A Visual History of Google Algorithm Updates [Infographic]

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May 12, 2015 // 8:00 AM
A Vi al i to y of Google
Algo ithm Up ate
[ nfog aphic]
Written by Erik Devaney | @bardofboston
Whe e Ma kete Go to G o
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MARKETING / 6 days ago
A Visual History of Google
Algorithm Updates
[Infographic]
MARKETING / 19 hrs ago
Why Workshops Work: The
Secret to Selling Long-Lasting
Retainers
In the early days, Google's search engine wasn't nearly as powerful or
accurate as it is today. I'm talking back in the late 90s and early 00s, when
search engines were little more than keyword-matching and link-counting
machines. Ranking highly in search results could be accomplished by
essentially using a simple, two-step procedure:
Step 1: Stuff your keyword phrase into your website as many times
as possible.
Step 2: Get as many gosh-darn inbound links as you possibly could.
For those early "SEO gurus" who gamed the system -- achieving high
rankings while adding little value for actual searchers -- the fun wouldn't
last. Every time Google found a weakness in its ability to deliver relevant,
high-quality search results, they made fixes to address it.

One of the more recent Google search algorithm "fixes" was a mobile-
friendly update, which put more emphasis on a website's mobile-friendliness
as a ranking factor for searches from a mobile device. The aftermath of this
update was informally dubbed "Mobilegeddon."
To make sure your site is optimized for
Google's algorithm update, download our free
guide, How to Make a Mobile-Friendly
Website.
Curious how the latest change stacks up against previous Google algorithm
changes? To give you a snapshot of all of the major changes that Google
has implemented over the years, we teamed up with Moz to create the
infographic below.
A History of Google
Algorithm Updates
Share This Image on Your Site
Please include attribution to
Blog.HubSpot.com with this graphic. <a href='http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/google-
algorithm-visual-history-infographic'><img
src='http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/google-723

723

Share This Image on Your Site
Please include attribution to
Blog.HubSpot.com with this graphic. <a href='http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/google-
algorithm-visual-history-infographic'><img
src='http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/google-
algorithm-changes.png' alt='history of google algorithm
changes' width='669px' border='0' /></a>
Which change do you think has had the biggest affect on SEO? What do
you think Google's next big update will be? Let us knowyour thoughts in
the comments section below.
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in February 2014 and has
been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
723

Topics: SEO
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