Google is no stranger to surprise announcements and algorithm changes, but this morning’s might be the most unexpected in the company's history.

That's because the so-called "Big Bird" algorithm adjustment could have massive implications for search traffic across the web, beginning in the next few hours.

From time to time, we come across debates about whether bigger is actually better when it comes to business websites.

This is a relevant question for business owners and online marketers, since a "bigger" website – that is, one with more pages in the complex site structure – might end up being a bigger investment than a smaller site.

Having a search engine optimized business website is a little bit like running a marathon, or writing a novel: Lots of people want to have the finished achievement, but don't look forward to the time and effort it would take to make it happen.

In other words, it's a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, there's the goal, and on the other is the challenge. Here is a quick peek at both sides of the coin:

A handful of retailers recently announced that they would be offering something of an almost unheard-of value: smart phones selling for a single penny.

You can bet that will bring shoppers to the stores in the early hours of the morning, and the idea might even spur you to grab a couple for that special someone on your shopping list.

A lot of time and money are spent on improving a business's website search engine positioning – where it shows in search engine rankings for important keywords and phrases.

There's a good reason for that: Having one of the best positions on Google and the other search engines can bring you enormous amounts of traffic from qualified buyers night and day.

Unless you have a substantial Internet marketing budget, it can be difficult for a new website to find visitors.

Pay-per-click ads are an option, as are press releases and sponsored links, but each of these can be expensive at best, and wasteful at worst.

Online marketing targets are more easily hit when you know what to measure.

There are a wide variety of ways you can realize a return on your investment in online marketing activities beyond adding revenue. For instance, marketing online can reduce your cost of reaching prospects and generating leads significantly. Add in sophisticated tracking and analytics and your sales team can become more efficient in closing new business.

If you are taking the time to read this article, then you probably already know that search engine optimization is one of the cornerstones of most successful Internet marketing plans, and that understanding your markeitng personas is crucial to reaching prospects.

For most companies, it's the cheese on pizza – the one thing they know they want as a tool to attract customers online.

In a recent article, we looked at two distinct marketing strategies that companies can pursue that don't involve any form of conscious search engine optimization.

Although that kind of thinking probably isn't all that useful to most businesses, and certainly not the ones we tend to work with, it does lead to an interesting question: Could a company that's already getting search traffic be better off ignoring Google?

Finding your business website in search needn't be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Rather than listening to "expert" interpretations around search engine optimization and search engine marketing, let's take a few moments to learn right from the #1 SEO expert himself – Matt Cutts of Google – on some of the top influences behind getting found online.