It seems like every other day search engine optimization (SEO) specialists are trying to deal with another search algorithm change, tweak, overhaul or extinction. It usually happens like this: Google gets a new idea and tests it through a special and select group of users. If the desired outcome is achieved through the test pools then the change is implemented live on the browser.
Tracking Google can feel like searching through an endless lake.[/caption]

Over the next couple of months, Internet users go about their normal routines and business without any idea that a change has taken place. Then, as long as there haven't been any noticeable problems or glitches, Google will announce the update that has already been working for weeks.

This practice happened with last year's Hummingbird, and before that the update Penguin that targeted spam and Panda that went after bad, thin and fake content.

But what about the changes and improvements that don't get reported? That happened behind closed doors that are never supposed to be leaked to the public. For example, the website MetaFilter was hit hard by a Google update no one knew even existed.

"Last night, at SMX Advanced, Matt Cutts, Google's head of search quality, confirmed MetaFilter was indeed hit by a previously undisclosed algorithm filter or 'update,' as they are often called. Such filters aim to prevent a wide range of sites from ranking well on Google," reported Barry Schwartz of SearchEngineLand.com.

That's why, from an SEO perspective, it is very important to not only study algorithm operations daily, but to ask questions and try to determine the cause and source of any changes you may notice.