There was a time when Google had to update the search engine manually. In the early 2000s, new pages, websites, and web pages were being added daily. The frequency of updates used to be sporadic and frequent accommodating of these updates is called the Google dance.
In this article, you’ll find
Definition of Google Dance
Google Dance is a term used to describe when Google releases an index update and rebuilds its rankings and all results for 3 to 5 days. It is a process where Google releases index updates to reevaluate the search results and Google rankings. The dance happens once a month, bringing many changes to the search results. New websites will be added, some web pages might get deleted, and some might get different rankings.
It is sometimes referred to as the “random ranking factor.” Most search engines do this to update their index page, but since Google has a wider reach, the results are more visible than other search engines. Like every other search engine, Google had to release an index update, but the problem was that they could not shut down their servers for maintenance like the others. The number of users is larger than other search engines, and a maintenance shutdown would mean chaos, even for a short period. Therefore, Google Dance was implemented.
How? – Deals With The Specifics (Operation & Duration)
Google Dance used to happen once every month for 3 to 5 days. During this time, Google bots will review the search results and revisit every website. The bot will scan websites, check how many links it has, and, within those links, check what sites it goes to. The bot would also determine how valuable those links are.
What? – Deals With The Term & Definition
During the dance, the search results will constantly be in flux. This is because Google is constantly crawling and updating search results. Google normally does this, but during this period, the results are more observable. Back then, the search results could vary tremendously during this process.
It is important to remember that Google has multiple data centers that share over 10,000 servers. This makes updating a huge task. It is a constant process not just for Google but for other search engines as well.
Why? – Deals With The Intention
Google’s ability to stay ahead of the competition is related to the fact that it releases constant updates. Through these updates, the rankings of a website might change. This is why Google Dance matters. It can affect how a website ranks and how much traffic it has. The website traffic may increase or decrease, but that is all part of the change, even if it is only temporary.
During this period, website owners had to stay calm and not change anything with the website because the changes were only temporary. The best they could do was not to do anything because it could harm the website.
Latest Update
Google Dance is no more as it has become an outdated procedure. Google is far more advanced than it was before, and this is allowed them to stay ahead of the competition. Google started to implement updates that were smaller daily. The changes to rankings also started to become less dramatic, which is contrary to how it was before.
Since 2003, smaller updates have been implemented by Google. Currently, Google’s spider bots do a much better job scanning websites and checking the links. The updates are seamless, and the changes in rankings can be observed daily.
Related Reads:
- A Guide to Google Shopping Search
- Best Ways to Utilize Google Trends 2022
- What Is Google’s Helpful Content Update?
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the duration for a Google index update?
Google used to update its index and ranking factors every 36 days or 10 times a year. A typical Google Dance would take up to 3 to 5 days to rebuild website ranking on Google’s SERP.
2. What are the major changes in the Google Ranking Dance?
A decrease in webpage ranking for keywords was one of the common changes faced during Google’s random ranking update. However, the fluctuations were only for a limited period of time.
3. Was it normal to see a decrease in keyword ranking during Google’s update?
Yes. Sometimes, Google’s search likes to display different websites for the same keyword based on context, time relevance, and personalized results.
Final Word!
In the past, Google Dance brought major changes to the search engine, and marketers were worried about their website ranking. However, times have changed, and Google’s algorithm update implementation has significantly impacted. Nowadays, Google sometimes releases updates every few hours and sometimes even weeks. The optimization is so good that Google does not have to worry about tremendous fluctuations in search results.
