In this article we track and report major Google search engine updates that impact websites and their traffic.
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It’s important to note that Google’s algorithm updates are focused on improving the search experience for users. To stay ahead of these updates, it’s important to focus on providing high-quality, valuable content and ensuring that your website offers a seamless user experience. By doing so, you can increase your chances of ranking well in search results and avoiding any negative impacts from algorithm updates.
Mar 15, 2023
Google’s core updates are broad changes to the search algorithm that are designed to improve the relevance and quality of search results. These updates can have a significant impact on search rankings and website traffic, as they affect how Google evaluates and ranks websites.
Google has rolled out the core algorithm update on March 15, 2023. This is after six months since the last core update in September 2022.
The E-A-T framework, which stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, is one of the primary factors that Google uses to evaluate the quality of websites and web pages. Core updates often focus on strengthening these factors, as well as other aspects of user experience.
It’s important to note that core updates can take several weeks to roll out fully, and their effects may not be immediately apparent. Website owners and SEO professionals should monitor their site’s performance following a core update and make necessary adjustments to their content and optimization strategies as needed.
Aug 25, 2022
Google has announced the rollout of its Helpful Content Update, aimed at ensuring users see the best content possible in search results.
The update started rolling out on Aug 25, 2022, and is expected to take two weeks to roll out fully.
This update is part of a broader effort by Google to demote low-value content from search results.
The update is said to be as significant as previous updates such as Panda and Penguin, which targeted low-quality content and webspam, respectively.
Google’s Helpful Content Update is introducing a new site-wide ranking signal, which will be among several other signals and factors used to rank website and its pages in search results. The update’s AI system will constantly assess pages to identify low-value content that is not helpful to searchers. Unlike broad core updates and product review updates, this classifier will not require periodic refreshes.
If your site is impacted by the update, it may take several months for the demoting ranking signal to be lifted or reduced.
Does the Google Core Update impact all websites ?
Google’s Helpful Content Update is expected to impact websites that are perceived to have low-quality or thin content, typically those created solely to generate traffic from search engines without providing any value to users.
However, high-quality sites with informative content are less likely to be affected and may even see a boost in traffic from this update. It’s important to monitor the impact of this update on your website, the traffic, keywords rankings, and SERP features like the Rich Snippets. Based on the impact of the update rollout make necessary adjustments to improve the overall quality of your content.
How do I recover and increase my website traffic ?
Assessing Your Content After a Google Algorithm Update: Questions to Ask Yourself
If your website experiences a decrease in traffic after a Google algorithm update, it’s important to evaluate your content.
Consider these questions to determine if your content is still engaging and relevant to your audience:
– Is the content still relevant to my audience’s needs?
– Has the content been updated to reflect any changes in my industry or niche?
– Does the tone and style of the content match my audience’s preferences?
– Is the content easy to read and engaging, or is it uninteresting and challenging to follow?
Answering “yes” to these questions indicates that your content is likely still relevant. If you answer “no” or are uncertain about any of these questions, it may be time to make some updates to your content.
What is People-first Content ?
Creating people-first content involves putting the needs and interests of your audience first, rather than focusing solely on search engine optimization. By creating content that is original, informative, and helpful, you can ensure that your audience will find value in your website, which in turn can improve your search engine rankings.
How to create People-first content ?
To create people-first content, it’s important to understand your audience and their needs. This can involve conducting research to determine what topics are most important to them, as well as analyzing their search queries and browsing behavior.
In addition to creating high-quality content, it’s important to optimize it for search engines by including relevant keywords, meta tags, and other on-page SEO elements. However, it’s important to do this in a way that doesn’t compromise the quality or readability of your content.
By creating people-first content that strikes a balance between providing value to your audience and optimizing for search engines, you can increase your chances of success with Google’s Helpful Content Update.
Conclusion
Google regularly updates its algorithm to improve how it ranks content in search results. While the details of each update are not always disclosed, we can gain insights based on previous updates. Typically, Google’s core updates aim to enhance the user’s search experience, so it’s essential to focus on providing value and ensuring a seamless user experience on your website.