the power of links when using the Strings Not Things rules

 Google changed the rules within the SEO industry when they introduced the HummingBird algorithm

Google HummingBird algorithm was the start of the Things, not strings era, where context, purpose and intent augmented keywords in the Search Engine optimisation industry. 

The values of link attributes suddenly carried an awful lot more Search engine optimisation value indicators (SEOVI) than they ever did before.

The Google HummingBird algorithm is to this day not clearly understood by most folks within the Search Engine Optimisation industry. So this blog post will help readers to have a deeper understanding of what the Google Hummingbird algorithm is and what the purpose and intentions of the Google Hummingbird algorithm are.

When I did a Google search for the Google Hummingbird algorithm, this page came to the second spot  of the list.or SERRP  (search date 17 November 2022)  https://moz.com/learn/seo/google-hummingbird

now MOZ is a rather influential site, but these folks (in my mind) do not really understand the Google Hummingbird algorithm. This algo did not replace anything but added many new Search Engine optimisation value indicators which I refer to as SEOVI  The article mentioned above claims that HUMMINGBIRD replaced  many existing algorithms, but this is not true in the least... Hummingbird was a new addition that ran parallel to, and adjacent to all existing algorithms. #HummingBird was a new tool that supplemented all existing tools, the Google hummingbird virus did not replace anything. folks that tell you Google hummingbird algorithm replaced stuff need to be avoided, or challenged to please explain, coz they are either selling you Snake Oil or bullshitting you big time. both are not acceptable.

the top of SERP item  ( https://www.goup.co.uk/guides/google-hummingbird/#:~:text=Hummingbird%20is%20a%20search%20algorithm,old%2C%20like%20Panda%20and%20Penguin.)  also claims that hummingbird replaced some stuff in the online search algorithms of Google. 

the third item in the SERP was Wikipedia  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Hummingbird this also talks of an algorithm change, but it was not a change of anything. it was an introduction of a brand new tool within the search environment at Google.

So the Google  Hummingbird algorithm was not an update of any existing algorithm, but rather the introduction of a brand new algorithm which complimented all existing algos and added new variables into the online search industry.

the Google Hummingbird algorithm introduced many new issues and was the first step that Google took to move away from strings (words only) and move towards search intent, where content context, purpose and intentions were suddenly a very big part of the search process. this was the start of the move from strings to things.  hence the hashtag #ThingsNotStrings became an important entry point for folks looking for search engine optimisation tactics. 

The Google Hummingbird algorithm is a very powerful search tool that changed so many issues in so many different ways, and was the tool that started using the Google knowledge graph as the foundation for establishing the semantic mapping tools that defines and identifies all things within both the online and offline environments. This algorithm is forever being  updated and directly connected to many more algorithms that have been introduced to expand the things not strings contextual linkages. 

now to understand how these issues are all linked together, one needs to interpret and understand the many different issues associated with inpage links, which many folks call  #BackLinks

There are basically two types of links, which are again divided into two groups. the first type of link is #InternalLinks and the second is #ExternalLinks.  the first group is #OutBound and the Second is #InBound. every link has two ends. the first is the origin which would also be called the InPage link. The second side of the link is the off-page end of the link. the Off-Page end may be an internal destination, meaning that it is the same domain or external meaning that it is in a different domain. 

All so called Back Links are from an external domain. Now most folks, when doing search engine optimisation only lalk of Back Links. very few folks ever talk about internal inbound links, and thus there is a very big problem with interpreting and understanding the value of links. Internal links carry much more Search Engine Optimisation Value Indicators, coz you recieve link juice at both the destination point and the link origin. 

now coming back to the Knowledge graph... the knowledge graph uses links to link one set of issues (your inPage content) to the other set of issues the Off page content, which may be external or internal. the knowledge base of one page is thus connected to the knowledge base of another page through the inapge out bound link.

So tthe knowledge graph can not connect the things in your content to any other things unless there is a link from your page to that other content. The knowledge graph is a very-big-data issue which is explained here https://www.semrush.com/blog/knowledge-graph/?kw=&cmp=Africa_SRCH_DSA_Blog_EN&label=dsa_pagefeed&Network=g&Device=c&utm_content=622528814134&kwid=dsa-1753200739853&cmpid=18364843126&agpid=141057028723&BU=Core&extid=60114153428&adpos=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1NebBhDDARIsAANiDD1RkMnaH7qByvyq-kC5-BSZfPAWhJSUQ0f9AdUSSN0PpBVT_d3RyBIaAgMsEALw_wcB

this link connecting your page to another page, may be an internal link or an external link. this link may be an inbound link or an outbound link. it does not matter.. internal or external, inbound or outbound.   here a link is a link and it does not matter where the other end is, just so long as it connects your content to other content. But do not get confused here. every link is used many times over, in some instances, the origin and destination have great significance, and in some use cases, there is no significance.

So let us now consider In Page SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) issues associated with in page OUTBOUND LINKS.

IPSEO or In Page Search Engine Optimisation is where the issues start to make sense and need to be properly evaluated for many different individual SEOVI.  Each link is used many times over to generate a very large number of different SEOVI where the items on this shortened list are considered. this list is in reality very big and contains an exceptionally large number of vastly different, but interconnected issues. do not get confused if items you consider as important are not listed. here. I promise you that whatever you consider, is in reality an issue. Think of the #ThingsNotThings  issues, and you will begin to  understand the complex network of different SEOVI that a search engine may or may not consider important to understand the purpose and intent of your online content, once again this list is not exhaustive, and includes an extremely big set of issues not in this list. this is just to give you an idea and a point to start interpreting and understanding the vast complexity of the Google Hummingbird algorithm.

• what is the purpose of the link?
• does the link have any #LinkAttributes
• no follow
• no index
• link title
• link description
• alt text if an image or video
• what words are near the link in your copywriting
• are there similar words in the destination inpage content of this link
• does the link arrive at a bookmark
• how far are these words from the destination point (bookmark)
• is there any Anchor text
• are any of these words (anchor text)  in the page title
• of your page
• of the destination page
• are any of these words in the page description
• of your page
• of the destination page
• are any of these words in the keyword meta data
• of your page
• of the destination page
• is there semantic connectedness between the origin and destination 
• is there any similarity between the page intent issues of the origin and the destination
• does the purpose of the two pages correlate.
• is there a connection between the purpose of each end of the link
• is the conversation expanded in a meaningful manner
• is there a return link in-page  (BackLink)

There are so many other issues that search engines consider that your head will spin if you are not careful. Do not get confused or be bothered too much about this, because micro-management here will cause you to fail. just think clearly about the purpose and intent of the link. Do not add links for the sake of adding links.

not every page needs links.  think of a form that the end user may be required to fill out.. A primary landing page should have very few links, as each link that is not associated with the intended call to action here is a distraction, which will break your conversion funnel. Take time to 

understand conversion funnels and be aware of the purpose and intent of each page.

So the thing that you want your end user to accomplish when on-page is important. 

On-Page is the user activity space, or what appears on screen for the end user to interact with.

in-page is all  the HTML  content. used by search engines to evaluate the purpose, intent and functionality of your page.

 the IN-Page situation has two parts. (1) is the <HEAD> (2) is the body 

 the <HEAD> is only for search engines and other applications to use

 the <BODY> is for end-user interactions and is the code that ensures that the onscreen issues display correctly for your end user, and any user tasks easily accomplishable. 

 All inpage links are part of the user interaction activity. each link should be considered as a call to action statement. here you want the end user to do something. when the end user does something he /she uses a link to accomplish a task that you set for him/her.  

inPage links connect things to other things and are used by a number of different databases to establish the purpose and intent of your online content. To understand intent and purpose, you need to understand the meaning of the content. to understand the meaning you have to understand what things are being discussed, and how these things interact with each other. this can not be done without evaluating each word separately, and then collectively where NLP (Natural Language Proceesing) is a key element.

This means that THINGS have more importance than STRINGS. Both are important. 

Strings are used to define things.  The definition of things allows other concepts  to be developed. Machine learning and AI  (Artificial intelligence) are vital in this aspect.  Large databases that are interconnected are used to define things and allow deeper context to be developed.. this can only be accomplished when there are links between strings,.  So once again the links that you place within your content are vital in developing concepts that relate strings to things.  

things can not be discussed and evaluated without strings. but which is more important things or strings?  we lthis can be debated but that will take so much time and effort that it is not worth the confusion. things are defined nd explained using strings, without things there would be no need for strings.  At the end of the day the Google hummingbird algorithm is the direct link between things and strings. the purpose of the Google hummingbord algorithm is thus (in my mind) to connect thiongs together and show the interrelationships between things through the use and interpreation of strings. 

Links within online content allowed the search engine to develop models and systems that use strings to define things, then show the inter-relationships between different things. now when one uses a search engine to disciver information about things, the different strings within your vontent are used to establish the intent, purpose, aims and obkjectives of your content, then match those to the query intentions, purpose aims and objectives.

it thus follows that purpose, intentions, aims and objectives need to be used when creating online content for the human end users . strings are thus vital to develop content that you want your end-users to consume within the online environment. Keywords are your lever to open the search engine interrogation channels of your content when a search engine do what it is that they do.  

these days (November 2022) search engines match the purpose and intent of a search query to the purpose and intent of online information (read your pages). strings are uased in the search query and your online content. these strings refer to things, so the Google Hummingbird algorithm is an essential part of the search engine search process. This means that keywords are vtal and can not be avoided. how you use ypour keywords, and introduce them to the search engine in your content is up to you, but you do need to think clearly and understand that these strings discuss things, and things are part of the answer.  The Google Hummingbird algoriythm is the link between strings and things.

the #ThingsNotStrings hashtag is thus very misleading, as the search engine can not physically use things, coz they cannot be placed inside a wire or an electrical circuit. Things can not be changed into electrical information without the use of strings. strings can be easily converted into electrical impulses which are then muddled up and used by computing systems.  very confusing ??!! 

At the end of the day, the Google Hummingbird algorithm connects strings to things, then expands that to interpret a vast number  of attitudes, thought processes and related conceptualisation  to match a search query to the relevant online content, then offers the end user, a list of items called the SERP or Sear4ch Engine Results pages. 

So from the above confusion and mayhem it can be interpreted that the links within your online content are used many times over in a great number of different and seemingly unrelated places to match an online search to online content.  So links within your online content are the key to unlocking the information you provide within your online content, so that a search engine may find the relevance of your online content and match that to the purpose, intent and relevance of a search query.

this is all achieved because the Google Hummingbird algorithm does what it was intended to do.. that is interpret strings and use the things discovered in your content to create an understanding of the purpose and intent of your online content. The links that you have placed within your content allow this to happen, so when inserting links in your content, have some respect for the purpose, intent, aims and objectives which you want to assign to the content that contains your link in question.