A lot of people are talking about the new changes Google has announced regarding their link indexing and ranking system. This has left some people wondering what’s going to change with SEO in UAE, and what they should do to stay in line with Google’s new policies. Here are the biggest changes of Google link update and what’s going to change for SEO in UAE.
1) The Biggest Change: Mobile-First Indexing
The biggest change is Mobile-First Indexing, which has been rolling out since April 2015. This new indexing system ranks websites according to their suitability for mobile devices, meaning those sites with mobile versions have a greater chance of being found in search results on Google.
Sites without mobile versions will be demoted in the rankings or may not show up at all. So, if you haven’t already done so, it’s time to get your website onto a tablet or phone and optimize it for viewing on mobile devices.
2) New Links in the Footer
As of the date of this post, Google announced that it will be using a new algorithm to rank search results shortly. The update is called Panda and will change the way search engine optimization (SEO) is done in the United States.
The new algorithm affects sites that have been able to get high rankings via low-quality backlinks. Google has been favoring sites with higher-quality content and web design over those with spammy links.
This means that website owners should continue to focus on creating quality content for their users instead of focusing on how many backlinks they can get.
3) Google Is Changing How They Handle Hacked Sites
A recent change in how Google handles hacked sites has caused a lot of confusion. To clear things up, here is what you need to know about Google’s newest update to their search algorithm.
First, a website that is hacked will no longer be removed from Google’s index if it only contains spammy pages. The site will still show in search results, but with a warning message to let people know the site was compromised.
Second, even if the site is clean and safe, it may not rank as well because its link profile has been damaged by pointing to spammy pages on the same domain.
4) Penguin 4.0 Is Finally Here!
Penguin 4.0 has been in the works for some time now, and it’s finally here. Google recently announced that they’ve updated their algorithm to combat sites with thin content, which can be a real problem for SEO experts.
Penguin 4.0 is an update to Google’s Penguin algorithm that was first released in April 2012.
5) Google Is Now Penalizing Sites That Pop-Ups
You may have seen this in the news, but Google has recently announced a link update. This is not a small update and it will likely change the landscape of SEO forever. If you’re reading this and think that you’re safe because you don’t have pop-ups, then think again.
You could be penalized for having links to other sites that are using pop-ups or links on pages with pop-ups. Essentially, any links on a site can be penalized if they appear on a page with pop-ups (even if there are no ads). So what does this mean for your business?
Well, there are two options. Either remove all external links from your site or consider creating ads to cover your costs and make up for lost income from traffic through links.
6) Google Is Testing A New SERP Feature
As you can see, the new SERP design is not just a one-off change. Google has been testing this design for months and it could be seen across all devices. This means that Google is preparing to roll out this design in its entirety and it is only a matter of time before we will have to deal with it.
It seems that Google wants us to be more focused on the search results rather than the ads, which are now hidden below the fold.
The company wants users to stay on its website instead of visiting external pages and sites that offer similar products or services as those advertised in search results. And, even if there are ads shown in SERP, they are no longer taking up space at the top of the page where most people scroll first.
7) Google May Start Showing AMP Results In The Main SERP
In a recent announcement, Google confirmed that it was considering showing AMP results in the main SERP.
This would make it easier for people to find high-quality content. The announcement was made as Google published a blog post about how much progress has been made on the project, and what is planned for the future.
AMP is short for Accelerated Mobile Pages, which are designed to be an open-source standard that makes webpages load more quickly on mobile devices. The standard was created by Google and other companies and has been endorsed by members of the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium). AMP pages load around four times faster than traditional web pages.
8) Google May Rank Sites Based on Their Real Names
The internet has become a place for anyone to voice their opinion, and that includes people with poor intentions. Google is taking steps to protect the safety of its users by updating its search engine algorithm to rank sites using their real names instead of just the domain name.
The change will take effect on November 1st, but this shift may have some unintended consequences on businesses that rely heavily on search traffic.
It will be interesting to see how the new ranking system affects long-tail keywords as they are often found on pages without a real name attached. Google offers a way for webmasters who have suffered as a result of this update to appeal it and get their site reinstated.
9) Google’s John Mueller Says There Is No Perfect SEO Strategy
John Mueller, Google’s webmaster trends analyst, has said that there is no perfect SEO strategy for rankings. The only way to figure out what works is to experiment and see what happens.
Mueller was speaking on a panel at SMX West when he said the most important thing people can do is try new things and measure them to see what will work best. There are no guarantees in SEO, he said. You need to do your homework and experiment a little bit.
He also advised against blindly following the advice of others because it might not be right for you or your business in the long run; instead, they should find out how their competitors are doing things and try some experiments of their own.
