Google has updated its search algorithm meaning that results
should now be more relevant and “fresher.”
Google completed its Caffeine web indexing system last year which
allows Google to crawl and index the web for fresh content quickly on an
enormous scale. Now it has updated that algorithm which will affect around 35
per cent of search results.
According to a post on the Official Google Blog by Amit Singhal, the update will mean that when you search for current events like the Greek
debt crisis or the Occupy Oakland protest (see image below) you’ll see more high-quality pages that might only be minutes old.
While that’s good for breaking news,
what about recurring events? Well Google says it will now return results for
the most recent iteration of an event such as annual conferences like IFA and
CES, or less regular events like the Olympics without the need to add which date
you’re looking for. So no longer will you search for World Cup and be
confronted with grainy black and white images of Ferenc Puskás in his baggy shorts at the 1954
World Cup.
Another area which should return better
results is in relation to searches for information that changes often, but
isn’t really a hot topic or a recurring event. For example, if you’re
researching the best waterproof cameras, you’ll probably want the most up to
date information rather than an article from five years ago.
According to Singhal, “different
searches have different freshness needs,” and this update to Google's search
algorithm aims to do just that.
Have you noticed better search results in your
recent Googling? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Official Google Blog
