What is Google Hummingbird and How it Works?

Google Hummingbird?

Almost a month ago, Google turned 15, and to commemorate decided to announce in Menlo Park garage where it all began, his new algorithm.

An algorithm that has given much to talk among SEOs in recent weeks. But what do we know of Hummingbird ?. According to Google this algorithm has affected 90% of searches, so in theory it is a really important algorithm. Do we know today exactly what is Hummingbird? how does it work? Why there? And most importantly how it is affecting us?

What is Google Hummingbird?

To begin to say that Google Hummingbird is a new algorithm completely written from scratch.
The name of Hummingbird has its origin in that Google considers this algorithm, as a very fast and accurate algorithm, as can reach Hummingbirds be, which is merely the translation of the word Hummingbird to Castilian.But this speed does not refer to the content indexing Google Caffeine as it did at launch (which was the previous major update that made Google on 2010).

The speed and accuracy of Hummingbird refers to the results, and especially the way we understand a type of searches that to date did not give the best results: complex searches.

And you’re wondering what is a complex search? For it it is when we asked the finder asking a question: What is the best Japanese restaurant in Barcelona? Who is Barack Obama ?.
So far these searches were not very well resolved by Google, and for this reason were projects like unComo.comAlbert Ribera who used this lack to show quality results depending on the question asked user.

But Why is Google Hummingbird?

Hummingbird exists an evolution that is taking place today, and this evolution comes from the hand of mobile devices. Until now searches the we performed basic form were searched style “cheap barcelona Hotel”, but now with new mobile devices that allow us to ask questions naturally through the voice, these searches become phrases like of “what is the cheapest hotel in Barcelona”, therefore, the search system should start to understand what we’re really asking, and this although it seems very easy, it is not so, why so, Google takes several years working in this type of search.

Do not forget that there are more than 6 billion mobile currently in the world, so Google must adapt if it wants to increase its market share in these devices.
But I must say that Google Hummingbird is not intended only for the mobile device, but its approach is far more ambitious. Hummingbird is designed to answer complex questions by voice, for this reason, Google is promoting this whole new world also in its browser Google Chrome, the Google Glass and other devices and applications, allowing today that the user can perform complex queries by voice.

How Google Hummingbird work?

Let ‘s give an example, as mentioned before Google so far only understand words and synonyms of these, which means that when we performed a search on the search engine, the engine, picked up the words and searched her database, displaying the most appropriate depending on the various factors of the algorithm results.

The search engine really did not understand the meaning of what he wanted, simply looking for matching keywords and synonyms. Now the engine goes further and begins to understand what we want, opening a range of new possibilities within the browser.
Anyway, say an example so you better understand not . If we look “cheap books Barcelona”, Google displays a page of results, where bolds the matching words with your search.

However, this partly continues to operate as before, and will continue for a long time, because changing the habit of people is not easy, or quick. But what happens if instead of seeking “cheap Books barcelona” seek “Where to find cheap books”? So far, Google did not understand what you were asking him, and what he did was take the words and find them on pages.

Now Google can understand what you ask for, and above know you’re looking for a location, geoposicionarte and move your question to a question of style ‘Where to find cheap books in the Gracia district of Barcelona? “Because Google will have geopositioned and added variable positioning as a filter to the reported results. And this is where all the power of Google Hummingbird is, to understand what we asked him to give us some more in line with what we want results, and either way, offer the most appropriate advertising. We must never forget that Google is a business and it gives us better results, why not get better advertising based on what we are asking.

Right now for example, you can ask questions to search style “Albert Einstein When did he die?” And the search will show the following result.

And with hundreds of questions, but there is also a pretty interesting thing it is that Google now understands the concatenation (linking) of questions like:

· “Who is Barack Obama?”
· “What is your age?”
· “Who is your wife? “

I must say that if you try many of these searches  Google.es  do not work, you should go  Google.com . Even some must be done via voice to work. But do not worry that Google is fast and soon will be expanded to other countries and with new updates.

How we are affecting Hummingbird?

Although most of the latest released updates focused on the quality of the results, “Hummingbird” is different because it is not a change of level algorithm results, but one that is an evolution of existing algorithm, so you can not compare, as have many professionals, for example with the change made by Google with Caffeine in 2010.

The Caffeine was a change in processing infrastructure Google that greatly improved the speed at which Google used for indexing the information, but it must be said, also it caused the SERPS low quality content they were filled.It originated reason that Google was implementing a series of filters, above (Google Panda, Penguin Google …) that would correcting these SERPS of such low quality.

With Hummingbird, Google does not focus on the quality of the results, but has now learned to answer questions.Anyway, although it is hard to say so far in advance, although in theory affects 90% of searches have not been appreciated sudden changes in the SERPS, which in principle affects mainly to mobile devices, which are those that They use this search normally.

There is also a very important factor is that with “Hummingbird” Google is enhanced much the  Knowledge Graph  causing in many searches, the SERP becomes a destination for users, and this is certainly a problem for many sites, and Google is giving so hard to Knowledge Graph, many searches do not need or we leave Google to get the result. This situation implies that those pages that gave a type of information that now presents the Knowledge Graph, are losing much traffic.

If you wish you can do one of the following searches, and perhaps will bring forth a surprise, and not miss the video that really does amazing things.

In short …
In short Hummingbird do not get such a big change in the SERPs as you have mentioned in the beginning, yes that has caused a change in a type of searches and most of all searches performed through voice, but not be such a large volume of searches by voice compared to the text, this change has not been appreciated so much, but we must not forget that these searches are increasing.

However, at the level of actions, has changed nothing or almost nothing, what we did before Hummingbird will be the same as we do now, that is, continue to work pages both OnPage level and Offpage level, continue to work the developing quality content and content Marketing strategies that we provide visits and mentions both websites and social networks.

And finally, an important point, which although not properly Hummingbird if you have a certain relationship, as has been enhanced just by launching the algorithm, the Knowledge Graph. From now on there will be more types of searches that will give us a Knowledge Graph broader, so much that sometimes you will not have to leave Google to get the answer to your search, so the time spent on Google increase in this type of searches, thereby achieving increasing Google’s revenue through advertising.

These are my thoughts after a month of the launch of Google Hummingbird, but I suppose you have any opinions on Hummingbird right?

I would like you to share your opinion through comments on this algorithm, which you think will be its effects, and its next developments.