Introduction
If you have been in the SEO game for a while, you have probably heard about algorithm updates from Google. The parts that get the most attention are the updates that result in big fluctuations to your rankings, traffic numbers, and, overall, revenue. However, these updates are not designed to hurt you, they are designed to expose the best content and improve the user experience./p>
Nonetheless, it is important to understand how to react when Google unveils a fresh algorithm update. As an SEO professional, a digital marketer, or a business owner, you must be aware of the latest changes and remain flexible to help you remain adaptable to the changes Google’s algorithms impose.
Understanding Google Algorithm Updates
Google’s algorithm denotes the logic that selects which websites will appear in search and in which order. It considers hundreds of factors for ranking, including relevance and high-quality content, page speed, user experience, backlinks to the page, and mobile-friendliness to determine what is shown to users for any given query.
While Google alters its algorithm almost daily, when they do release more significant core algorithm updates, they usually relate to improving the overall quality of search results, and not towards a specific webpage or site but to reward better content and demote pages that don’t comply anymore with the rapidly changing quality standards.
Some of the well-known updates in the past are Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, and BERT, all of which dramatically changed how the algorithm looks at content.
Why These Updates Matter
When Google updates its algorithm, a website’s ranking can undergo a sudden ranking shift. If your content is not aligned with the new standards set by Google, you may see rankings drop, which can lead to decreased traffic and conversions on your website.
A core update can influence your entire site, not just a handful of pages, and even content that historically performed well can lose visibility if competitors have improved their content or if Google’s definition of “quality” has changed in the new update.
This sort of event can severely affect businesses that are dependent upon organic conversions, leading to direct impacts in revenue or leads – this is why determining the effects of these changes and the right response is critical.
Types of Algorithm Updates
Throughout history, Google has released a variety of updates, each emphasizing something different. Some updates prioritize content quality over everything else. Some updates have explanations that involve link spam, search intent, or user trust.
For instance, Panda deprecated low-quality content and sites that had thin or duplicated content. Penguin targeted spammy links created through black hat backlink practices. Even the most recent Helpful Content Update was created to promote articles providing real value for readers, especially content from people with experience or expertise about the topic.
Google also implements broad core updates, which are updates generally that can affect various aspects of search. These are the updates that generally cause the most dramatic ranking changes.
Knowing the type of update will help you understand how to adjust your strategy. If it is a spam update then you may have to re-evaluate your link building approach, if it is a helpful content update, then you should probably review how deep or useful your pages are.
Recognizing the Impact on Your Site
After a new update, you will want to determine whether or not your site was impacted and to what extent. The most common, and often first, sign of this is a significant and sudden downward change in organic traffic.
Once again, you can track these changes through Google Analytics and Google Search Console. In the Search Console, use the “Performance” tab to notice changes in impressions, clicks, and average positions, and see if you have any abnormal drops in specific pages or keywords.
Even if you notice drops in traffic, don’t be too quick to assume that you were impacted by a Google update. Rankings fluctuate naturally, and some levels of movement are normal. Give the update time to stabilize for a few days before proceeding to any steps. Check reputable SEO news websites such as Search Engine Journal and Moz or Google’s official Search Central Blog to confirm that an update has occurred.
If you confirm the decline is real and more than just initial fluctuations, you will want to take the next steps.
Immediate Steps After an Update
First, you must resist the urge to panic. Not all ranking changes are permanent, and sometimes sites don’t require any action to recover as the updates continue to roll out or search engine result pages (SERPs) are impacted after the rollout concludes.
Second, you need to start keeping track of the fallout. Find out which pages suffered the most traffic and which keywords have been impacted. If you can understand the pattern, it may help your strategy for recovery.
Third, research and find out what was the content update about? Was it a core update? If so, you may have to review your entire content strategy and ask yourself hard questions. If it is more targeted, for instance it only looks at product reviews or links, your work may be less overhauling.
In addition to reviewing your own content, the final step is to consider your competitors. Look out specifically for competitors that are positively impacted from your organic traffic shift. Study their content format, writing style, media use, authority signals, etc. This way, you may know what Google now values or sees as more trustworthy.
Long-Term Strategies for SEO Stability
The best way to have a chance of surviving updates in the future is to be proactive instead of reactive. Rather than trying to reverse-engineer what Google wants to do after every update, try focusing your strategy to align with its overarching mission: to provide users with the most relevant and helpful information.
Make content that reflects first-hand experience and knowledge. Take the time to know your audience and their needs, then make content that solves their problems or answers their questions better than your competitive alternatives.
Make sure to continually refresh content on your site, especially older posts that can be updated with new information. Google generally favors content that is fresh and current, especially when it comes to topics that may evolve over time.
We recommend that you diversify your traffic sources as well. Relying on organic traffic for your business can be risky. You should add a newsletter email list, expand your social media presence and, where it makes sense and is appropriate for your business, try using paid advertising as well. This can protect you where, should a Google update take place, you don’t lose your whole mission’s digital marketing strategy to just one source of traffic.
Last, but not least, you need to stay informed. The SEO landscape is constantly changing. You need to keep up with Google and their announcements, read blog articles from industry experts, and look into joining an SEO community in which professionals engage freely about their learnings and experiences. It’s better to be in the conversation than to constantly be searching for changes that just happened.
Conclusion
Google makes changes to their algorithms frequently. We all know this, and sometimes find it disruptive. It can be frustrating to watch your ranking drop and leave you wondering what you could have done differently. But updates can also bring opportunity – the opportunity to improve your content, improve your site quality, and differentiate from your competitors.
If you react in a measured way and focus on improving quality in mind, your website will not only bounce back from updates, but be more robust in facing future updates. Remember that SEO is not a game! Building a website people will find useful. When your goals and users’ goals align with those of Google, we can find sustainable success.
So, knowing an update is rolling out? Don’t panic – don’t lunge into a reactive disposition. Rather, utilize the data you captured, develop insight, and make a good decision with intentionality. In SEO, quality and adaptability always win.
