You may not have realized it, but your ranking on Google just changed. Actually, Aaron Wall told us about this back in February. (By the way, if you are not reading Aaron’s blog, SEOBook, you are missing out.)
It seems that back in February, Google changed the algorithm it uses to determine their Natural Search rankings. In the process, it began providing additional weight to the “brand value” of a company, which in turn, helped the established players and hindered the smaller pure-players.
If you feel a little “in the dark” about how Google’s algorithm works, you’re not alone. “The algorithms have got so complex on some fronts that Google engineers do not even know about some of the filters/penelties/bugs”, writes Wall.
In fact, it has been my experience that because Google has kept their method of determining search page results under wraps, an entire industry has been born. Every SEO / SEM vendor owes their livelihood to Google’ secret sauce. As I hear vendor after vendor speak about their tight connection with the Google Executive Team, I am in awe of who must be on Google’s corporate speed dial. It seems that every Search Vendor must play golf with Larry and Sergey. However, if you are looking to play a quick 18 holes but can’t get on their schedule, try giving Matt Cutts a call.
If you’re a small player competing among the established brands, now is the time to invest in your SEO rankings. As the economy continues to struggle, it is imperative to optimize your marketing spend. Simple steps such as creating new content, developing a site map and managing your title tags are great ways to improve your results on Google, Yahoo and MSN.
Until next time,
Dan
As far as the branding update goes, it seems like its been dialed down (as often happens with an update). Either that, or it only applies to very specific niches.
Posted by: Marc | October 19, 2009 at 03:22 PM