GUESTS & RESOURCES
- Jordan Koene: Website // LinkedIn
- The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
- Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // Twitter
Episode Overview:
In today’s episode host Ben Shapiro speaks with Searchmetrics’ SEO Strategist and Advisor Jordan Koene about Google’s recent efforts to fix fundamental bugs and flaws within their search ecosystem. They discuss the various problems that were fixed and how those impacts affect their platform and SEO.
Google typically keeps fixes low key but were forthcoming in tweets about two issues they resolved; an indexing failure followed by a SERP and results issue two weeks later. One of the main causes behind both issues is caused by how Google acquires and pulls search data from the indexing process. The indexing issue ultimately led to volatility in the SERP on their behalf, and not the actions and optimization efforts of their users. Jordan’s research attributed the issues to miscommunication between Google’s teams management of technology stacks.
Google’s recent algorithm update sought to improve the personalization experience for their users, utilizing users’ search histories to redirect them to useful pages regarding past searches. Despite the improvement in personalization efforts the advantage still belongs to search incumbents with established brands.
The effects of Google’s recent issues are relatively minor on the search landscape, and the search giant’s efforts to communicate the issues they implemented indicate a greater social responsibility toward their users.