Do all these algorithm updates make a difference?

[kexej28769@nongnue]

In 2016, I conducted a study of algorithm flux that revealed weekly patterns during clear episodes of ranking changes. From a software engineering perspective, this only makes sense - updates should be approved and rolled out in batches. So, while measuring daily averages can help clarify the rate of change, it probably has little basis in reality for how Google handles algorithm updates.


Some of the changes are small. Many of the brazil number data likely aren't even what we would consider "algorithm updates" in the SEO industry — they could be new features, for example, or UI changes.

As SERP verticals and features evolve, and new elements are added, there are also more dynamic parts that are refined and improved. Local SEO, for example, has clearly seen a rapid rate of change over the past 2-3 years. So, we would naturally expect an increase in the overall rate of change.

A lot of that is in the eye of the beholder as well. Let’s say Google makes an update to how it handles misspelled words in Korean. For most of us in the United States, that change won’t be actionable. If you’re a Korean brand trying to rank for a commonly misspelled, high-volume term, that change could be huge. Some changes also happen vertically, which represent a fundamental shift for an industry and have little or no impact outside of that niche.