While content writing services may view something like Google’s brand name changing as a mildly interesting if unimportant piece of news, announcements about Google changing their algorithm have to be treated a lot more seriously by the UK’s search engine specialists.
The algorithm Google uses is basically the basis for a lot of content writing services companies. If the company specialises in search engine optimisation, then how Google’s algorithm processes their content is critical to their business.
Hummingbird
Hummingbird is the name the latest algorithm has been codenamed, and it is the first major update that Google have had for 3 years. It may not be that major however, as Google claim that the change was actually implemented a month ago – and not many people seemed to notice.
If the change in the algorithm had been radical, you may have found that a website you own or search for regularly may have changed its positioning dramatically with no obvious explanation. That does not seem to have happened.
Instead, Google have said that the change is not meant to focus on how websites are indexed on Google Search, but instead on how the user uses Google. Google’s new algorithm is designed to respond to questions asked in a more natural manner.
Conversational
Most people understand what a search engine needs to operate and simply state the keywords. If they were looking for a content writing services firm in the UK, they would type ‘content writing services UK’. This is not a greatly natural way of making the command however. Google claims the new algorithm will instead be able to respond to a command like, ‘could you please show me a list of all the content writing services companies in the UK?’
Google Voice
It’s quite obvious why Google wants to update the algorithm in this way. It’s not really designed for novice internet users who type extraneous information in the search box, but rather for people using Google search with a spoken command to their mobile. While internet users have gotten used to simply typing the keywords into a search box, just saying keywords is a little more odd for users on the go.
15 Years of Google
The news was part of a small event to mark 15 years of Google, at the garage in Silicon Valley California where it all began. The other major announcement was an update to the Search App on Apple’s iOS operating system for mobiles, but try typing in ‘Google in 1998’ to the search engine for an extra birthday treat!
Should Content Writing Services be Worried?
The lack of impact on content writing services in the UK over the past month suggests that this update is nothing to panic about. Mostly it appears that this update will simply serve to increase the usage of Google. Currently not many people use voice to access the internet, but Google expect that will change, especially with the increasing availability of wearable technology, such as Google Glass or the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. It therefore appears to represent an opportunity, rather than a threat. Content writing services should prepare themselves for when Google Voice does become more relevant to their business so they can be best prepared for when people search for things in the UK by their voice rather than their keyboard.