Google’s Latest Web Indexing Improvements
Posted by Sandy in 
Today Google published another list of search improvements. Here’s a list of some of the improvements that can affect your site’s ranking or your search results:
Related query results:
Sometimes Google fetches results for queries that are similar to the actual search you type. This refinement makes it less likely that these similar results will rank highly if the original query had a rare word that was dropped in the alternate query. For example, if you are searching for ‘Argyle pink diamond’, you might not be as interested in a page that only mentions ‘pink diamond,’ and so sites containing just ‘pink diamond’ will not rank as highly as sites containing the full ‘Argyle pink diamond.’
What can we glean from this? When writing your content, be as descriptive as possible, using as many specific keywords as you can. It can definately make a difference.
New “parked domain” classifier:
This is a new algorithm Google has for automatically detecting parked domains. Parked domains are placeholder sites that are often filled with ads and are generally of little use on the web. Therefore, in most cases, Google prefers not to use them.
Bottom line? It’s nearly impossible to rank with Google without quality content on your site.
Fresher and more complete blog search results:
Google says it will deliver fresher and more comprehensive blog search results.
If you write a blog, make it your aim to not only post often, but to post quality articles on fresh topics.
Original content:
Google is now able to make better predictions about which of two similar web pages is the original one.
Google has warned against duplicate content before by stressing the importance of unique content. Although not specifically mentioned, this is likely targeting scraper sites – spam websites that copy all of its content from other websites.
Image result freshness:
Google changed how it determines image freshness for news queries, helping to find the freshest images more often.
Thank goodness for this one – how irritating is it to scroll through old and unrelated images?! Hope it works as planned!
If you missed last month’s Google update on fresh content, read it here.
Fresh Content: Google’s Latest Web Indexing Update
Google’s latest web indexing update seeks out the freshest content on the internet. It is now more important than ever to keep your site current and fresh.
Google is constantly refining it search engine algorithm to ensure its search results are the most relevant to what the user is searching for. One important component of a relative search is the date. Even if not specified in a search, most people want search results that are relevant and recent. For example, if you were to search for ‘New Year’s parade’ you likely want information about upcoming 2012 New Year’s parades, not last year’s.
Last month (November 2011), Google made a significant improvement to their ranking algorithm that better determines when to give you more up-to-date relevant results for varying degrees of freshness:
Recent events or hot topics
For recent events or hot topics that begin trending on the web, you want to find the latest information immediately. Now when you search for current events like ‘occupy Wall Street protest’, you’ll see more high-quality pages that might only be minutes old.
Regularly recurring events
Some events take place on a regularly recurring basis, such as annual conferences or elections. Without specifying with your keywords, it’s implied that you expect to see the most recent event, and not one from 5 years ago. There are also things that recur more frequently, so now when you’re searching for the latest NFL scores, X Factor eliminations, or Dancing With the Stars results, you’ll see the latest information.
Frequent updates
There are also searches for information that changes often, but isn’t really a hot topic or a recurring event. For example, if you’re in the market for a new car and want Buick Enclave reviews, you probably want the most up to date information.
How to Use Google’s Fresh Content Ranking Algorythm to Your Benefit
I know I’ve said it before, but it is now more important than ever to update your site frequently. Google’s recent web indexing update confirms that newer information has more precedence over older information. Websites need to regularly add new content to their site if they don’t want to ‘get lost in the Google shuffle.’
So make it a goal to keep your content fresh. It could be as simple as regularly adding news and recent events, offering new promotions or discounts, or posting tidbits of helpful information. Blogs are also a great way to add fresh content to your website. Social media websites, like Facebook and Twitter, can also be of positive impact. Whatever you decide to do, you will be giving Google a reason to visit your site more often, and THAT is a key to improving your website’s ranking.
Web Design Trends in 2011
2011 is not about flashy sites with showy bells and whistles. The trends for this new year and emerging decade are responsive design, constant connection, and virtual reality.
Any designer can get ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from designing a ‘cool’ website that is easily forgotten. The supreme designer is able to create an environment which charms and captivates the user to the point where he wants to check out the site and does not want to find the ‘Back’ button. Several elements come together to create such an environment: harmonious color scheme, intuitive design, easily accessible information, and fast response.
Additionally, one can never under-estimate the power of simplicity. As Leonardo Da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication” – amazing how this stands true even today!
In 2011, you are no longer at the forgiving discretion of the desktop, or even laptop computer. Now, your design must contend with and be user-friendly with smart phones, netbooks, tablets and the like.
Here are the top 10 trends for 2011:
1. More CSS3 + HTML5
CSS3 and HTML5 have been on the distant horizon of web design for the past couple of years, but now, in 2011, we will see an explosion of it. Designers are finally starting to let go of Flash. Regardless of how you may feel about Flash, it does not play well with some of the hot, new technology available to your current and potential visitors. In 2011, designers will gradually step away from Flash and embrace HTML5. Perhaps even more exciting is the fact that CSS3 is available to us in a real way this year. Be mindful of web browser compatibility, however. Until Internet Explorer 9 is available, IE users will not have the full benefit of CSS3 and HTML5 as they are not well supported in current and previous IE versions.
2. Simple Color Schemes
Simplicity. There’s nothing quite as impacting as an honest message on a quiet backdrop. Quiet can be interpreted several different ways. Forget black and white or shades of gray. Think of green, yellow, blue, or even red as your primary color. Limit your palette to two or three colors, however, and work within the shades of each color for variety. It can be truly remarkable what a few colors can do for your message.
3. Mobile Ready
Smartphones, iPads, netbooks – there’s a dizzying amount of mobile products available to the consumer in 2011. This means your web design must be responsive to multiple viewports. Creating a mobile ready website is not simply removing the bells and whistles from your design. One of the most important advances is that you can design a whole site and allow your coding to conform to the user’s viewing medium.
It may be tempting to just create a dedicated mobile site, but that may no longer satisfy your audience. Increasingly, mobile sites include the option to visit the original site. If you do not offer this option or if your original site is not optimized to mobile standards, you are simply not ready for 2011. Forecasters predict that smartphones will outsell personal computers this year. Bulletproof your design to meet this demand.
4. Parallax Scrolling
The hot web design trend for 2011 is creating a sense of depth. The parallax effect uses layers to present the illusion of a 3 dimensional space. It can be accomplished with some simple CSS tricks or the help of jQuery plugins like Spritely. Parallax scrolling can be most effective as a secondary element on your design, as in a header, footer, or background.
5. Designing for Touch Screens, Not Mice
Technology has become much more tactile. This means that instead of navigating your mouse to remotely connect, your destination is literally at your fingertips. Tablets, most smartphones and some desktops use touchscreens. Does your design accommodate fingertip navigation? How much of your design is mouse-oriented? There is no hovering in touchscreen, so hovering effects will not work. Drop down menus are also a no-go in touchscreen design.
Similarly, how will visitors peruse your site? As controversial as it may be for standard web browsing, horizontal scrolling may be more appropriate for touchscreens. Fitting nicely into this niche is a magazine-like layout where visitors virtually flip through your site.
Lastly, consider using liquid layouts as part of your commitment toward responsive design. In 2011, you are no longer dealing with screen resolution size. Visitors can change their viewing orientation from vertical to horizontal. Your design must be flexible to meet any challenge, or you will be a relic of 2010.
6. Depth Perception in Web Design
No, we are not dealing with the aerial ‘I can see your coffee cup and keyboard on your website’ design of two years ago. Depth perception is about creating dimension in your web design, so that parts of your site looks nearer than others. It conjures a faux 3D effect when done masterfully. Although 3D technology has no yet made it to web design, you can still replicate depth in your design with well-placed shadowing and layering.
7. Large Photographic Backgrounds
Large scale backdrops will surge in 2011. These images will be high resolution, and covering the entire site. Large photos are an instant way to grab your audience – they cannot help but to see it and have an opinion about it. The background photo must be content-appropriate – simply having a pretty image in the background without any context will disrupt your user’s experience. Trends point to soft and slightly transparent imagery that does not over shadow your content, but harmonizes with it.
8. QR: Quick Response
If you have noticed those square barcodes popping on business cards, magazines or else where, you may already know that they are a hot trend for 2011. How exactly does it translate into web design? The barcodes are called QR, short for Quick Response. Simply take a photo of the unique barcode with your camera phone. Like magic, your phone will call up the website associated with said barcode. The beautiful thing about QR is that you can use it in a myriad of ways. Feature your QR on your website in order for site visitors to have a shortcut to your mobile site. You can also track your visitors through QR, by placing a special referral code on your URL. When you are leaving comments on sites such as this, use the QR as your avatar.
2011 is all about mobility and it will be smart to take advantage of this new medium. Create your own code here.
9. Thumbnail Design
The ever-enterprising folks at Google have introduced the average user to thumbnail browsing. Gone are the days of clicking through to see the content of a website. These days, you just click on the magnifying glass and hover (assuming you’re not on a touchscreen). Magically before you is a glimpse of what waits on the other side of your click. If your design is Flash-based, that is definitely going to be a problem – the preview will not display those elements of your design.
As the average internet user becomes more surfing-savvy in 2011, expect to see more people navigating by these means. It is just too great of a temptation not to judge a site by its thumbnail.
10. Constant Connection/ Life Stream
Last, but certainly not least, is the focus on constant connection in web design. The internet is, by nature, a sterile environment, and we make it human by sharing our lives in an open forum. Expect to see more intimacy through the form of lifestreaming. Personal blogs and portfolios in 2011 will prominently feature live Twitter feeds (not just a link to the Twitter page). People will let you know where they are at any moment of the day via Foursquare. In fact, expect to see a dedicated lifestream for all of one’s online activity.