A Comprehensive Review of Google’s Core Algorithm Updates: Impacts and Responses
Traditionally, Google has been known to release updates to its core algorithm approximately two to three times annually. However, a deviation from this trend was observed in the previous year with a record four updates being released. Highlighting this evolutionary trajectory, the industry recently experienced a 45-day record rollout with a core update in March.
An era not far in the past saw SEO professionals wrestling with updates such as the later variant of the Panda updates, the Exact Match Domain update, and Penguin. All these updates were strategically designed, partly, to combat tactics employed by SEO experts. Google’s updates have seen significant evolution in parallel with Google’s own evolution as a platform for retrieving, classifying, and finding information. Notably, the discourse and approaches on updates requires evolution commensurate to Google’s own advancement.
It is noteworthy that Google’s updates are not entirely retributive. Numerous updates articulated in the last 24-36 months have been closely aligned with Google’s primary algorithm and adoption of diverse technologies. Let us delve further into what a core update signifies.
Understanding a Core Update
Danny Sullivan, via the SearchLiason X account, offers a compelling definition of a core update. Fundamentally, a core update is a significant modification to one or more of Google’s core systems. In layman terms, these changes alter the way our content, links, and other inputs are processed and weighted. With these systems continuously functioning, they begin to process and adjust based on the new criteria once they have been updated. Not all updates are announced or reported. As Sullivan explains, a continuous notification feed may render updates more of a distraction than a utility, given the ever-evolving and non-static nature of Search.
How to Determine if You are Impacted by an Update
Understanding whether your operations have been impacted by an update is vital in deciding the proper course of action. Google launched nine official updates in 2023, all recorded via the Google Search Status Dashboard, along with thousands of ongoing smaller updates that are neither recorded nor declared. Generally, confirmed updates take three to four weeks to complete, while significant changes can usually be observed within the initial 24-48 hours of rollout.
Periods of rollout give rise to fluctuations and volatility. However, based on past experience, the initial couple of days of rollout represent a “danger zone” for queries that enjoy heavy traffic and are frequently searched. It is crucial to remember that not all losses in traffic and rankings are attributable to updates. As the famed Google Dance is a relic of the past and Google processes changes in real time, shifts in your performance could be owing to your competitors’ improvements in value propositions or success in securing valuable press coverage.
Core Updates and Transformation Projects: A Case of Unfortunate Timing
Given the unpredictability of core updates, most websites undergo a significant transformation around the same time an update is announced. Coincidentally, these are usually ongoing transformation projects such as migrations which happen to coincide with core updates. The complexity of unknown variables makes it harder to judge if changes in performance are due to the lengthy process of migration or the core update.
Recovering from a Google Core Update
While it is possible to rebound before the next core update, most websites witness the most significant changes during subsequent updates. This is the case particularly if they have re-aligned their content more closely with what Google seeks. The post-update recovery process varies because there are different types of recoveries. Some recoveries are quick with traffic levels rebounding close to, if not above, pre-update levels. Other recoveries could be protracted if Google sees positive user feedback from its previous changes.
Recovery Preparedness: A Checklist
There are key considerations to address before commencing on recovery measures. These considerations act as resource conservation measures that help maintain a calm environment. They include ascertaining the source of traffic drop, verifying the consistency of the drop with proprietary data, checking whether third-party tools have updated their data sets and determining if proprietary data-tracking codes are correctly implemented.
Developing and Employing Recovery Strategies
Having collected, analyzed, and understood the key differences between your content and what Google currently rewards, strategies can be devised to address these differences. Forming a strategy before implementing it is crucial for setting expectations around activities, managing resources, and communicating your recovery plan with key stakeholders.
Finally, it’s necessary to remember that Google will not divulge the reasons behind a drop in your rankings. Discerning the root cause of a reduction in your traffic or SERP performance mandates an objective examination of your website. You must relinquish any preconceived notions regarding the worthiness of your content or website. Only then, with a clear understanding, can you proceed. Recovering from a sudden drop in ranking necessitates time, patience, and effort, and reliable information is your best tool.
Image/Photo credit: source url
