Everything You Need to Know About Google’s Florida 2 Update

Google has just confirmed big changes to its algorithm via an important update called Florida 2. We’re here to tell you everything you need to know about this update from the origin of its name all the way to how it could impact your website.

According to an announcement made by the official SearchLiaison Twitter handle, Google actually started rolling out with update around March 12^th. Previous Google updates have meant key changes to the way sites rank in search engines however SEO specialists are speculating that the after effects of this latest update might not be immediately noticeable.

Why “Florida 2?”

You might be wondering about the naming process behind Google’s algorithm updates. In the early 2000’s Google rolled out one of its biggest and most important updates and named it the “Florida Update” due to the fact that it coincided with a big Florida SEO conference. Its most recent update is called Florida 2 because it, too, coincides with the timing of this SEO conference.

What is the Florida 2 Update?

Florida 2 is what’s known as a “broad core update”. This kind of update is different from other updates because Google is not altering the way its algorithm targets websites or specific niches. Instead, the goal of this update is to better understand user intent behind individual search queries and return the relevant results.

How Will Florida 2 Impact my Website’s Ranking?

It’s still too early to make any definitive statements about how Florida 2 will impact website rankings. Rumours have been circulating that Florida 2 would have a massive impact on the way websites in the health and medical sector ranked in search engines, however – as always – Google has denied this. SEO specialists speculate that Florida 2 will likely be rolled out in phases and that websites across all industries are likely to experience ranking fluctuations. Because of this, business owners may find their websites suddenly ranking lower than before. In these instances, Google has given the following advice:

“There’s nothing wrong with pages that may now perform less well. Instead, it’s that changes to our systems are benefiting pages that were previously under-rewarded. There’s no “fix” for pages that may perform less well others than to remain focused on building great content.”

With that in mind, it’s more important than ever that businesses and brand have an effective and responsive SEO strategy in place. If you’re looking to improve your SEO ranking why not get in touch with Platform81’s expert digital marketing team today? Contact us here.