The SEO Research Vault: A History of Google and it's Updates

Hey everyone,

What I've compiled here is a list of links that cover Google's entire history of updates and the most influential white papers to play a role in shaping Google's modern algorithm, as well as some supporting articles.

Why did I do this?

Because it is the best way to create a rock-solid comprehension of Search Engine Optimization.

The papers and articles below will not reveal any wild secrets or provide definitive answers/solutions for SEO. However, reading over all of them WILL change your understanding and approach to SEO. You will have a more complete and refined understanding of SEO that will allow you to logically think through any SEO-related questions or problems that you have in the future. So without further ado...


The SEO Research Vault:


The paper that started it all, the introduction of Google:

The Anatomy of a Search Engine

A list of all of Google's updates from 2000-2008 (Google launched in '98)

Page Rank Update or Export List History - PageRank - PR

Google's Florida Update (2003)

Article on the Florida Update:
Google's Florida update - what really happened

Another Article:
http://www.seoresearchlabs.com/seo-r...gle-report.pdf

Topic-Sensitive PageRank
Topic-Sensitive PageRank

Google's Austin Update (2004)

Article on Austin Update:
The Google Austin Update . . . If you thought the Google Florida Update was bad, look at the new Google Austin Update Dance.

Google's Brandy Update (2004)

Article on Brandy Update:
Google Brandy Update | Google Brandy Algorithm Update | Google Updates | Brandy Update of Google : TheSEOGuru SEO India

Google's 3-Part Jagger Update (2005)

Article on Jagger Update:
Google’s Jagger Update – Dust Begins to Settle? | WebProNews

Google's Big Daddy Update(2006)

Article on Big Daddy Update:
Google's Big Daddy update

Google Reduces Impact of "Google Bombing effect" (2007)

A post from Google:
Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: A quick word about Googlebombs

Google's Caffeine/Mayday Update (2009)

Blog Post by Matt Cutts:
More info on the Caffeine Update

Article on Update:
Google Confirms “Mayday” Update Impacts Long Tail Traffic

Google's Farmer/Panda Update (2011)

Data on update affects on popular sites:
Google Farmer Update: Quest for Quality - SEO-Blog - SISTRIX Toolbox

Ezine's Reaction and Plan of Action after Farmer Update:
Search Engine Algorithm Changes

Additional White Papers and articles of note:

TrustRank:

The White Papers:
http://www.vldb.org/conf/2004/RS15P3.PDF

Article on TrustRank Algo:
TrustRank Algorithm | SEO Book.com

The Hilltop Algorithm:

The White Papers:
ftp://ftp.cs.toronto.edu/pub/reports...5/hilltop.html

An Article on Google's use of Hilltop and TrustRank:
Google`s Trust Rank and Hilltop Algorithms

Additional Links:

http://www.warriorforum.com/adsense-...ml#post3650653

Article on How Google collects and organizes results:
Google Librarian Central - Article 12/2005 - 1

The origin and explanation behind the nofollow tag:
http://www.google.com/support/webmas...y?answer=96569



A Quick Video on How Search Works


Reading through the above sources helped me greatly in improving my understanding of SEO and search in general. This compilation of sources will allow you to travel with Google from its inception to it's more modern self and understand some of the changes that took place along the way as well as why they took place, so you can better understand search and SEO today.