The MUM Update

Launched in May 2021, the MUM (Multitask Unified Model) Update was a significant advancement in Google’s natural language processing capabilities. MUM, which stands for Multitask Unified Model, was designed to better understand complex queries and provide more comprehensive, nuanced responses.

 

Fallouts and Highlights from the Update

Unlike traditional algorithm updates that cause immediate ranking fluctuations, the MUM Update was more of a gradual rollout of new capabilities. Its impact was less about winners and losers in the short term, and more about long-term changes in how Google understands and responds to queries.

One of the most notable features of MUM was its ability to understand and process information across different languages and formats (text, images, video). This opened up new possibilities for delivering more comprehensive search results.

For instance, Google demonstrated how MUM could understand a complex query like “I’ve hiked Mt. Adams and now want to hike Mt. Fuji next fall, what should I do differently to prepare?” MUM could understand the comparison between the two mountains, the timing of the hike, and the need for preparation advice.

The update sparked intense interest in the SEO community about the future of search. Many speculated about how MUM might change the way content is created and optimised, particularly for complex, multi-faceted topics.

Google emphasised that MUM was 1,000 times more powerful than BERT, its previous natural language processing model. This led to discussions about the increasing sophistication of search algorithms and the potential implications for SEO.

 

Strategy Evolution

The MUM Update necessitated several shifts in SEO and content strategy:

1. Increased focus on creating comprehensive, multi-faceted content that addresses topics from various angles
2. Greater emphasis on understanding and addressing user intent, particularly for complex queries
3. More attention to integrating different content formats (text, images, video) to provide a richer user experience
4. Development of strategies to optimise for question-answering and featured snippet opportunities
5. Renewed importance of entity-based SEO and topic clustering

 

This update marked a significant shift in how SEO professionals approached content creation and optimisation. It encouraged a move away from keyword-focused strategies towards more holistic, topic-based approaches.

For many websites, this meant reassessing their content strategies. Instead of creating numerous pages each targeting specific keywords, they needed to focus on developing comprehensive resources that could address multiple aspects of a topic.

The update also led to an increased emphasis on understanding the relationships between different topics and ideas. Many SEO professionals began to pay more attention to knowledge graphs and entity relationships, recognising that these elements were becoming increasingly important in how Google understood and presented information.

Overall, the MUM Update pushed the SEO industry towards more sophisticated, user-centric practices. It underscored Google’s commitment to understanding and serving complex user needs, and highlighted the importance of creating content that provides genuine value and comprehensive information to users.