we’re diving into the latest Google core update which rolled out August 15th 2024 we’re going to review the last three core updates as well to identify some common aspects that we’re seeing discuss their impact on search engine results pages and finally share some valuable Insight on how we can actually handle this current update
Why Google’s Core Updates Matter
Google’s core updates are crucial for anybody involved in SEO or digital marketing these updates can significantly impact your website’s ranking so staying informed and adapting your strategy is essential
Looking Back at Past Core Updates
So before we get into the current core update let’s look at the past three updates and see if we can find some commonalities on what Google is up to
March 2024 Core Update
The first we’re going to look at is March 2024 this update focused heavily on content quality and relevance websites with thin content or keyword stuffing saw a significant drop in rankings there was also an emphasis placed on expertise authoritativeness and trustworthiness
November 2023 Core Update
In November of 2023 the core update was focused again on prioritizing high quality content but also introducing improvements around user intent sites that match user intent closely and provided a comprehensive answer to a user’s question saw boost in rankings
October 2024 Core Update
In October 2024 we also had another core update now this one focused a little bit more on the technical aspects of SEO things like speed mobile usability and also the secured side of web pages https websites that were optimized for mobile and had fast loading times experienced positive changes
Common Trends in Past Updates
So these were kind of broad overviews of the last three core updates but what are some of the commonalities across these three updates we noticed these similar Trends
Content Quality
One content quality highquality well- researched content was consistently rewarded
User Intent
Number two user intent aligning content with the in users’s search intent is absolutely critical for success in SEO today
Technical SEO
In technical SEO things like mobile optimization sight speed and security still remain important
Impacts on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)
These impacts impacted the serps in a number of ways first it promoted content that answers users queries effectively Google wants you to specifically answer the question the user’s trying to solve and in a way that makes sense to them it demoted sites that had actually poor user experience and lowquality content and we saw an increased importance on mobile friendly fast loading web pages
Insights on the August 2024 Core Update
So now that we know what Google’s been up to over the last 12 months what can we expect from the August 2024 core update according to the latest information this update continues to refine Google’s ability to understand and rank high quality content think intent here are some of the key points and tips that you need to pay attention to when really evaluating this update and how you can handle it more effectively
Focus on Content Relevance and Quality
First you need to focus on content relevance as well as content quality this core update will most likely emphasize the importance of relevant and quality content Google’s algorithm is becoming increasingly Adept to understanding the context as well as the depth of information that’s presented on a website page so make sure your content is not only written well but is also very relevant to your target audience needs avoid thin content or pages that have really little to offer or no value
E-E-A-T Principles
Make sure you continue to focus on things like eat experience expertise authoritativeness and trustworthiness these types of concepts are being reinforced with this update websites that demonstrate strong expertise uh Authority experience and trustworthiness are more likely to perform better consider updating your content to include more references citations in authoritative sources ensure that your authors or contributors are actually recognized as experts in the field
User Experience Signals
Make sure that user experience is at the top of mind this is a critical ranking Factor this includes elements like page load time mobile usability the overall ease of navigating and engaging with your site it’s most likely that this update is going to place a lot more weight on user interactivity and engagement sites that have people who maybe bounce quicker or have poor user engagement metrics could negatively be impacted
Adjust for AI and Machine Learning
Number four you need to adjust for AI in machine learning Google uses AI machine learning to better understand websites and as it continues to evolve this update potentially could add more refining to that process and how they assess content so stay ahead by incorporating AI driven insights into your SEO strategy most tools do this now with content quality user intent performance these things can help you better align your site with Google’s evolving algorithm
Monitoring and Adjusting
Five you always need to Monitor and adjust as with any core update it’s crucial to monitor your site’s performance in the weeks following the rollout keep an eye on significant changes in traffic ranking or even user engagement and then you can use this data and apply it where you need to to adjust your content or your overall strategy
Preparing for Ongoing Changes
And the last thing number six prepare for ongoing changes if you’re new to SEO or maybe you’ve been in it for a while you know that Google updates are just a part part of the process they’re always looking to improve search results so it’s important for us to be flexible and be ready to make further changes review your content review your strategy this will help you maintain and improve your site’s performance in the long term
Conclusion
Staying ahead of Google’s core updates requires continuous effort and adaptation by focusing on highquality content understanding user metrics optimizing for technical SEO you can better navigate these changes and improve your website’s performance in the serps now if you found this article helpful please follow me for more SEO updates and thanks again.