Google’s most recent update is taking longer than usual to complete. As reported here two weeks ago, Google is updating its algorithm and this update is causing volatility in the search engine results under various keywords and keyword phrases.
Nicknamed the Bourbon Update, it apparently comes in 3.5 packages, only two of which have been implemented to date. According to a WebmasterWorld (subscription req.) posting from Google employee, GoogleGuy, “Here’s the advice that I’d give now: take a break from checking ranks for several more days. Bourbon includes something like 3.5 improvements in search quality, and I believe that only a couple are out so far. The 0.5 will go out in a day or so, and the last major change should roll out over the next week or so. Then there will still be some minor changes after that as well.”
Meanwhile, over at competitor Yahoo, another extended series of updates appears to be underway with interesting fluctuations reported in Yahoo search results.
Both Google and Yahoo now seem to be issuing reports of updates, following on Search Engine Watch editor Danny Sullivan’s January 2005 call for “weather updates” from the major search engines. Unfortunately, neither Google or Yahoo seem particularly interested in helping us determine exactly which forces of nature actually cause search weather to change, leaving it up to forecasters and monitorologists in the search engine marketing sector to figure it out.
Jim Hedger is the SEO Manager of StepForth Search Engine Placement Inc. Based in Victoria, BC, Canada, StepForth is the result of the consolidation of BraveArt Website Management, Promotion Experts, and Phoenix Creative Works, and has provided professional search engine placement and management services since 1997. http://www.stepforth.com/ Tel – 250-385-1190 Toll Free – 877-385-5526 Fax – 250-385-1198
