Google Core Update August 2024: Everything to Know About the Latest Rollout
Google, one of the most popular search engines, undergoes significant changes and updates several times a year. These are referred to as core updates, wherein Google’s search algorithms and systems are modified to improve the quality of Google search results.
While some websites, including businesses, are trying to find the best e-commerce strategies to increase site visibility and drive more traffic, the integration of technical search engine optimisation (SEO) was seen as the key to boosting their websites.
But this year, the spotlight has been given to the Google Core Update August 2024, which was launched on August 15 and completed on September 3. With its aim to equip users with quality search results, its recent update has impacted how web pages rank in search engine results pages (SERPs), as it prioritizes the boost of relevant and helpful information for Google users.
But what about Google’s August 2024 Core Update, and how does it impact website ranking?
Introduction to Google Core Updates
Like other software and applications, Google also engages in core updates to provide helpful and reliable results for Google searchers. These changes do not target specific websites or individual web pages but rather integrate updates generally.
Following the previous core updates in the past few months, Google launched the August 2024 core update and incorporated broad changes in Google’s search results to promote content from small and independent publishers. Accordingly, the latest Google core update is considered due to the feedback received from the March 2024 core update, wherein several websites have down-ranked in SERPs.
With these recent changes, Google stated that this algorithmic update has the goal of improving the quality of SERPs by ranking content, including small and independent sites, based on its usefulness and relevance for the users.
Google Core Update’s Impact on Website Rankings
Google’s previous core updates have negatively impacted some websites, particularly the small ones from the independent content community. Google has received backlash in the prior core update, as some websites affected have either been wiped out or lost most of their traffic.
As a response to the earlier core update, Google’s August 2024 core update has become the closest solution.
The latest update is now focused on boosting reliable search results in Google’s SERPs, where several websites, including the small players, have experienced both positive and negative results upon the core update’s completion:
1. Increases Website Ranking and Traffic
While most web pages experienced the core update last August, several websites, including the small and independent publishers, have significantly increased their website ranking and traffic. The August 2024 core update favours some websites that provide consumer-based information that builds helpful content for searchers. This has led to a massive increase in visibility in Google searches.
In fact, SimilarWeb’s SERP Seismometer recorded an average fluctuation level of 4.48 in global ranking changes following the implementation of the August 2024 core update, which was then stated to be the highest fluctuation level observed since 2021.
2. Decline in Ranking and Visibility
On the other hand, some websites that were hit by the recent core update were negatively affected, and these were called ‘low-quality’ or ‘junk’ sites. These websites lack in producing quality and relevant information that might be useful for Google searchers. Hence, they experience a relative decline in visibility and traffic drop as Google’s algorithm pushes them down in the SERPs.
Further, with the August 2024 core update focusing on boosting pertinent sites and platforms, irrelevant sites may experience lesser engagement and lower ranking.
3. Establishing Domains for Smaller Websites
Google’s August 2024 core update is designed to target websites generally regardless of their status, be they well-established platforms or small or independent publishers.
As Google updates its system, it will benefit even the smaller websites in their algorithm if people find their helpful content, original, and relevant to users’ searches.
How to Evaluate if Your Website Was Affected?
The update’s effect on search results is not instant; it could take a few days or several months, as the system takes time to scan and confirm whether a website is producing people-first content in the long run.
However, the most common impact is seeing a website’s traffic drop. If you suspect that your website was affected, a search console can be used to determine whether you need to adapt a change:
1. Check if the core update is done rolling out
It is advised to wait a whole week after the core update completes before tracking your website in the search console. Once completed, check the search status dashboard first to confirm the start and end date of the core update.
2. Compare dates to see changes.
Upon checking the rolling out of the core update, compare the difference in your website’s traffic week by week before and after Google’s core update started to roll out. This comparison will be the easiest way to determine what has changed.
3. Review top pages and queries.
Assess the website’s ranking as well, and check if the ranking drop is small or large. If there is a slight drop in ranking or the site’s performance is all well, it is not recommended that changes be made.
Meanwhile, a significant drop in position needs a more profound assessment. It is crucial to be objective and evaluate the pages that were mostly affected.
Common Mistakes to Avoid After a Core Update
After a core update, website owners might be cautious in maintaining their websites and publishing their content to sustain higher rank and visibility in Google searches. But to attain such, it is a necessity to avoid these common mistakes after a core update:
1. Quick Fix Changes
Prevent making ‘quick fix’ changes, as this could impact a website. For instance, you removed or replaced a page element just because you heard it could affect the integration of SEO to your website.
Instead of quickly fixing your website, improve it in a way that will make sense for the users in the long term, such as enhancing its content.
2. Publishing Search Engine-First Content
Google’s core update is meant to allow websites to gain traffic and visibility if they provide relevant content for users. Therefore, avoid publishing content that is intended to rank higher in search engines. Instead, focus on creating people-first or consumer-based content to ensure better search engine rankings.
3. Deleting Contents
It is not necessary to delete certain content from your website. But if this content is unhelpful and was made only for search engines rather than users, then it is better to remove it to allow good content to perform better on your platform.
Steps to Recover from Ranking Drops
The Google core update affects several websites, particularly platforms that do not offer high-quality and valuable content for searchers. It lowers their ranking and visibility from Google search central results, a fact that website owners do not look forward to.
Here are some steps on how to reclaim your Google ranking in SERPs:
1. Develop Quality and Consumer-Based Content
Produce content that is primarily intended for people, not just to boost search engine rankings. Create consumer-based content that demonstrates expertise and depth of knowledge that could help users.
2. Integrate the Use of SEO
Although the August 2024 Google core update is helpful in boosting a website, using strategies like SEO is still relevant. SEO can be beneficial when applied to consumer-based content, as the visibility of websites in SERPs depends on users’ most common and relevant keyword searches. Having topic clusters in your quality content can enhance SEO as well, which can drive more traffic to your website.
3. Optimise for User Intent
To reclaim your Google ranking, it is also essential to understand the intent behind Google searches that could drive traffic to your website. By understanding these user intents, a website owner can align and tailor content depending on searchers’ needs and interests.
4. Provide Better User Experience
Core updates give websites the opportunity to rank higher on SERPs, so it is vital to display a seamless and engaging user experience (UX). A website must be appealing, easy to navigate, and perform well to increase traffic and improve rankings.
Conclusion
The August 2024 Google core update is launched to improve the quality of search results by giving people useful content. It could also help creators, business owners, and small or independent publishers get their platforms and sites recognized once they prove they have quality content relevant to users’ searches.
While Google launches core updates every few months in a year, website owners should remember to always upgrade and enhance their platforms to ensure that they have a greater chance of benefiting from increased site ranking and Google traffic in the midst of tighter competition in SERP listings.
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