Ranking on Google is getting more complex—and strategically important—every single year, and 2018 was no exception. Though we're well into 2019, a wide range of Google Search algorithm updates in the past year are still influencing our search results.

Some of those updates were predictable, but others caught us by surprise.

An infographic by Jaykishan Panchal, SEO and content manager at digital agency E2M, outlines the biggest updates of 2018, the reasoning behind them, and what they mean.

Think of it as a highlight reel of the most important ones to keep in mind: Many of those algorithm changes remain a significant factor in how you formulate your SEO strategy—not only for this year but also beyond.

To make sure you are on the right track to appeasing Google’s bots, check out the infographic: