Google Algorithm Updates 2024: March 2024 Core Update
By: Dileep Thekkethil | Updated On: March 25, 2024
Table of Contents
Older Google Algorithm Updates: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, Other Updates
March 2024 Core Update + Spam Update
On March 20, 2024, Google confirmed that it has fully completed its rollout of the spam update, initiated on March 5. The update took 14 days and 21 hours to finish the rollout. This update marks a critical stride in Google’s ongoing efforts to enhance search quality and combat spam. Many websites were slapped with pure spam manual action and a few of them made recovery but a majority of them are still struggling to get their websites back on Google search results.
Meanwhile, the March 2024 core update continues its progression. It’s currently unfolding and is expected to extend over the coming weeks, further refining Google’s search algorithms and impacting search results globally.
In their latest announcement, Google confirmed, “The spam update rollout concluded successfully on March 20, 2024.”
Stay tuned for more updates as the core update progresses, shaping the landscape of search and SEO strategies.
Update Announcement – 05-03-2024
Google has announced the March 2024 Core Update and multiple spam policy updates aiming to enhance the quality of its search results.
Unveiled on 5th March 2024, this first Google Algorithm core update of the year, coupled with new spam policies, is seemingly big as it involves upgrading multiple ranking systems. In fact, Google’s Helpful content system is now a part of the core update.
Today we announced the March 2024 core update & new spam policies that, in combination, are designed to show less content made to attract clicks and more content that people find useful. Learn more: https://t.co/wQVZ8mExRB
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) March 5, 2024
Given the complexity of the update, it may take up to a month for Google to finish rolling it out.
This core update, without any doubt, is one of the big ones. With the inclusion of the Helpful content system in this core update, Google expects that the combination will help reduce the surfacing of low-quality, unoriginal content in search results by 40%
As Google wrote in the official documentation, “ It’s likely there will be more fluctuations in rankings than with a regular core update, as different systems get fully updated and reinforce each other.”
So, what more does the March 2024 Google Algorithm Core Update have in store for SEOs? We predict that this update will impact link building in specific ways. Here is why.
Downplaying Links
Google considered links a critical ranking factor in weighing the relevancy of web pages. Yes, it did and that’s now a thing of the past.
At Pubcon Austin 2023, Google’s Gary Illyes mentioned that links aren’t even in the top 3 of important ranking signals.
Now, a small edit in Google’s Spam policies documentation affirms what Illyes stated previously. The document says, “Google uses links as a factor in determining the relevancy of web pages.
The term “important” seen in the previous version of the document has been removed and that probably means that links are just another factor determining the relevance of web pages.
This may be perceived as ambiguity under a normal circumstance, but not in the wake of a complex core update like this one.
This marks a potential de-emphasis on links as a top ranking signal amid the launch of the March 2024 core update and may have a drastic effect on link building in the days to follow.
Content Focused on Link Manipulation Won’t Work
Google’s updated spam policies feature a new guideline against low-value content creation for link manipulation. The search engine considers creating low-value content primarily for manipulating its linking and ranking signals as link spam.
That said, it is likely that Google will tackle unfair practices like the creation of Private Blog Networks (PBNs) for the purpose of link manipulation with an iron fist to improve the quality of search results.
New Signal Focused on Outgoing Links
As a rule of thumb, Google will penalize websites that sell outgoing links. However, this is probably the first time Google has said it out loud that the search engine’s algorithms are examining outgoing links.
It says, “Any links that are intended to manipulate rankings in Google Search results may be considered link spam. This includes any behavior that manipulates links to your site or outgoing links from your site.”
This significant move comes as Google’s admonition that it will penalize sites that manipulate outgoing links for SEO benefit.
Expired Domain Abuse
Google has disclosed a new signal regarding the repurposing of expired domains.
When someone repurposes an expired domain to siphon on the authority and traffic of the old domain to boost the ranking of their low-quality content, it can mislead users into thinking the new content is part of the older site they trusted. Google calls it expired domain abuse.
Google explains, “Expired domain abuse is where an expired domain name is purchased and repurposed primarily to manipulate search rankings by hosting content that provides little to no value to users.”
This part is a new addition to Google’s spam policies.
This new signal intends to detect significant changes in the purpose of a domain’s content, including shifting from non-commercial to commercial use, government-based sites featuring affiliate content, an educational site switching to inappropriate content like casino and so much more.
In a nutshell, the main intention of the core update along with some updates to Google’s link spam policies is to redefine how Google ranks sites while ensuring improved quality and relevance in search results.
Plus, the upgrades in question also highlight how Google is constantly up against spam and manipulative SEO tactics to rank higher in SERPs.
Let’s wait for the core update to finish rolling out to see what it has in store for the SEO community.
Timeline of events following the March 2024 Core Update
- On March 5th, Google rolled out its core and spam updates for March 2024.
- Following this, on March 6th and 7th, numerous manual actions were taken against sites for spam policy breaches, resulting in several being removed from Google Search.
- By March 8th and 9th, there appeared to be initial indications of how these core and spam updates were algorithmically affecting site rankings.
- Then, during March 10th and 11th, while Google’s activities seemed to decrease, there were a few reports indicating some sites affected by both the algorithmic updates and manual actions experienced temporary reversals in their situations.
What Happened Till Date After the Update Started Rolling Out on March 5th
The update led to the deindexing of hundreds of websites, mainly targeting those with AI-generated spam and prioritizing high-quality, human-generated content. A study noted that all the deindexed sites showed signs of AI-generated content, with many relying heavily on it to manipulate search rankings.
Most Tools, such as Mozcast, Semrush, and SERPmetrics, showed significant volatility in rankings following the update. Discussions within the SEO community reflected various impacts, from websites surging in rankings to others experiencing severe traffic losses. Barry Schwartz reported multiple increased volatility and shifts in search results, indicating the update’s extensive reach.
This update is notable for being multifaceted, incorporating changes to Google’s core ranking algorithm, the Helpful Content system, and introducing new spam policies. According to an updated Google blog, the March Update is the most significant effort since the Penguin update of 2012, with a focus on improving search result quality by reducing low-quality, unhelpful content by an estimated 40%.
Google’s long-standing advice remains relevant: focus on creating high-quality content. This update emphasizes the need to avoid spam methods and ensure content demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). Websites with questionable third-party content should act promptly to review and possibly remove such content to avoid manual actions.
The March 2024 Core Update has had a significant impact, with some sites being completely removed from Google’s search index. While the update targets AI-generated spam and low-quality content, it also reminds website owners and SEOs of the importance of adhering to Google’s guidelines and focusing on creating valuable, high-quality content. For website owners and SEOs, this update underscores the need for vigilance in monitoring changes and adapting strategies to align with Google’s evolving standards.
March core update rollout, enforcement of manual actions due to the roll out of multiple spam update, and adjustments related to Core Web Vitals—all are taking place simultaneously. This convergence of updates poses a challenge for SEO professionals and website owners as it becomes difficult to asses which specific update impacted their rankings.
November 2023 Reviews System Update
Rollout Completed: Google has confirmed the completion of the Review System Update on December 7th, 29 days after the rollout was announced. Going forward, Google will not announce any more Review Updates as the system will be updated regularly and realtime.
Announcement: Google announced an update in November 2023 that aims to refine how reviews are evaluated and displayed in search results. This Google Reviews Update is focused on enhancing the relevance and authenticity of review content that users encounter through search queries. It penalizes fake or low-quality reviews while rewarding genuine and informative ones.
Concurrent Rollouts: Interestingly, this update is being released at the same time as Google’s November core update. The simultaneous deployment means that websites may experience changes in search rankings due to both core algorithm shifts and specific adjustments in review quality assessments.
Change in Announcement Policy: Google also mentioned a significant change in their communication strategy. Moving forward, they will not announce future reviews updates on their status dashboard. This decision reflects an ongoing and regular improvement to the reviews system, which suggests a move towards a more continuous and fluid updating process, rather than discrete updates.
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Implications: With these changes, it’s crucial for websites to ensure their review practices align with Google’s guidelines, focusing on authenticity and utility. As Google shifts towards more frequent and unannounced updates, maintaining best practices becomes even more essential for sustained search performance.
For those managing websites and SEO strategies, it’s a clear message: prioritize genuine user feedback and stay vigilant, as the landscape of search is evolving in a more dynamic and less predictable manner.
November 2023 Core Update
Google has confirmed that the role out of November 2023 Core Update has been completed.
Unlike the recent core updates launched by Google, this update took 26 Days to complete.
As an SEO expert, the past few weeks might have been a bit unsettling for you due to the rapid release of multiple algorithm updates by Google. Despite the widespread concern expressed by SEO professionals on social platforms, Google has not slowed its pace. The tech giant announced another core update on Thursday — the November 2023 core update.
Google Search Central made the announcement via their official social media channels, stating:
“Today we released the November 2023 core update. We’ll update our ranking release history page once the rollout is complete. In relation, we’ve posted a Q&A about Google Search updates to refresh everyone’s understanding of how updates function.”
Like most Core Updates released by Google, the November update is expected to take about two weeks to fully roll out. During this time, website rankings may experience some volatility.
Each update is a step toward Google’s goal of delivering improved search results and user experiences. Consequently, websites that are currently ranked highly might see their positions drop. However, Google clarifies that a dip in rankings isn’t necessarily due to major SEO flaws within a website. It may simply mean that Google has identified other websites that provide better answers to users’ search queries. For websites that experience a decline in rankings, the best response is to refresh their content to be more valuable and relevant to users.
Understanding Core Updates
Google has also updated its Q&A to clarify common questions about the nature of search updates:
- Core updates are distinct from the routine, daily ranking changes.
- Google implements thousands of minor updates each year but only communicates the most significant ones to the public.
- A negative shift in a site’s performance after an update doesn’t automatically imply a penalty; the reasons could be varied and not related to spam.
- While Google tries to schedule major updates outside of peak shopping seasons to minimize disruptions, this timing is not always possible.
Unveiling Google’s Hidden Gems: A New Wave in Search Rankings
In the ever-evolving landscape of search engine optimization (SEO), Google’s latest update has set a new paradigm. Dubbed the “Hidden Gems” update, this algorithm shift is designed to unearth and promote content that might have been overlooked in the past. Unlike previous updates, Hidden Gems is not just a part of Google’s core updates but stands out as a distinct ranking system with unique criteria.
We said it wasn’t part of an update to the helpful content system, because it wasn’t part of that system. Instead, it was being tested as part of our core ranking systems. Since it’s fully launched now, that’s what we announced today — that it’s live and part of core ranking.
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) November 15, 2023
The Emergence of Hidden Gems
Google’s Hidden Gems update, rolling out over the past few months, aims to spotlight authentic content buried within forums, social media, and blog posts. This content, characterized by personal insights and experiences, often gets overshadowed by more prominent websites. Hidden Gems seeks to change that, giving due recognition to valuable content regardless of its source’s prominence.
Interestingly, Google initially signaled that this update would be incorporated into the Helpful Content update. However, recent clarifications have set Hidden Gems apart as its own entity. Brad Kellett, Senior Director on Google Search product and engineering, emphasized its independent nature, noting that “this goal worked better as improvements with our core ranking.”
Not Part of the Helpful Content Update
There was initial confusion about the integration of Hidden Gems within the Helpful Content update. However, Google has now clearly distinguished the two, stating that Hidden Gems operates on its algorithm and ranking system. This delineation underscores Google’s commitment to diversifying its approach to content valuation.
The Mechanism of Hidden Gems
Hidden Gems doesn’t explicitly label content as a “gem.” Instead, it intuitively identifies content that provides exceptionally helpful insights, particularly from sources that might not typically rank high in search results. This initiative aligns with Google’s broader goal to enhance the quality and relevance of search results, making them more inclusive and representative of diverse sources.
It's really that our core ranking systems are designed to show more of this type of content if it seems helpful. It's not that they are somehow classified as "gems" but rather that this type of content sometimes hasn't surfaced as well in results in the past, so bringing it to…
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) November 15, 2023
Danny Sullivan of Google provided additional insights, saying, “Helpful information can often live in unexpected or hard-to-find places: a comment in a forum thread, a post on a little-known blog, or an article with unique expertise on a topic.” This statement highlights the update’s intention to bring forward valuable content that may otherwise remain hidden.
Ongoing Rollout and Future Implications
The Hidden Gems update is not a one-off change but part of a series of ongoing updates within Google’s core algorithm. This means that its impact will be felt progressively, reshaping the SEO landscape over time. Content creators and SEO professionals must now consider the depth and authenticity of their content more than ever.
A Shift in Content Recognition
This update raises intriguing questions about content versus authors and how Google differentiates between the two in its ranking system. It also sheds light on the nuanced relationship between the core system and the helpful content system, particularly in how Google surfaces this unique content.
Google’s Hidden Gems update represents a significant step towards a more inclusive and diverse search landscape. By recognizing and promoting authentic, insightful content from less conventional sources, Google is reshaping the way information is discovered and valued online. For SEO practitioners and content creators, this update serves as a reminder of the importance of genuine, insightful content creation
Google Announces October 2023 Core Update
Rollout Completed on October 19th
Google has confirmed that the rollout of the October 2023 core update is complete. Following the core updates in March and August, this is the third one of the year.
This update started unwrapping on October 05, 2023, just a day after the launch of the October 2023 Spam update, and completed rolling out two weeks later on October 19, 2023.
The rollout was complete as of October 19, 2023.
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) October 19, 2023
Core updates often trigger significant ranking fluctuations because they target primary algorithms to improve the quality of search results and dethrone low-quality websites. As the current core update overlaps with the spam update, it seems that the impact is even bigger and the SEO community is witnessing lots of volatility in Google search rankings.
Ranking fluctuations- positive or negative-after a core update like this one can make a big difference to the website in question in terms of traffic and ROI. If you are seeing positive changes for your website in SERPs, kudos, go on.
On the other hand, if your website is hit by this core update, there are no specific actions to make it to the road to recovery. However, a negative impact caused by a core update doesn’t always mean something is seriously wrong with your website. It may also be a result of other websites performing better than yours.
Google mentioned that sites can recover a bit between core updates, however, the biggest change will occur after the next core update. Google has also suggested a set of questions to ask if your website is affected by a core update.
That means you don’t just have to wait for the next update to start seeing positive results for your website. Making improvements to your site, meanwhile, can lead to incremental changes any time soon.
While the impact of future updates isn’t exactly predictable, one thing is certain. Google’s algorithm changes have always been based on a user-centered approach. It constantly aims at bringing more relevant results to users’ queries. If Google thinks your site delivers value to users, it is most likely to give you a ranking boost.
That said, investing time and effort in the right direction can fetch you great results and higher rankings when the next core update arrives.
Rollout Started on October 5th
In the past 20 days, the SEO community has been on its toes, with Google releasing a series of updates at an unprecedented pace. On October 5th, Google unveiled the October 2023 Core Update, hot on the heels of the Spam Detection Update which began rolling out just a day earlier.
Today we released the October 2023 core update. We'll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete: https://t.co/pooeFs6tEC
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) October 5, 2023
This rapid succession of updates has left many in the SEO world reeling. Notably, the August 2023 core update only finished its rollout on September 7th. Shortly after, the Helpful Content Update was introduced, sparking significant concern among SEOs and website owners. Many reported seeing lower-quality sites dominate top search results, while established sites with seemingly superior content suffered ranking drops. The Spam update on October 4th and the subsequent core update have only added to the industry’s anxieties.
With the simultaneous rollout of the core and spam detection updates, significant ranking fluctuations are anticipated in the near future. Adding to the concern is the upcoming holiday season. It’s unlikely that Google will introduce another major update before December, meaning sites negatively impacted by the recent core update might not see recovery until next year. However, Google’s guidelines regarding the core update and recovery strategies remain consistent.
Several factors might be influencing Google’s decision to release the October core update:
- Legal Pressures: Google has recently faced legal challenges in the US. Recently emails between Google Search, Chrome, and Ad executives allegedly plotting ways to increase ad revenues was released to the public. These revelations have led to allegations that organic search results were manipulated to boost its ad revenue. In light of this, the company might be introducing changes as a damage control measure.
- Quality Concerns: The Helpful Content Update, introduced last month, inadvertently allowed several low-quality websites to climb the rankings. This could be a prompt for Google to refine its algorithms.
- Holiday Season Preparedness: With the holiday season approaching, Google might be aiming to ensure that search results prominently feature genuine, high-quality sites that provide true value to users.
Google’s October 2023 Spam Detection Update
Rollout Completed on October 20th
We now have confirmation from Google that the rollout o the October 2023 Spam update has been completed on October 20th, just a day after Google announced the completion of the October Core Update.
The rollout was complete as of October 20, 2023.
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) October 20, 2023
There is no respite for SEOs and website owners as Google has launched yet another algorithm update, not even a week after they announced the completion of September 2023 Helpful Content Update. The latest algorithm update comes to Google’s Spam Detections systems.
We're releasing an update to our spam detections systems today that will improve our coverage in many languages and spam types: https://t.co/g5yWWqvypR
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) October 4, 2023
According to the announcement from Google, the new update aims to further strengthen the detection capabilities of its spam filters for various languages including Turkish, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Hindi, Chinese, and others which according to Google had major quality gaps when compared to English search results.
The new update also brings in significant improvements to the spam detection for English language results as well. This has been confirmed by Google SearchLiason via its official X account.
Yes, all languages.
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) October 4, 2023
Types of Spam Targeted
The update is aimed at reducing:
Cloaking: Presenting different content to users and search engines to manipulate rankings. Examples include showing different pages to search engines versus users and inserting keywords only visible to search engines.
Doorways: Sites or pages created to rank for specific search queries, leading users to less useful pages. Examples include multiple websites with slight URL variations and pages that funnel visitors without adding value.
Hacked Content: Unauthorized content placed on a site due to security vulnerabilities. Examples include code injection, page injection, content injection, and malicious redirects.
Hidden Text and Links: Content placed on a page to manipulate search engines but not easily viewable by users. Examples include white text on a white background, hiding text behind images, and using CSS to position text off-screen.
Keyword Stuffing: Filling a page with keywords or numbers to manipulate rankings. Examples include lists of phone numbers without added value and blocks of text listing cities and regions.
Link Spam: Manipulating links to or from your site to influence rankings. Examples include buying or selling links, excessive link exchanges, and using automated programs to create links.
Machine-generated Traffic: Automated traffic that consumes resources. Examples include sending automated queries to Google and scraping results without permission.
Malware and Malicious Behaviors: Hosting malware or unwanted software that harms user experience. This includes software designed to harm devices and software that negatively affects browsing experience.
Misleading Functionality: Sites that claim to offer certain services but lead users to deceptive ads or don’t deliver on promises.
Scraped Content: Content taken from other sites without adding value. Examples include copying and republishing content without originality or citing sources.
Sneaky Redirects: Redirecting users to a different URL than initially requested with malicious intent. Examples include showing different content to search engines versus users and redirecting mobile users to a different domain.
Spammy Automatically-generated Content: Content generated programmatically without originality or value. Examples include nonsensical text with search keywords and text generated from scraping feeds.
Thin Affiliate Pages: Pages with affiliate links that copy content from the original merchant without adding value.
User-generated Spam: Spammy content added by users. Examples include spammy accounts, forum posts, comment spam on blogs, and spammy files on hosting platforms.
Rollout Period
The update will take a few weeks to be fully implemented. This means that website owners and SEOs might not see immediate changes but should monitor their site’s performance and rankings over the next few weeks.
Guidance for Affected Sites
Google advises sites that notice changes in their rankings or traffic after the update to review their spam policies. This suggests that any penalties or ranking drops due to this update can potentially be rectified by adhering to Google’s guidelines.
Google’s September 2023 Helpful Content Update
On September 14, 2023, Google initiated the rollout of its latest algorithm update, dubbed the “September 2023 Helpful Content Update.” This update introduces an “improved classifier” and is expected to take approximately two weeks to fully implement. This is the second helpful content update that Google is launching in 2023 with the first one announced in the month of May.
The September 2023 helpful content update is rolling out with an improved classifier. It will take about two weeks to complete. We'll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete: https://t.co/hgjEkfpbA2
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) September 14, 2023
Objective of the Update:
The update is designed to prioritize content that is genuinely helpful and informative, targeting content primarily created to rank well in search engines over aiding users. It aims to ensure that unoriginal, low-quality content doesn’t secure high rankings in Search, impacting content across all languages globally.
Key Features and Changes:
- Improved Classifier: The update features a refined classifier to better identify and rank helpful content.
- Global Impact: Unlike previous updates, this is applicable to content in all languages and is global.
- Sitewide Algorithm: The entire site will be impacted by this update.
- Search Only Impact: The update currently affects Google Search and Google Discover.
- Third-Party Content: New guidelines have been introduced for hosting third-party content, emphasizing the importance of oversight and relevance to the main site’s purpose.
- Content Assessment: Google advises self-assessment and improvement of content if a change in traffic is noticed post-update.
- Expert Review: Emphasis on content being written or reviewed by experts or enthusiasts knowledgeable about the topic.
- Date Changes & Content Addition/Removal: Google warns against changing dates to make content seem fresh and adding/removing content primarily for ranking benefits.
Community Response and Impact:
The SEO community has reported significant impacts, with some experiencing drastic drops in traffic. The update has sparked discussions and speculations, with many observing ranking changes and low content sites gaining rankings.
No, I mean, we're not retiring and stopping work. There's always more to do. User expectations grow, people put differing kinds of content online, and separating the awesome from the mediocre is not always trivial. Let me know when AI can take over, I could use a break. 🙂
— I am John (@JohnMu) September 24, 2023
Google’s Stance:
John Mueller of Google has clarified that a rollback of this update is highly unlikely. He emphasized Google’s commitment to highlighting “people-first” content and mentioned that there is always room for improvement in separating high-quality content from the mediocre. He also hinted at more updates to come, focusing on surfacing hidden gems and addressing hosted third-party content.
I really don't see a rollback happening. And, I agree it is sad to see people put their heart & passion into making something and not seeing long-term results, but things can be both heart-made & not as helpful as the makers want.
— I am John (@JohnMu) September 24, 2023
Recovery and Future Updates:
For those affected by this update, recovery is possible through adherence to Google’s guidelines and focusing on creating helpful, high-quality content. Google continues to work on refining its algorithms, and more updates can be expected in the future.
Rollout Complete
Google on September 28, announced that the rollout of the September 2023 Helpful Content update is complete. The rollout that started on September 14th took two weeks and the fluctuations during this period has been massive.
Google Unveils a New Update to its Language Matching Systems
Google has rolled out a new update to its language matching systems to enhance the way the search engine matches languages in Google Search. The search engine giant has made it official two weeks after the launch of this latest update.
Google wrote, “Over the past few months, we’ve also released a series of updates to improve our language matching systems, including the latest update about two weeks ago. Collectively, these should better match results to the language someone searches in, while still allowing for the flexibility multilingual searchers need to access results in multiple languages”.
They also add, “We will also keep improving how our automated systems determine the language of results to show, so that we continue to list the most helpful information we can to people in the languages they prefer”.
From what is said, it looks like this update will probably improve how Google matches the language of the user to fetch more relevant pages in search results.
This may as well be Google’s answer to persistent issues with Google showing results for preferred language searches over the months.
If you run a non-English website, this update may influence your site’s discoverability on Google for relevant searches in specific languages. The likelihood of your website showing up for searches relevant to your niche may increase. After all, this update is all about bringing better results for multilingual searches.
August 2023 Broad Core Update Complete (September 7, 2023)
Google’s August 2023 broad core update, launched on August 22, 2023, is now complete. Pretty close to our earlier speculations, this update took 16 days to finish rolling out. Followed by the one in March, this is Google’s second core update of the year.
Google took to their Search Status Dashboard to make it official that the rollout of the August 2023 Broad Core update is done.
Google does come up with algorithm updates frequently. But core updates are always big and are more likely to trigger massive SERP ranking fluctuations.
As for this core update, there was a visible chatter in the SEO community that it will be more impactful than the previous updates. So, now that the rollout is complete, what can we expect?
While Google has published a list of questions to ask if your website is hit by a core update. However, there are no specific actions to recover from the impact. So, what do you do next?
In an earlier Webmaster Central office hour hangout video, John Mueller, Google’s Senior Search Analyst / Search Relations team lead, says, “It’s not something that requires a site to kind of wait for the next update to have a chance to be seen differently. They can continue working on things and things can improve over time.”
Mueller adds, “It is possible that our next core update will make a bigger change in the same direction that you have been working, and you will see a bigger change in your site’s performance as well.”
He goes on to say, “But in general, sites don’t have to wait for the next bigger update in order to start seeing changes. So from that point of view, I wouldn’t just, like, stop working on things once you think you’ve done the right thing, but I’d continue working in that direction. You should see at least some incremental improvements over time there.
So, while the next core update can bring bigger changes for the sites hit by a core update, they don’t really have to wait for the next update to happen.
Working on improving your website and the value it offers to users can help your site perform better and put it on the path of recovery.
Now that the latest broad core update has finished rolling out, instead of being driven by assumptions, let’s closely observe the ranking fluctuations it can bring about and work on improvements accordingly.
August Broad Core Update 2023
The August 2023 Google Update has been launched on 22nd according to the official release of Google on X (Formerly Twitter) and we are expecting the roll out to take two weeks to complete.
Today we released the August 2023 core update. We'll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete: https://t.co/sQ5COfdNcb
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) August 22, 2023
This is the second broad core update of the year with the first one being the March 2023 update. In fact, the last two months have seen many unconfirmed spikes in many Algorithm trackers but the search engine giant didn’t address any of these. In fact, SEMRush sensor has been showning higher than normal SERP activity for almost a month without a break.
In fact, the new update took a little bit longer than usual with an interim gap of 5 months between the last update and the current one.
The guidelines to the website owners remain the same.
A dip in rankings doesn’t necessarily indicate issues with the website. It’s just that Google found a few other pages that are providing better value to the users.
Google had earlier suggested a set of questions to ask if your website experiences the brunt of a core update.
Fifteen content quality questions to ask if hit by Google’s core update
- Do real people write your content for real people?
- Have you spent time and effort adding unique information to your content consistently?
- Are you just touching the surface level of the topic or going in-depth?
- What is it that you have in your content that makes it better when compared to the competitors?
- Have you over-optimized the title, description and content to attract bots and not real users?
- Are you using a clickbait strategy to get the attention of the users?
- Does your content have the potential to get natural references (backlinks)?
- Is the content written by someone who has extensive expertise in the field?
- Do you focus on a niche or write about anything under the sun?
- Is your content going against the generally scientifically proven facts?
- Will people lose money or life after trying the recommendations within your content?
- Does the content follow grammatical best practices?
- Is it syndicated content?
- Does the content accompany intrusive interstitial elements that cause hindrance to the user experience?
- How good is the mobile experience of your content
We know that the broad core updates come with massive SERP fluctuations in the initial days however, these fluctuations will settle over the next two weeks and the sites that saw a dip may see partial recovery as the roll out completes. However, for a massive shift in the rankings, websites may have to wait till Google comes out with the next update.
In the recently published Google official “Search Off The Record” podcast episode Danny Sullivan the search liaison for Google said with every new ranking update, you don’t need to redo everything. Instead, if there’s a significant change in performance after an update, it might be a sign to review and align better with what Google is looking for.
He also added that the focus should be on creating content with the user in mind, rather than just for search engines. Authentic, user-centric content is more likely to rank well irrespective of the ranking updates that happen as frequently as every day of the year.
Additionally, he said technical SEO is essential, it’s not the only factor that determines ranking which could be hinting at the signals such as web vitals. However, he said in the broader picture, a website that aims to rank well should consider content quality and user experience as paramount.
When talking about the authenticity of the content which is related to the EEAT factors, Danny said, there’s a growing demand for authentic content and the ranking systems have been adapted to serve the demand. Users can often discern when content is created solely for SEO purposes versus genuinely providing value and Google doesn’t want to rank such content.
He also added that not every update requires a reaction. SEOs and webmasters should focus on the broader picture and not get bogged down by every minor change. But the one that was launched yesterday doesn’t seem like a minor one as the name suggests – it’s the Broad Core Update. So, if you are an SEO or a Website owner, you better fasten your seatbelt so that you aren’t surprised by the SERP tremors.
Helpful Content System Update
Google will be rolling out an incremental update to its helpful content system in the coming months.
This update will equip Google’s helpful content system to find hidden gems from hard-to-find places across the web, such as forum threads, blogs and more and show them up in Google Search.
Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, wrote on Twitter, “Helpful information can often live in unexpected or hard-to-find places: a comment in a forum thread, a post on a little-known blog, or an article with unique expertise on a topic. Our helpful content ranking system will soon show more of these “hidden gems” on Search.”
In the coming weeks, when you search for something that might benefit from the experiences of others, you may see a Perspectives filter appear at the top of search results. Tap the filter, and you’ll exclusively see long- and short-form videos, images and written posts that…
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) May 10, 2023
Mentioning a recent blog post by Google, Sullivan also wrote, “The helpful content system will be working to identify and show more ‘hidden gems’ on Search, along with still working to ensure unhelpful content is not performing well.
Connecting the dots, it is expected that the upcoming helpful content update will be about promoting helpful content as much as it demotes unhelpful content.
Wondering how that comparison jumps out of nowhere? Let me explain
If you take a closer look at Google’s helpful content update page, you will realize that it carries a strong negative sentiment.
Here’s an example.
Read this part of the content from the screenshot again.
“The system automatically identifies content that seems to have little value, low-added value or is otherwise not particularly helpful to people.
Any content—not just unhelpful content—on sites determined to have relatively high amounts of unhelpful content overall is less likely to perform well in Search, assuming there is other content elsewhere from the web that’s better to display. For this reason, removing unhelpful content could help the rankings of your other content.”
It speaks more about eliminating unhelpful content than promoting helpful ones, right?
Now bringing this and what Sullivan wrote about the upcoming update to the helpful content system, it looks like Google will dig deeper to fetch helpful content and show them up on Search while demoting unhelpful content in an attempt to achieve a striking balance between the two.
Let the update rollout and further forecasts can wait till then.
Google April 2023 Review Update
Google has confirmed that the rollout of the April 2023 Review update is now complete. The update that was launched on April 12th took approximately two weeks to complete.
During the rollout phase SEMRush sensor detected high volatility on April 20th, 23rd and 25th.
Google released its April 2023 Reviews Update on April 12th, which now covers reviews about products, services, and things. We have seen Google launching product review updates in the past but it’s the first time that the search engine leader launched an update that touches upon all kinds of reviews.
Released the April 2023 reviews update, which now covers reviews about products, services, and things. Learn more about how to write high quality reviews:https://t.co/tdM0JhyyTG
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) April 12, 2023
To help you write high-quality reviews that can be easily discovered on Google Search and other Google surfaces, we have compiled a list of best practices based on Google’s recommendations.
- Evaluate from a user’s perspective: Put yourself in the shoes of the reader and consider what information would be most valuable to them.
- Demonstrate your expertise: Show that you are knowledgeable about the subject matter, whether as an expert staff member, a blogger, or an editorial staff member at a news or publishing site.
- Provide supporting evidence: Use visuals, audio, or links to reinforce the authenticity of your review and demonstrate your personal experience with the product or service.
- Share quantitative measurements: Discuss how the item measures up in various performance categories, helping readers make informed decisions.
- Highlight unique features: Explain what sets the product or service apart from its competitors.
- Cover comparable options: Discuss alternatives and make recommendations for specific uses or circumstances.
- Discuss benefits and drawbacks: Base your analysis on original research and personal experience.
- Describe product evolution: Explain how a product has improved over time or addressed previous issues.
- Focus on key decision-making factors: Prioritize the most important factors based on your expertise (e.g., fuel economy and safety in a car review).
- Analyze choices: Go beyond the manufacturer’s claims and discuss the actual impact of choices on users.
- Include useful resources: Provide links to additional resources (either your own or from other sites) to help readers make informed decisions.
- Consider multiple sellers: Give readers the option to purchase from their preferred merchant by including links to multiple sellers.
- Support your recommendations: When declaring something the best, provide first-hand evidence to support your claim.
- Create standalone ranked lists: Ensure that your ranked lists contain enough useful content to stand on their own, even if you write separate in-depth single reviews.
- Be transparent about affiliate links: If you use affiliate links in your reviews, be sure to follow Google’s guidelines on affiliate programs.
Google March 2023 Core Update
Google is now launching the first broad core update of 2023, following the previous update in September 2022. It has been just over six months since the last major update to Google Search.
Today we released the March 2023 core update. We'll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete: https://t.co/sQ5COfdNcb
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) March 15, 2023
The official announcement was made on Twitter, and Google also updated its search updates page, stating, “Today we released the March 2023 core update. We’ll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete.” The company further noted that the rollout process could take up to two weeks to finish.
As a reminder, the most recent core update before this one was the September 2022 broad core update, which had a less significant impact than earlier updates. However, given the nature of the current update, it’s crucial to be prepared for potential changes in search rankings.
Google’s March 2023 broad core update is set to prioritize the ranking of pages that provide more value compared to those currently ranking on Google. This update may lead to a significant reshuffling of SERP rankings. We will keep you posted about the impact as more data comes in.
Day 1 After the Rollout: We noticed high volatility in the SERP rankings and SEMRush sensor spiked up to 8.2, which indicates heavy algorithm impact.
Day 2 After the Rollout: It appears that the worst is over. According to the SEMRush Sensor, the spike has subsided somewhat and has now settled at 6.0, which is still considered a high range.
Day 3 After the Rollout: It seems that the surge in algorithm activations has returned to normal levels, but some websites are still experiencing fluctuations in their rankings. It’s possible that this is not a persistent trend since algorithm rollouts are typically released in phases, which means that there may be days with varying levels of activity in the upcoming week.
Day 4 After the Rollout: According to the SEMRush sensor, there has been low activity recorded, which could be because it’s the weekend. Back in December 2022, during the rollout of the Helpful Content Update and Link Spam update, Google confirmed that holidays can affect the timeline of the rollout.
Day 5 After the Rollout: Looks like the update rollout has entered a sleep mode as the tracker is sensing below normal activity, which uncommon during the launch of an algorithm update.
Day 6 After the Rollout: SEMRush sensor has detected another day of normal activity, which means it was yet another ordinary day.
Day 7 After the Rollout: After several days of reduced activity, it appears that the rollout is gaining momentum once more, as indicated by the increase in SERP fluctuations on the SEMRush sensor. However, the sensor has not yet reached the critical threshold, suggesting that significant changes may not be imminent.
Day 8 After the Rollout: The update slowly moved to the orange zone, which indicates more than usual SERP activity.
Day 9 After the Rollout: The update is going back to the greener area of the SEMRush Sensor graph.
Day 10 After the Rollout: The update is further dropping into the more normal areas of SEMRush Sensor.
Day 11 After the Rollout: The update is further dropping into the more normal areas of SEMRush Sensor.
Day 12 After the Rollout: In another one or two days the update rollout must be done and once again the sensor is showing an upward movement.
It’s now official, Google has confirmed that the roll out of March 2022 Core Update is complete. But this doesn’t mean the end, we have seen Google waiting a week or two before launching a update reversal to roll back elements that caused bad results to appear on search.
Google Product Review Update February 2023
Google dropped their latest Product Review update on February 22nd and this time around, the update was rolled out for multiple languages worldwide including English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Russian, Dutch, Portuguese, and Polish.
The update took two weeks to rollout and was completed on 7th March.
Today we released the February 2023 product reviews update, which applies to these languages globally: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Russian, Dutch, Portuguese, Polish. It'll take ~2 weeks to fully roll out. More here: https://t.co/YpNnK97G3O
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) February 21, 2023
If your website is into publishing reviews, say goodbye to generic, useless reviews that provide zero value to the users!
Google says its Product Reviews System is on a mission to elevate the quality of product reviews by surfacing more authentic, well-researched, and insightful reviews.
Google promises to periodically update its product review system to ensure that users get nothing but the highest quality review content on search engine result pages (SERPs).
The update is set to roll out over the next two weeks and websites producing subpar reviews might just see their rankings drop.
So, it’s time to up your review game, folks – Google is coming for those lazy summaries and superficial reviews.
Check Out More Updates: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, Other Updates
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Comments
7 Comments
Nice post, thank you for sharing this.
Can you please update me about the new Google algorithm regarding webp images, is it right?
if yes, then pls explain.
thanks in advance
I am so curious what that Update is about. I think that pages with comemrcial characters could get a boost. Most of my custommers are stable until now which means that clean technical SEO can have a positive effect.
My keyword ranking fall down after this update. Is it happened because of this update
I like this well written chronology of updates
Thanks for making aware of this update It Is Very Important To Everyone Know This Update For Relevant Peoples
After reading this, a lot of things about my website ranking now make sense to me. Thanks