The Hummingbird Update

Launched in September 2013, the Hummingbird Update was a major overhaul of Google’s core algorithm. Unlike previous updates that modified parts of the existing algorithm, Hummingbird was a complete replacement designed to better understand the intent behind queries and provide more relevant results, especially for complex or conversational searches.

 

Fallouts and Highlights from the Update

The Hummingbird Update was unique in that it didn’t cause widespread ranking fluctuations or panic in the SEO community upon its release. In fact, Google had been using the new algorithm for about a month before officially announcing it, and many SEO professionals hadn’t noticed significant changes.

One of the most notable impacts was on long-tail, conversational queries. Websites that provided in-depth, comprehensive answers to questions began to see improved rankings for these types of searches. For instance, a cooking website might have seen better rankings for a query like “What’s the best way to make a gluten-free chocolate cake?” rather than just “gluten-free chocolate cake recipe”.

The update was particularly beneficial for voice search, which was growing in popularity with the rise of digital assistants like Siri and Google Now. Sites that provided direct answers to common questions often found themselves featured in Google’s “answer boxes” at the top of search results.

Google’s Amit Singhal described Hummingbird as the company’s largest algorithm change since 2001, affecting about 90% of searches worldwide. He emphasised that the goal was to make search more precise and fast, like a hummingbird.

The SEO community generally received the update positively, seeing it as a natural evolution towards more user-focused search results. However, it did prompt discussions about the future of keyword-focused SEO strategies and the growing importance of semantic search.

 

Strategy Evolution

The Hummingbird Update necessitated several shifts in SEO strategy:

1. Increased focus on creating comprehensive, topic-based content rather than keyword-focused pages
2. Greater emphasis on understanding and addressing user intent
3. More attention to natural language and long-tail keywords in content creation
4. Development of strategies to optimise for voice search and featured snippets
5. Shift towards semantic SEO practices, including the use of structured data and schema markup

 

This update marked a significant shift in SEO thinking, moving beyond traditional keyword targeting to consider the broader context and intent behind searches. It encouraged SEO professionals to think more like content strategists, focusing on creating valuable, informative content that answered users’ questions comprehensively.

For many sites, this meant restructuring content to cover topics in-depth, rather than creating multiple thin pages each targeting a specific keyword variation. It also led to an increased focus on creating FAQ sections and other formats that directly addressed common user queries.

The Hummingbird Update essentially pushed the SEO industry towards a more holistic, user-centric approach to optimisation. It underscored the importance of understanding your audience’s needs and questions, and providing valuable, relevant content to address them.