Do you have that nervous feeling in your stomach? Sweaty palms? Is your heart racing? If you're an SEO agency, these symptoms may be a result of Google's looming Caffeine update. No, not the kind in your coffee; in this case, Caffeine refers to the latest Google algorithm update.
Although Google announced the update in August 2009, the updated version is currently only running on one data center, half of the time. The lag between the announcement of the release and the full implementation has lulled many SEO specialists into a sense of complacency, and indeed the buzz surrounding Caffeine has all but faded away. With Google withholding on a timeline for complete implementation, predicting the effects and implications of Caffeine is bit like fortune telling. However, by using the information Google has released about Caffeine in conjunction with their current focus, a few forecasts can be made.
Caffeine is primarily an infrastructure update. Expanded indexing, increased relevance, and increased speed are all the main effects of the revamped algorithm. These are the changes that won't be visible to the average user but will make Google faster and more relevant. From the SEO perspective, the question remains; how will Google use its newly suped model? Google has made no secret of its interest in personalized search. Displaying results tailored to the user helps achieve Google's central goal: relevant results. By indexing more pages through Caffeine, Google is able to offer a broader range of results dependent on a user's past search history and interests. Personalized search ties in neatly with mobile search (read our predictions about mobile search in 2010), an area Google has already invested in heavily.
Caffeine suggests the possibility that Google could display results to users indicative of both personal preference and location, pinpointing exactly what a user is searching for every time they run a query. The final factor in Google's trifecta is real-time search. Again, real-time search is easily integrated and enhances both personalized search and mobile search, but in contrast to the other two it has not yet been a success for Google. The recent release of Google Buzz demonstrates both Google's continued interest, and the fact that they have not yet captured the market they are trying to entice.
With Google's finger in many pies, agencies are left trying to optimize for search in categories that didn't even exist a couple of years ago. However, the key to remaining unaffected by the Caffeine update lies in the interrelatedness of Caffeine's interests. Personalized search, mobile search, and real-time search all have relatively small impact on rankings from queries that are run on traditional computers. Advisedly, SEO efforts should branch out into these areas, but traditional rankings overall are unlikely to be highly affected by the Caffeine update. Maintaining relevant, descriptive content is the ideal way to weather the update without losing rankings.
While the Caffeine update is certainly extensive and rankings should be monitored closely, overall the primary impact is on infrastructure, not SERPs. So take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy faster search results.
