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SEO Timeline

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    bigmouthmedia SEO Timeline

  • 1998 Larry Page and Sergey Brin introduce PageRank

    1998 Larry Page and Sergey Brin introduce PageRank
    Larry Page and Sergey Brin introduce PageRank, a Web document citation ranking methodology based on link relationships.
  • Image search Launches

    Image search Launches
    Image Search launches, offering access to 250 million images.
  • Google launches Google News

    Google launches Google News
    Google launches Google News, which uses the Hilltop algorithm devised by Krishna Bharat and George A. Mih?il?.
    Google Newshttp://www.alternet.org/story/14239/
  • Froogle Launches (later becomes Google Product Search)

    Froogle Launches (later becomes Google Product Search)
    Froogle Launches (later becomes Google Product Search)
  • 2003 “Google bombing” born

    2003 “Google bombing” born
    Bloggers coin the expression “Google bombing” and launch the widespread practice of pointing collaborative links at otherwise irrelevant documents to manipulate query results.
  • 2003 Google introduces the Supplemental Results Index,

    2003 Google introduces the Supplemental Results Index,
    Google introduces the Supplemental Results Index, a repository for documents Google doesn’t quite know what to do with. Many of these documents are duplicate content pages.
  • Google Florida update

    Google Florida update
    Google launches the infamous “Florida” update. Many SEOs wrongly conclude that Google has suddenly adopted the Hilltop algorithm.
  • Google Florida Update

    Google Florida Update
  • Google Brandy Update

    Google Brandy Update
  • Google Sandbox Effect

    Google Sandbox Effect
    Google adjusts its algorithm to look at links in a new way. An apparent unintended side effect is the so-called “Google Sandbox Effect”, whereby sites with few to no trusted links cannot rank even for their own names.
  • Google begins updating its index on a weekly basis

    Google begins updating its index on a weekly basis
    Google begins updating its index on a weekly basis (until now it had been updating monthly).
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    URL only results

    Google dumps millions of documents from its index, resulting in many queries that are flooded with so-called “URL-only” results, although many older sites simply vanish altogether or show 2-year-old data. The search results return to normal around May.
  • Google Allegra Update

    Google Allegra Update
  • Google Bourbon Update

    Google Bourbon Update
  • De-indexing directories

    De-indexing directories
    Google begins de-indexing and/or ignoring links from faux directories and and some Web sites that share certain design features of faux directories.
  • Google Jagger Update

    Google Jagger Update
  • Google de-indexes more faux directories in volume.

    Google de-indexes more faux directories in volume.
    Google de-indexes more faux directories in volume.
  • Bigdaddy update

    Bigdaddy update
    Google begins rolling out the Bigdaddy update. Bigdaddy introduces a new infrastructure, a dual-index crawl, and re-engineers the Supplemental Index to absorb many low-PageRank documents.
  • PageRank is being used to determine the index to which documents are assigned

    PageRank is being used to determine the index to which documents are assigned
    Matt Cutts writes on his blog that PageRank is being used to determine the index to which documents are assigned.
  • Supplemental Index pages are not fully indexed

    Supplemental Index pages are not fully indexed
    Search Engine Roundtable reports that Supplemental Index pages are not fully indexed (this is later confirmed by Google).
  • An internal Federal Trade Commission letter discussing paid endorsements is leaked to the news media.

    An internal Federal Trade Commission letter discussing paid endorsements is leaked to the news media.
    An internal Federal Trade Commission letter discussing paid endorsements is leaked to the news media.
  • Matt Cutts suggests that paid links should be disclosed

    Matt Cutts suggests that paid links should be disclosed
    Matt Cutts suggests that paid links should be disclosed, implying that they may fall under the FTC paid endorsement policy.
  • Universal Search

    Universal Search
    Google follows in the footsteps of A9 and Ask by unveiling the Searchology Update, introducing “Google 3.0″, which emphasizes Universal Search (injecting results from News, Blog, Books, and other search indexes into Main Web search results).
  • Matt Cutts introduces the concept of “Peanut Butter SEO”

    Matt Cutts introduces the concept of “Peanut Butter SEO”
    Matt Cutts introduces the concept of “Peanut Butter SEO” at the first SMX Advanced conference in Seattle, explaining that “each site gets only so much PageRank” and it can only be spread so far like peanut butter on bread.
  • PageRank sculpting is born

    PageRank sculpting is born
    Dan Thies proposes using “rel=’nofollow’” on some internal pages such as shopping cart pages etc.
  • Google says it is no longer useful to include the “Supplemental Result” label in search results.

    Google says it is no longer useful to include the “Supplemental Result” label in search results.
    Google says it is no longer useful to include the “Supplemental Result” label in search results.
  • PageRank Sculpting goes insane

    PageRank Sculpting goes insane
    Dan Thies revises his internal nofollow position to favor the use of nofollow on more internal pages. The “PageRank sculpting” controversy goes into overdrive from this point on as the SEO community divides.
  • Google declares war on paid links.

    Google declares war on paid links.
    Google declares war on paid links.
  • Supplemental Index Still Alive

    Supplemental Index Still Alive
    Google’s Supplemental Index still alive and still preventing legitimate content from ranking above less relevant results in the Main Web Index.
  • Google Font API and Directory

    Google Font API and Directory
  • Google Instant Previews

    Google Instant Previews
  • New Hacked Sites Notification in Google Results

    New Hacked Sites Notification in Google Results
  • Google Webmaster Tools Search Query Update

    Google Webmaster Tools Search Query Update
  • Linking Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics

    Linking Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics
  • Google Panda Update 1.0

    Google Panda Update 1.0
  • Google Recipe View

    Google Recipe View
  • Google TV Shows in Video Sitemaps & mRSS

    Google TV Shows in Video Sitemaps & mRSS
  • Google Plus One Button

    Google Plus One Button
  • Google Page Speed Online w/ Mobile Support

    Google Page Speed Online w/ Mobile Support
  • Google Panda Update 2.0

    Google Panda Update 2.0
  • Google Instant Previews Flash Support

    Google Instant Previews Flash Support
  • Google Panda Update 2.1

    Google Panda Update 2.1
  • Google Page Speed Online New API

    Google Page Speed Online New API
  • Google Webmaster Tools Easier URL Removal

    Google Webmaster Tools Easier URL Removal
  • Google Webmmaster Tools Troubleshoot Instant Previews

    Google Webmmaster Tools Troubleshoot Instant Previews
  • Google Plus One For Websites Launched

    Google Plus One For Websites Launched
  • Schema.org

    Schema.org
  • Google Authorship Markup

    Google Authorship Markup
  • Google Instant Pages (on Chrome for developers)

    Google Instant Pages (on Chrome for developers)
  • Google HTTP rel canonical

    Google HTTP rel canonical
  • ICANN Approve gTLDs

    ICANN Approve gTLDs
  • Google Panda Update 2.2

    Google Panda Update 2.2
  • Blekko Zorro Update

    Blekko Zorro Update