New Google Algorithm, New Strategy 2004
Google's 4 Major Changes That Scrambled The Top Results ...and where to focus your counter-efforts within your pages – by John Heard

Ok, everyone agrees that Google's new algorithm sucks! ...at least that was the general consensus at the Search Engine Strategies conference in Chicago last month (December 2003).

There's no doubt the results are less relevant for the average user due to the significant increase in broad topic area matches that have replaced the previously laser sharp relevant results that Google was famous for and we were all used to seeing.

So, what do we do? ...we roll up our sleeves and get to work! That's what. The silver lining is that many of your competitors will be lost in the woods and YOU will have a strategy. Here goes.

Google Strategy 2004

First of all let's acknowledge that the changes made by Google are widespread and sweeping – their most significant dance in their short but illustrious waltz. When viewed in its entirety, we see massive shifts in ranking for most every search term and we suspect this is the beginning of a major shift in the way their search engine works. And, since the people at Google seem happy with their changes, we doubt they'll be returning to the old formula anytime in the future.

Let's start by categorizing the changes and by sharing what we've discovered thus far so you can compare our findings with how they might be affecting your site's ranking within the search results.

Word Stemming

This represents a major shift in their algorithm. Stemming refers to a search engine's functionality to include the stem of words.

For example the word donation, when used in a search query, normally returns only pages that contain the actual word or, in Google's case, contain the word within an incoming text-link. However, with stemming turned on, Google also includes the word stem donate as a match.

This change has two effects. First, it greatly increases the number of competing documents for a search and exponentially increases the number of incoming links related to the search phrase. Secondly, stemming tends to make s...