About a month ago, Google announced it rolled out a completely new search algorithm called Hummingbird. According to Google’s chief of search, Amit Singhal, it is perhaps the most dramatic algorithmic change that Google has made in 12 years. Given this statement, it’s somewhat surprising that there has been so little buzz surrounding Hummingbird.

The last few announcements of this nature – particularly the Panda and Penguin algorithm updates – were met with a much stronger (and at times manic) reaction. This is because the effects of Panda and Penguin on search rankings were quick, severe and unforgiving. Many websites plummeted in rankings seemingly overnight and recovery was anything but simple. In fact, a number of websites are still hurting from the last Penguin update released in May 2013.

So why such a tepid reaction to Hummingbird? Well, it seems that, unlike its counterparts, it has had very little effect on search rankings. We’re not seeing the same backlash from SEOs, marketers and website owners as we did with Penguin or Panda. The general consensus is, if you haven’t yet experienced the impact of Hummingbird, you’re probably in the clear.

Assuming that Hummingbird isn’t having a significant impact on search rankings, what exactly is it doing? Should you be changing anything on your website to accommodate it? Are your current search engine optimization (SEO) and marketing strategies still effective? Let’s explore these questions further.

What Is Google Hummingbird?

Hummingbird is a brand new search algorithm – a recipe used to determine what results are most relevant in response to queries typed into Google’s search bar. It is supposed to be faster and more precise than any of Google’s previous algorithms, hence the name.

It was introduced in order to better capacitate the high volume of longer, more complex search queries that Google has increasingly been receiving. Their aim is to provide users with better results by weighing more importance on the context and meaning of searches. The entire query – from a single word to an entire sentence to a whole conversation – is taken into account. Thus, rather than responding to queries on a word-by-word basis, Hummingbird seeks to understand and answer the query based on its entire meaning in order to provide its users with more relevant, useful results.

Should I Modify my Website for Hummingbird?

If your website is ranking well in search engines and provides a great user experience, than it should not be impacted by Hummingbird. The algorithm seems to be much more focused on the way users are searching rather than the way websites are structured. As it stands, there is no need to make changes to your website in reaction to Hummingbird, as long as your website is already performing well.

Google has said that there is nothing new or different from an SEO or publisher perspective. The recommendations for ranking remain the same – high-quality, relevant content and excellent user experience are paramount.

Should I Change my SEO and Marketing Strategy?

With the roll out of Panda, businesses found that their online visibility was negatively impacted if they had thin or irrelevant content. When Penguin was introduced, valuable content, website usability and white-hat link strategies were all integral to maintaining or improving website performance on Google. Although Hummingbird is a different beast than its two predecessors, the emphasis on high-quality content and site usability is as salient as ever.

So, if you have been employing SEO and online marketing strategies that respect these parameters ­– remarkable content and top-notch web user experience ­– then you should change nothing. Your website will continue to perform well. If, however, you haven’t been employing these tactics, then it’s time to start. Though Hummingbird may not focus specifically on these elements, Google is constantly aiming to improve the relevancy of the search results it provides for its users; if you’re not playing by their rules, your online presence will eventually suffer for it.