On the company’s official blog, Google fellow Amit Singhal reported that Google has again updated its algorithm to factor freshness into the company’s search results. According to Singhal, the adjustment will affect 35 percent of searches, and marketers should take this as another reason to invest in frequently updated content marketing for SEO.
Google will produce results with the most recent information posted relating to trending, recurring and frequently updated search topics. Using the terms “occupy Oakland protest” and “NBA lockout,” Google demonstrates how the newest algorithm pushes the most timely results to the top, showing high-quality content pages that will provide users with the most valuable information.
Similarly, Singhal said results for recurring events, such as companies quarterly earnings reports and pro sports scores, will be more accurate thanks to the new freshness factor. Searches where updated info might provide the most helpful insights will also lead to results that are recent, including searches for “the best slr cameras.”
It’s difficult to gauge exactly which information people want from their search queries. However, Google’s algorithmic adjustment is designed to maximize the likelihood that the results it generates will fit the specific user’s needs. This algorithmic update follows the company’s earlier launch of the Google Caffeine web indexing system that searches the web for new information every second, as well as reminders from Matt Cutts that the date of publication has relevance to searchers.
All signs point to the fact that frequently updating a website with fresh content increases the likelihood that it will be visible to Google search audiences. Additionally, brands may find that a news content marketing strategy helps them keep up with industry updates to further boost their chances of coming out on top of timely searches.
