Google and the Vince Update0

Most of our clients have asked about the mysterious “Vince Update” so we thought we should post something to update everyone in one go.

What is the Vince Update?
Recently in the UK, some of the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS) seem to have been favouring famous brands. Advertisers have seen their position move up or down with big brands taking a preference rank. The update is named after one of the engineers who produced the algorithm change.

Why did Google do the Vince update?
Well, according to Matt Cutts (head of Google’s Webspam team), the update came about in order to assist the customer in finding a more relevant result, with the algorithm favouring the following criteria; Trust, Authority, Reputation, Page Rank and High Quality.

What is the impact of the Vince update?
As one of 3/400 annual updates from Google this affects a few generic queries but does not really impact the long tail key phrases. It means that there is more pressure to improve your website and page rank and in particular Matt Cutts recommends a focus on niche areas.

The cynical view?
Non-branded companies have effectively been penalised for not spending millions on brand marketing and website development. Google will no doubt see an increase in Pay Per Click revenues as these smaller companies try to claw back market share that they have had for free until now by buying position!

If you are concerned about this update, then get in touch with Manchester SEO and PPC specialists Banc Media, so we can talk you through the impact to your individual business.