Google Caffeine is the new Google indexing system, with the aim of providing better results for their 128 million worldwide users. So what is Google Caffeine and how will it affect Google’s users and website owners?
What is Google Caffeine?
Google caffeine is Google’s updated system of assessing websites to decide how to rank them in their search engine. Although some have referred to it as their new search engine, it is really more of an improvement of the existing one. Users will not notice any major physical differences but there will be some variations in results and the way that results are presented. It is, however, likely to have an impact on web designers and those who work in SEO (search engine optimisation)
What is the purpose of Google Caffeine?
The purpose is simple; to give users more accurate results. Google are always trying to give users the results that are most relevant to what they are looking for. Google wants to prevent spam sites from reaching the top of their results pages and return the best and most relevant sites instead. Through a number of measures they believe they have improved their search engine with Google Caffeine to assist users further. They are also attempting to give quicker news stories and make them more prominent when appropriate.
How does it work?
One of the issues that has become more important with Google Caffeine is the speed at which websites load. Sites which load slower could be penalised although it is unlikely to make a major difference. Some webmasters have panicked over this and looked for ways to speed up their sites. However, there are so many factors that contribute to Google’s rankings so this factor alone in unlikely to make the difference. The speed that Google returns results is also quicker with results being returned in up to half the time it was previously. However, as results are typically returned in under one second the speed increase will generally be unnoticeable.
According to the official Google blog, “Caffeine provides 50 percent fresher results”. They are referring to the higher prominence of news stories, With Caffeine news stories, blogs and forums are indexed quicker, so they are included in the results pages earlier. They will also be included more often where relevant. This is in keeping with the times and the evolution of blogs and social media sites. In fact websites in general will be indexed quicker further improving the results returned.
Unique content is likely to be more important. Therefore website that consistently update may see benefits in their rankings in the Google search engines. Websites that contain lots of useful information about their subject are likely to see improvements.
Who will benefit?
Simply, relevant website will benefit, while irrelevant websites will lose out. Sites with lots of original content relating to the subject they are targeting and which are genuinely about the subject they are targeting should find themselves better placed. Using white hat SEO techniques should become more important as Google hopes to prevent those using black hat SEO techniques from being successful. As mentioned above, news sites and blogs could also appear higher in Google.
Spam sites, sites with little text, and those generally trying to manipulate the search engines to appear in irrelevant results are likely to suffer with the integration of Google Caffeine.
Andrew Marshall (c)
Moore Wilson is a digital agency specialising in the following services:
Web Design London
Graphic Design London
SEO London
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