Definition
Google Vince is an algorithm update deployed in January 2009 that caused a significant increase in the visibility of major brands in search results, particularly for high-volume generic queries. Described as a simple adjustment by Matt Cutts, this update nonetheless had a considerable impact on the SERPs. Major brands like Amazon, eBay, Wikipedia, and large national retailers gained positions at the expense of smaller sites for broad queries. The main hypothesis is that Google reinforced the weight of trust and brand authority signals, such as branded search volume, unlinked mentions, and traffic source diversity.
Key Points
- Deployed in January 2009, favoring major brands
- Impact particularly visible on high-volume generic queries
- Reinforced the importance of trust and brand authority signals
Practical Examples
Brand dominance on generic queries
For a query like 'running shoes', brands like Nike, Adidas, and major retailers gained positions at the expense of niche sites specializing in running.
Impact on small players
Well-optimized specialized sites saw their positions drop on generic queries while maintaining their rankings on more specific long-tail queries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Google claims not to directly favor brands, but the trust and authority signals that major brands naturally possess (mentions, search volume, backlink diversity) are ranking factors. Vince reinforced the weight of these signals.
SMBs should focus on more specific long-tail queries, build authority in a precise niche, and work on their branding to generate branded searches. A diversified link building strategy via LemmiLink can help strengthen these authority signals.
Go Further with LemmiLink
Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.
Last updated: 2026-02-07