hummingbird, Brand.com has you covered!