Hummingbird is Google's latest search algorithm update.
They only revealed it in late September 2013, but claim to have been using it for up to a month earlier than that.
Google have announced it as a "big change" to the way search works, as it apparently affect 90% of searches - and Google search chief Amit Singhal even claimed it was the biggest shift in search since he first joined the company in 2001!
What is Google Hummingbird all about?
The key change that Hummingbird is said to introduce is the way it handles search queries.
In the past, Google has always focused on matching up keywords and displaying results accordingly.
Hummingbird is an attempt to give its search engine a "deeper" understanding of what the user is actually looking for.
Rather than depending on keyword matches, Google will now look at the "meaning" of the search query - and attempt to match it up with sites that answer that query, regardless of whether they display the same exact keywords.
Google argues that this should provide more accurate results, and reward sites that provide quality content as opposed to webmasters that focus "gaming the system" through keyword stuffing or link building.
An example of how Google Hummingbird works
The example that I've seen used a lot recently is the search query "What's the closest place to buy an iPhone 5s to my home?"
Previously, Google would have focused on matching up that search with keywords like "buy" and 'iPhone" but Hummingbird should allow the search engine to understand each word in the context of the search.
For example, it will know that "home" is a geographic location - and if it has data on where you live, that may be used to customize the result.
The word "place" might imply a physical location rather than an online retailer - so Google will amend its results accordingly.
It will recognize that "iPhone" is an electronic device - and will perhaps favour websites that are a proven authority in that area.
These are all guesses of how Hummingbird may work, but what's clear is that the way Google treats search results has changed dramatically.
Now, more than ever, it is important for website owners to create content that provides value, that offers information, that answers people's questions.
Stick to this ethos, and you should see the benefits of Hummingbird affecting your site in the near future!
