Author - Robin Bowman, Senior Business
Editor
This year Google is gradually introducing a new way of searching
the web. And it's already kicking up quite a storm about
privacy.
It may well backfire on the search giant at some point; even so
the changes are being rolled out.
The new algorithm, called Search Plus Your World, examines not
just the web, but also a searcher's personal information if it has
been posted through Google products such as Google+ or
Picasa. 
Chances are, when it comes to new Google search criteria, this
is the change that will grab the headlines (as it already is doing)
because of the issues it opens up about privacy - even though the
searcher has the option of turning off the option to carry out a
personalised search.
In fact, however, for any businesses out there that rely heavily
on traffic to their site to capture prospects and sales, an earlier
change by Google, was much more important. It was far less widely
discussed in the media, but its impact is very
significant.
This alteration in late 2011 to the Google algorithm is only
now starting to make itself felt.
Google announced that the change in the way it assesses search
results will have an effect on 35 per cent of web searches - a
truly massive impact.
The aim is to provide far more up-to-the-minute information from
certain searches.
The new search algorithm in effect knows how important immediacy
is likely to be based on the kind of search being made. If
it's a news-related search, for example, or a review of a new
mobile phone, Google will give greatest weight to the freshest
content and rank the newest first.
The new search criteria also penalises so-called Content Farm
websites that publish low-quality content stuffed with optimised
search terms.
So, what does this mean for any business that uses
content to improve search rankings and attract more
customers?
The current thinking is that the most effective method of
ranking well will be the less-equals-more approach to
content. Better quality, freshly posted content is the most
effective way to go.
There's nothing very new about Google giving higher rankings to
fresher, more relevant content. But these changes underline the
premium Google gives to this kind of content and the greater
weighting it is now able to give it.
It's important though not to stress freshness above everything
else. Google has made it quite clear that it will go beyond
this simple measure to rank search results.
As the Google Blog stated: "Freshness is one
component, but we also look at the content of the result, including
topicality and quality."
Research reported in the past by Google has revealed that
faster page loading times improve the chances of a visitor actually
becoming a customer.
This is why page loading times are also being assessed by Google
and will influence rankings. So, it makes sense to check the
load speed of your site's home page. You can do this by using
Google's Webmaster Tools.
Beyond this, what about content?
The fact is that as Google's algorithms become ever smarter, the
canny marketer can actually afford to relax more - so long as the
content they are posting is valid, timely, well written and not
just there to capture keyword searches.
In other words, quality will increasingly be king.
Robin has been a journalist for more than 20 years,
during which time he has held several senior media management
positions in both Fleet Street and Hong Kong. Robin recently
returned to the UK after being based in Italy for six years. He has
a passion for business innovation.
The content of this article reflects the views of
the author and may not necessarily reflect the views of Premierline
Direct.
