The Google Hummingbird Update came out a couple of weeks ago. One of the primary ways that most attorneys attract and get clients is through their website. As such, you must constantly stay on top of your SEO efforts and how changes to Google’s search algorithm may impact your web traffic.
If you are anything like me, you have been watching your web traffic closely during the past several months, in the wake of the Panda and Penguin releases by Google. On September 26th, the web was in a flurry because of the release of Hummingbird. Hummingbird is not an update, like Panda or Penguin. Hummingbird is an entirely new search engine algorithm.
Danny Sullivan, from SearchEngineLand.com explains the switch from the old algorithm to Hummingbird this way:
Think of a car built in the 1950s. It might have a great engine, but it might also be an engine that lacks things like fuel injection or be unable to use unleaded fuel. When Google switched to Hummingbird, it’s as if it dropped the old engine out of a car and put in a new one. It also did this so quickly that no one really noticed the switch.
The big question you may be wondering now is, what does Hummingbird mean for my SEO efforts? I know this is something that I have been concerned with. My understanding is that as long as you keep pumping out new, original, relevant content that provides value to your prospective clients, you should continue to rank well.
If, however, you are engaging in “black hat” SEO techniques such as trying to game the system by paying for back links, then you will be penalized (if you haven’t already).
If you have been seen your web rankings go up or drop in the past month or so, please comment below and share your experience.
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