Updated March 1, 2025
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Tiny Bird Signals A Big Shift
Last year there were many changes to Google’s Algorithm, with the most notable overhaul called Hummingbird.White Hat SEO tactics, as a result, have morphed. For us White Hatters, we celebrate how this itty-bitty bird rewards websites with relevant and quality content.
Hummingbird SEO Lessons
So, what are the Hummingbird SEO lessons we learned so far?
1. We’ve seen that websites that focused on quality content — even if they don’t frequently publish a lot of new posts and pages — didn’t see a major dip in SERP visibility. We think that by following Google Webmaster guidelines — focused on providing humans a positive experience when visiting their website — kept their websites relatively safe from roller coaster rankings. That said, it’s still important to create fresh content. Our advice is to establish a schedule and stick to it.
2. If you’ve read any of our content, you probably know that we’re big fans of WordPress. We believe that this open-source software provides a little SEO boost. Why? Because the meta data is well organized and search engines know where to find stuff. Post-Hummingbird SEO is about how content relates to other content. Translation: have a clear internal linking structure (e.g., having sub-pages and blog posts support your website’s main navigation). That internal web of links help Google crawl and understand your site. More importantly, those links help guide your visitor deeper into your content… encouraging engagement, interaction and hopefully conversion.
3. Keyword optimization isn’t dead. Although Hummingbird SEO reflects a move toward artificial intelligence in search (delivering on intent rather than exact keyword matches), the algorithm has much to learn before it approaches human intelligence. We still recommend optimizing your pages and posts, paying attention to title tags, URLs, headings and image tags. Just don’t overstuff your keywords. Natural is what Hummingbird SEO is all about.
A Simple Checklist
If you’re committed to generating quality information that interests your target audience, then it will be easy to follow these Hummingbird SEO guidelines:
- Website architecture that’s intuitive for your visitor
- Maintain low bounce rates by making sure that your meta data (title tag, meta description) accurately reflects what’s on the page. These two elements are a free mini-ad that entices the click/visit.
- Human-friendly URLs are easier to read. Delete numbers, characters and other elements that don’t mean anything to a visitor.
- Write natural content that educates, informs and entertains. You want visitors to get riveted by your articles… and then be motivated to share it.
- Get on the mobile wagon. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out. Plus, Google is watching. Review your Web Analytics and make the appropriate technology steps to ensure your website is easy to use on smartphones and tablets.
Have you seen a change in your website since Hummingbird SEO changes were made last August? If so, what have you noticed?
Hummingbird Content Tips
Ultimately, white hat tactics will always be safe with google, quality content will always be king.
Yes, quality content continues its reign. Generating content is time-consuming and never-ending treadmill. Do you think that small businesses can compete?
Great article. Hummingbird is definitely all about really understanding your target market, the intent behind key search phrases they use, and crafting content that will answer their questions and solve their problems.
Nathan, thanks for the compliment. It’s good to find other SEOs who appreciate and use quality SEO practices. Yes, Hummingbird is all about answering questions with well-crafted content!