Google refreshed its Top Heavy algorithm late last week in, yet another, move aimed at keeping end-users happy.
The refresh announcement came via webspam chief Matt Cutts’ official Twitter feed and read:
SEO folks: we recently launched a refresh of this algorithm: http://goo.gl/3yk0Xo Visible to outside world on ~Feb. 6th.
So far, it doesn’t seem like the Top Heavy refresh is having a big impact in the SEO world. Most web publishers have long since adapted to Google’s guidelines regarding the placement of ad-heavy content on the top half of the page.
According to Google, end-users are not crazy about having to sort through advertising to get to the actual content.
The Top Heavy refresh isn’t a big surprise to SEO watchers. It falls in line with Google’s push over the past couple years to craft an internet that’s exactly what search users are looking for.
What is surprising is that Google made the announcement at all. Last summer the company announced that it would no longer be announcing algorithm updates and refreshes. (Though they have announced several of them since that time.)
The original Top Heavy algorithm was released back in January of 2012 and impacted just 1% of English language queries at the time. This is the third refresh of that particular update.