The Evolution of Google & How It’s Changed SEO

Google often comes to mind first when people think of search engines, with many people wrongly believing it to be the first one. The truth is that other search engines were around long before Google. In the past, search engines were a lot different from what they are in the modern age, and Google’s evolution over the years has greatly changed the game for search engine optimisation experts. Continue reading to learn how.

Keyword-Based Results

The first search engines had a simple way to decide what content to display to users searching for certain terms. They ranked websites that used a keyword more times than other websites in the index, which created many problems for businesses and consumers who wanted relevant information. Anyone who wished to rank in the search engines only had to use the keyword more times than the competition. Users who wanted to find facts or look up data were frustrated by a growing number of low-quality websites showing up on the first page of search results.

Google Enters the Search Game

On September 4^th 1998, Google was launched and made available to the world. Google has changed and refined its ranking algorithm hundreds of times over the past two decades, making search results much more accurate in the process. Rather than looking only at keywords to decide what websites to rank on the first page, Google took backlinks, website quality, social signals and many other factors into consideration. Consumers no longer faced a wave of useless websites when they searched for keywords in Google, and other search engines had to catch up if they didn’t want to get left behind.

The Secret to Ranking Well

While nobody knows for sure what Google’s next updates have in store, one thing remains clear: Google always places the user’s experience above everything else when deciding how to rank content. If you write in a way that offers value and addresses relevant questions, you’ll be on the right path.

Getting Started

If you’re looking to work with a passionate team of SEO and marketing experts, contact ZOFELA today. We can help you rank your website on Google and other search engines, allowing you to enjoy the many benefits

Author - Piyush Kotadiya

Piyush Kotadiya is a Managing Director at ZOFELA, a full service digital agency focused on web design, ecommerce web design, SEO, paid media advertising and social media marketing. While much of his current work is focused on research, strategy development and UX, he has a passion for ecommerce.