"Today, Google announced a change to its search algorithm that the company says will impact 35% of Web searches. The change builds on top of its previous "Caffeine" update in order to deliver more up-to-date and relevant search results, specifically those in areas where freshness matters. This includes things like recent events, hot topics, current reviews and breaking news items." - According to Tech Crunch.

The Caffeine update was focused on site speed and user experience. A slow loading website is a bad user experience. Google wants searchers to get to the information they are after as quickly as possible. A better total user experience means happy searchers who will continue to use Google.

Who will this latest update effect?

This latest update appears to focus on recognizing keywords that are news oriented where results that are more recent are more up to date and should be more relevant to the user. Therefore the latest update will surely effect news related sites, and event based SEO, like the Seattle Interactive Conference I'm currently at. For search terms where recency of information is not a relevance or quality factor like Seattle Plumber or Banana nut muffin recipe will not be effected. That being said creating freshness on your site or page is ALWAYS important and recommended, as it's just good marketing.

What can you do?

Here are some strategies for ensuring your website is not negatively effected and instead is actually positively effected:

1. Utilize a content management system - I am still amazed by the number of small and large business alike you cannot update the content on their site themselves.
2. Update your blog - If you have a blog, write regularly (note to self )
3. Feed your blog into your homepage, and product and services page.
4. For each of your "Top Content Pages" in Google Analytics get creative, how can you make them more engaging and a better resource?
5. Update your published meta when you make updates to your pages so that Google knows you've updated your page/site.
6. Enable customers to leave reviews - what's better than having your site visitors keep your site fresh? And remember if your scared what they'll say, remember they're gonna say it somewhere, at least you'll have be able to moderate it on your site. It's kind of like, if your kids are gonna party, which they will, maybe it should be at your house where you can ensure it's done safely... I know it's a stretch for many of you but it is this non conventional thinking that will really enable you to garner much greater informaiton about your users than those who run away from their customers.
7. Leverage Social Media - If you or your fans are constantly updating your social media profiles add social media widgets to get your feed into the pages of your site.

If you're a Bonsai Media Group client, do not worry your site already leverages many of the above and if there is an opportunity to add any we will get right on it for you.