What Is The Google Dance ?
During a Google update, the SERPs returned by Googles various datacenters are different, some showing the new SERPS and some showing the old ones. The SERP placement of a site will change from minute to minute and this is referred to as Google "dancing"
The name "Google Dance" has often been Used to describe the Index update of the Google Search Engine. Google's Index update occurred on average once per month. During an Index update there was significant movement in search results and Google showed new backward links for pages. However, in mid-2003 Google started to update it's Index continuously. It appears that, still, there has to be an update of the complete Index once in a while and during this time new backward Links are shown. But, because of the continuous update, the effects on search results seem to be rather insignificant.
We will keep this Site up running because it provides some information beyond the Google Dance. But there will no longer be a monitoring of updated data centers during a "Dance".
The Technical Background of the Google Dance
The Google Search Engine pulls its results from more than 10,000 servers which are simple Linux PCs that are used by Google for reasons of Cost. Naturally, an Index update cannot be proceeded on all those servers at the same time. One server after the other has to be updated with the new Index.
Many webmasters think that, during the Google Dance, Google is in some way able to control if a server with the new Index or a server with an old Index responds to a search query. But, since Google's Index is inverse, this would be very complicated. As we will show below, there is no such control within the system. In fact, the reason for the Google Dance is Google's way of using the Domain Name System (DNS).
Google Dance and DNS
Not only Google's Index is spread over more than 10,000 servers, but also these servers are, as of now, placed in 13 different data centers. These data centers are mainly located in the US (i.e. Santa Clara, California and Herndon, Virginia) and in Dublin, Ireland.
In order to direct traffic to all these data centers, Google could thoeretically Record all queries centrally and then send them to the data centers. But this would obviously be inefficient. In fact, each data center has its own IP address (numerical address on the internet) and the way these IP addresses are accessed is managed by the Domain Name System.
Importance Of The Google Dance
For Most People, this event in and of itself was not important. However for anyone in the Search Engine Optimization industry it was a period of note. Pages got temporarily dropped. Sometimes it lasted a day. People panicked. Then they are re-added, and they are better placed than before, and things calmed down. It's interesting to see how overpoweringly important this one engine is. For more information on about this Search Engine, or any other, please read our sections on The Search Engines.
Now, if you want Googles definition of the Event, visit their page about the Google Dance. Looks like fun.
The name "Google Dance" has often been Used to describe the Index update of the Google Search Engine. Google's Index update occurred on average once per month. During an Index update there was significant movement in search results and Google showed new backward links for pages. However, in mid-2003 Google started to update it's Index continuously. It appears that, still, there has to be an update of the complete Index once in a while and during this time new backward Links are shown. But, because of the continuous update, the effects on search results seem to be rather insignificant.
We will keep this Site up running because it provides some information beyond the Google Dance. But there will no longer be a monitoring of updated data centers during a "Dance".
The Technical Background of the Google Dance
The Google Search Engine pulls its results from more than 10,000 servers which are simple Linux PCs that are used by Google for reasons of Cost. Naturally, an Index update cannot be proceeded on all those servers at the same time. One server after the other has to be updated with the new Index.
Many webmasters think that, during the Google Dance, Google is in some way able to control if a server with the new Index or a server with an old Index responds to a search query. But, since Google's Index is inverse, this would be very complicated. As we will show below, there is no such control within the system. In fact, the reason for the Google Dance is Google's way of using the Domain Name System (DNS).
Google Dance and DNS
Not only Google's Index is spread over more than 10,000 servers, but also these servers are, as of now, placed in 13 different data centers. These data centers are mainly located in the US (i.e. Santa Clara, California and Herndon, Virginia) and in Dublin, Ireland.
In order to direct traffic to all these data centers, Google could thoeretically Record all queries centrally and then send them to the data centers. But this would obviously be inefficient. In fact, each data center has its own IP address (numerical address on the internet) and the way these IP addresses are accessed is managed by the Domain Name System.
Importance Of The Google Dance
For Most People, this event in and of itself was not important. However for anyone in the Search Engine Optimization industry it was a period of note. Pages got temporarily dropped. Sometimes it lasted a day. People panicked. Then they are re-added, and they are better placed than before, and things calmed down. It's interesting to see how overpoweringly important this one engine is. For more information on about this Search Engine, or any other, please read our sections on The Search Engines.
Now, if you want Googles definition of the Event, visit their page about the Google Dance. Looks like fun.
