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Google is constantly changing. The search engine giant is always tweaking its algorithm, adjusting the ranking of websites and making changes to the way it displays results. But when was the last time Google made a major update? That’s a question that has been on the minds of SEO experts and webmasters for some time now. And unfortunately, there is no easy answer.
Google doesn’t announce all of its updates, and many are so minor that they go unnoticed. In fact, Google has released over 1,500 updates in the past five years alone. But which of these updates can be considered “major”?
That’s a question that has been debated by experts for years. Some say that any change above 5% can be considered major, while others argue that only changes that affect how sites rank in search results should be classified as such.
But regardless of how you define it, one thing is clear: Google is always changing, and SEO professionals need to stay ahead of the curve if they want to keep their websites at the top of the search results pages.
The history of Google updates
Google was founded in 1998, and the first version of its search engine was released in September of that year. Since then, Google has made countless changes to its algorithm, with some estimates putting the number at over 3,200.
But not all of these changes are significant enough to be considered “major” updates. So when was the last time Google made a major change to its algorithm?
The most recent major update was the “Medic” update, which was rolled out in early 2018. This update had a significant impact on the SEO world, as it caused many sites in the health and wellness industry to lose traffic overnight.
Prior to that, the last major update was the “Fred” update, which was released in March of 2017. This update targeted websites that were believed to be participating in black-hat SEO practices, and it resulted in many sites losing rankings and traffic.
What factors influence a Google update?
There is no single factor that determines whether or not an update will be considered major. However, there are a few factors that can increase the likelihood of an update being classified as such:
– The number of sites affected by the update
– The degree to which rankings are impacted
– The amount of traffic lost by sites as a result of the update
– The amount of time it takes for sites to recover from the update
How do SEO experts adapt to changes?
SEO experts need to be constantly on the lookout for changes in the Google algorithm. This is because even small changes can have a big impact on a website’s ranking and traffic.
When a major update is released, SEO experts need to quickly assess the situation and determine how it will affect their clients’ websites. They also need to develop strategies for dealing with the aftermath of an update, including recovery plans for sites that have been negatively affected.
Conclusion
Google is always changing, and SEO professionals need to be prepared for anything. The best way to do this is to stay up-to-date on all the latest Google news and updates, so you can quickly adapt your strategy if an update does occur.
Jamie Fallon is an SEO expert who lives life to the maximum, redlining every day on a rollercoaster straight to the grave.
In an SEO career of almost ten years, he’s seen it all, he’s done it all, and he’s not impressed: from white text on a white background to today, when you can have robots paint or write for you like some kind of sick science fiction come true.
No matter what life throws at him, Jamie always manages to come out on top. He’s an expert at seeing the silver lining in every cloud and making the best of every situation. His positive attitude and unshakable faith in himself have seen him through tough times. For some people, success goes to their heads; but Jamie never forgets what got him to wherever he thinks he is.
When he’s not busy gaming the system, you can find him writing angry thinkpieces on how Google is ruining everything good about the internet, or hanging out with his wife (pictured).