Google has confirmed that it has updated it’s search ranking algorithm with a core update. Google’s core update has been rolling out since early March, 2018 and can be noticed by SERPmetric’s US SERP fluctuation chart.
Google Core Update
From Google SearchLiaison, there were a few tweets that indicate Google Search changes, drops/gains in organic search traffic, and what you can and cannot do to fix your site if you see a drop in traffic:
Key takeaways for Google’s Core updates are:
- Google does these types of core updates several times per year.
- There is no “fix” for pages that may perform less well after the update.
- Changes in the Google core update are benefiting pages that were previously under-rewarded.
What to do if your site’s rankings and organic traffic are declining:
Well, they say that there is no real “fix” to bring your rankings and traffic back if you see a drop. Some people may actually believe this, roll over and die. However, there’s plenty you can do to turn your rankings and traffic back around. We have put together a few SEO tips on how you can learn and improve from these Google Core updates to make better progress in the future.
- Improve your content quality.
- Address thin content pages.
- As Google keeps making adjustments to it’s search algorithm, it’s important to keep making adjustments to your site as well.
- Improve your (EAT) Expertise / Authoritativeness / Trustworthiness. When writing high quality content, you can expect authoritative sites to link back to you over time. EX: If New York Times or LA Times links back to you, that is a good EAT signal.
- Continue writing content weekly/daily , but write great content. Don’t settle with the current pages you have. Write new ones that are supporting content and / or build out new categories that target new topical opportunities.
- Google is looking to serve the best page possible for each search query. Ask yourself, “Do you have the best page on the web?” If’ it’s “no”, then fix it.
The goal of this post is to motivate you to look at your content and learn from Google’s Core update. If you lost traffic, then do something about it. Write better content, refresh your current content, and build it up with higher quality substance. If you gained traffic, then I guess sit on the couch and relax… Or prepare for the next Google core update(s) and continue to look for opportunities for improvement.
