Early changes to the Google algorithm came somewhat thick and fast at times and not at all at others, but it has evolved consistently in over the last 20 years since Larry Page (of PageRank fame) and Sergiy Brin began on the ‘BackRub’ search engine at Stanford University

Early in its existence Google adopted the unofficial motto ‘don’t be evil’ to set out its stall in opposition to competitors they felt were exploiting users. Though whether Google has achieved the paragon status it seems they were aiming for early on is debateable, what cannot be denied is that they have demonstrated a consistent commitment to reducing the effects of black hat SEO tactics and rewarding quality content with improved visibility. From the Florida update on through Austin, Panda and Penguin, there has been direct and effective action taken to stop unethical third party action skewing search results.

Google is, at least at the time of writing, and has been for a long time – the king of the search engines. As such, it is an absolutely vital part of any brand that operates online (even in part). Due to the importance, it pays to know everything possible about the Google algorithm – so that possible penalties can be spotted, reasons for traffic drops noticed or even to spot trends and prepare for the future. Therefore, Click Consult has created this easy reference for the most important changes to the algorithm to date – see, for example, how more and more changes concern themselves primarily with mobile usability.