I have been optimizing websites for the past six years, and all of a sudden last fall I began hearing about Google’s Jagger update. Now being a “Chick” I like to keep things pretty simple and wondered why Google named it Jagger. (At first that seemed more important to me than what effect the update would have!)
As I have mentioned before I am a Google Certified Professional , which doesn’t make me any more in the know because Google never called to notify me about Jagger, so I had to learn about it on my own. Curious about the name, I went to Google and typed, “Why did you name it the Jagger Update.” (Sometimes I like to approach Google like it is a magic eight ball just to see if it will talk to me)
Surprisingly, Google didn’t respond but thanks to a gentleman named Glenn Murray who wrote the article Jagger, Google Analytics and the Future of Search & SEO where he explains “… Just like hurricanes, Google updates have names. (A Google update is a change to the way Google determines its rankings. Google makes these changes periodically, and they’re universally feared because they can impact dramatically on a website’s ranking.) The latest update is called Jagger, and it has search engine optimizers (SEO’s) all around the world in a state of panic.”
That brought me a little closer to understanding why they named it “Jagger”. Maybe instead of woman’s names like they use for hurricanes, perhaps Google names their updates after famous Rock Stars? (To date I have not yet found any evidence to back up this statement so currently this is purely speculation).
Either way they have named it Jagger, and apparently from all I have read the update is complete. Simultaneously I have noticed over the last few months the rankings of some of my clients have experienced some drastic changes in Google and I have wondered if they have fallen victim to “The Jagger Effect.”
I am not writing to tell you the specific things that could possibly help you, or even hurt you in Jagger’s aftermath…( if you are an SEO Firm you can read a great article by Jason O’Conner Google and Jagger’s Aftermath.) If you have a website, I am sure all you really care about is, “Did Jagger effect my rankings in Google and can you fix it for me?”
As the world has exploded with numerous Optimization Companies in the last few years, the relevant question really becomes, “How well do you know your website optimizer and what experience and knowledge do they have to keep you ahead of the game?”
Here are a few simple yet powerful questions you should be asking your current or prospective Optimization Company:
1. How many websites have they optimized and can they show you how they improved their search engine ranking positions?
2. Is the Optimizer a member of any professional Search Associations?
3. Has the Optimizer spoken at any Search Conferences or written any industry Articles?
4. What does the optimizer do to stay current on the newest best practices when it comes to search engines and optimization?
5. Is the optimizer a specialist or is optimizing just a part of many things they do in a day?
Updates such as Jagger are not going away, and the power of the Internet as a direct-to-consumer distribution channel continues to grow, it is time to take a strategic approach to your search engine optimization strategy…in this Chicks’ humble opinion.
Finally, in case you were worried, The Jagger update had no effect on Mick Jagger at all. You can still go to Google and type in Jagger and [http://www.mickjagger.com] still ranks number one! It’s a great site…check it out!
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