Google Panda 4.2 is Here, Kind of
Another day, another algorithm update from Google. Except, unlike other updates, this one is rolling out at a much slower pace.\u00a0In fact, it\u2019s predicted to take about ten months before it\u2019s complete, and according to Google it\u2019s only affected about 2% \u2013 3% of English language queries as of yet (source).
The likely cause of the gradual roll-out is to give those penalized by previous Panda changes a chance to stay above water. Assuming they\u2019ve made the right tweaks to their website.
Google Abandons Forced Google+ Integration with YouTube\u2026 and More to Come
Staying with Google, this week they announced that they\u2019re no longer forcing Google+ accounts on\u00a0YouTubers\u00a0(source). In fact, this is part of a larger policy change. Over the next few months, Google will be removing the need for a Google+ account from many of their services (source).
Depending on the scope and scale of this reversal, we might see some changes as to how we interact with the search giant. Google+ was never that popular or widely used, by removing the mandatory requirement, it might give those who don\u2019t want to use a Plus account greater access to Google\u2019s services.
Windows 10 Is Here and the Early Reviews are:
Well for the most part, they are good (source). However, at the time of writing, it\u2019s being rolled out free to most Windows 7 and 8 users, so there\u2019s still some more news to come as more people adopt the operating system (OS).
Even with that caveat, as of yet the consensus is that it\u2019s a worthwhile update. The new OS improves over the issues users had with Windows 8 (that start screen being the biggie) and integrated a lot of the look and feel from the more popular Windows 7 and XP. It\u2019s taken what worked in the past and improved upon it, instead of forcing some new gimmick on users.
Windows 10 has also abandoned Internet Explorer (IE). Once the staple browser of the internet in the early noughties, it has been surpassed by the more agile and stable Chrome and Firefox. The new browser, called Edge, has taken the competition to heart and has mostly abandoned the legacy protocols that made IE slow and cumbersome.
Considering Edge is still new, it\u2019s too early to say what effects it\u2019ll have on web development. Every browser behaves differently, so there\u2019s a good chance that in the coming months (especially if Edge grows its market share) we\u2019ll be seeing some challenges with how our websites behave in the new environment, and by proxy in how we develop for it.
Edge also comes with Microsoft\u2019s new virtual assistant Cortana built right into the search bar. This means that it\u2019s even easier to search using your voice. Cortana, being Microsoft\u2019s version of Siri, has also been integrated throughout the OS. Making it great for those of us who like to use voice search, and since Windows users hold approximately 90% of the desktop market (source), the push towards voice search could affect how we all search the internet.
For example, when typing we typically default to shorter and more general keywords. However, when we ask a question the trend is to use a longer string of words. If voice search starts to surge, we might see a change in how we approach websites from an SEO perspective and their placement on search engines, including Google and Bing.
It\u2019s still too early to tell what impact the new update will have for SEO or web development, but from the early reviews and feedback it appears that Microsoft has embraced the transition our desktops are going through. The OS contains a lot of what made it a favourite for many desktop users, but it\u2019s also built in more mobile-friendly functions, lean apps, less bloat, and overall a more streamlined OS.
That about does it for this little news roundup, we\u2019ll be keeping our eye on each of the developing stories, but what do you think? Did we miss anything else more important? If you have any questions about how these changes could affect your business, feel free to reach out to us. We\u2019re always available to help. \u00a0\u00a0
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