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A Google Webmaster Help thread has an office furniture site complaining that his Google rankings dropped after the Hummingbird update was pushed out.
Of course, you and I know that sounds a bit too much. Being that we do not know the exact rollout and dates of the Hummingbird algorithm.
But it is nice to see Google representatives saying so too.
Zineb Ait Bahajji from Google said it wasn't the Hummingbird algorithm but rather links, not any links but over-optimization links.
Here is what Zineb wrote:
The Hummingbird update does probably not have anything to do with your website's traffic loss.The primary issue here is that you are using certain over-optimization techniques on your site that are in violation of our quality guidelines, especially when it comes to building unnatural and spammy links.
Interesting she calls it "over-optimization techniques" - don't you think?
Forum discussion at Google Webmaster Help.
Comments:
Andrea Wasik
01/07/2014 01:43 pm
You mean, interesting that they are calling it over-optimization as opposed to separating out over-optimization from unnatural linking?
Adam Heaton
01/07/2014 02:13 pm
Hate it when people hear about updates made by Google, have no idea about them and claim they have been hurt by them. It's like they are trying to blame anyone but themselves for what they've done to their SEO.
Michael Martinez
01/07/2014 02:13 pm
"Of course, you and I know that sounds a bit too much. " Given just how awful and crappy the Hummingbird search results have been, SOMEONE had to lose positions due to the update.
Mark
01/07/2014 02:50 pm
I bet that webmasters who own metric conversion/calculation sites are fuming over Hummingbird.
Pete
01/07/2014 02:54 pm
Checked their link profile and anchor text distribution. Definitely a classic example for over-optimization.
Andy Kuiper - SEO Analyst
01/07/2014 03:52 pm
he should have mentioned his company's website on wmt as my "office executive furniture" company has been affected by... however, he still has his URL as the #1 anchor text... I've seen a lot worse.
Genda Dunmatta
01/07/2014 04:29 pm
It's not his techniques that have hurt him. It's Google's reaction to the techniques. So it's right that he is curious about how Google has reacted.
CaptainKevin
01/07/2014 04:34 pm
Agreed. I wonder how many new overly optimized keywords will now be pointing to his site now that it is open in the public. Posting any URL in Google webmaster help should be viewed with caution because there are too many whackos lurking around there.
JustConsumer
01/07/2014 05:09 pm
This is exactly what should happen when Google SERP for "Hummingbird update" is stuffed with the outdated, meaningless already, reports. Stupidity arises, when quality is replaced by popularity.
Shame
01/07/2014 08:40 pm
Anyone know when G will next run penguin and if the links in the disavow will be taken into consideration this time for an algo penalty? Been waiting months : /
James R. Halloran
01/07/2014 09:58 pm
I don't think there's anything wrong with what Zineb said. Google stated very clearly that they will take action against sites who link more than a few things per article. Over-optimizing is actually just as suspicious (and annoying) as someone who uses lots of hashtags on tweets. Obviously they're doing so to get attention they don't necessarily deserve.
Jitendra Vaswani
01/08/2014 05:31 am
Pete u r ri8, Check your link profile
Jitendra Vaswani
01/08/2014 05:31 am
It will take sometime to improve results after hummingbird. Hummingbird do created panic situation among webmasters
Jitendra Vaswani
01/08/2014 05:32 am
Google must seen their backlink profile. Over optimization is killing their rankings
MattsBackpack
01/08/2014 11:40 am
Massively over-optimised profile, 5,6,7 % on some keywords, mass article submissions with multiple optimised anchors in each. Nice!
Jérôme Verstrynge
01/08/2014 03:38 pm
Now that is useful information from Google. I wish this was disclosed last September-October. It would have saved everyone a lot of frustration...
Gracious Store
01/09/2014 12:25 am
I think it is worthwhile for terms to be clarified, is over optimization the same as unnatural and spammy links? These inter change of terms can be confusing
Nitin Mittal
01/09/2014 05:53 am
Atlast Google came with clarification
Jitendra Vaswani
01/13/2014 07:12 am
Hummingbird did create a huge impact over rankings, i saw many good websites lost rankings.
Spook SEO
01/25/2014 04:38 pm
SEO is very easy and people build links in no time before the launching of Humming Bird. But after Hummingbird update it will be difficult to build an irrelevant link. Humming Bird will catch this Bad link quickly and drop your Page Rank. So you can use relevant Keywords and build links then you will never face this problem.