Google Jagger Update rattles SEO world.

In yet another effort to improve its search ranking mechanisms, Google has launched an algorithm update that has caught the attention of web admins everywhere. The search engine giant is believed to be in the second phase of a three-part overhaul, which some in the field view as a significant update.

With many web admins seeing substantial changes in their rankings, SEO experts are being inundated with calls of alarm from those who have seen drops in their current status. However, SEO experts caution that it’s necessary to let the new algorithm run its course.

Those experts indicate that a sudden change in rankings this week is by no means a new status quo for a site and that search results for the current week will likely change yet again in the weeks ahead.

Citing the Florida update from two years ago, experts insisted that it might take up to three months for the search results to settle properly.

In his blog, Google engineer Matt Cutts appears to categorize the changes as less substantial than those seen in the updates. Cutts says, “These days, rather than having a large monolithic update, Google tends to have smaller (and more frequent) individual launches.”

As with other such updates, Brett Tabke from WebmasterWorld has named the new Google algorithm Jagger.

Among the rumored changes in the Google update are greater penalties for hidden text spam, as the overhaul now also recognizes text hidden in invisible CSS layers.

In addition, some web blogs have speculated that links from automated exchanges and text link advertising systems now have a less positive impact on search engine optimization (SEO) rankings.

In contrast, others suggest that changes may stem from a series of back-link updates that began in early September.

Post excerpts from Thomas Hanson

# Jagger Update rattles SEO world