Despite being reported by Google Engineer Matt Cutts as a “minor change”, this update opened the door for major brands to become more prominent within the search results.

SEO experts believe that the long-term implications of this minor update have had a profound effect on the search results, as this allowed established brands to employ SEO tactics such as private link networks that would normally result in a red flag from Google.

In his article, How 16 Companies are Dominating the World’s Google Search Results, Glen Allsopp explains how 16 companies have grown to dominate the world’s search results. Their domination of the search results affects all major consumer industries including cosmetics, gaming, whitegoods, technology, music, finance and more.

Allsopp believes that the domination of search results by major brands is going to get much worse as each company plans to spread their online presence across their own private link networks.

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