A Visual History of Google Algorithm Changes | Hubspot | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it

Want to see the impact Google's algorithm changes have had on SEO over the years? Check out this infographic we created with Moz.


In the beginning, Google's search engine really wasn't all that good. This was back in the late 90s/early 00s, when search engines were little more than keyword-matching and link-counting machines. Ranking high in search results could be accomplished by essentially using a simple, two-step procedure:

Step 1: Stuff your keyword phrase into your page/website as many times as possible.

Step 2: Get as many gosh-darn inbound links as you possibly could.


For those early "SEO gurus" who gamed the system -- achieving high rankings while adding little value for actual searchers -- the fun wouldn't last. Every time Google found a weakness in its ability to deliver relevant, high-quality search results, it made fixes to address it. Starting in 2003 with "Boston," major changes to its algorithm are adorned with names and made regularly....