Google updates its core algorithm guidance, providing new advice for evaluating traffic declines and enhancing content.

The refreshed core update guide now includes detailed instructions on utilizing the Search Console to analyze traffic drops.

The revised document emphasizes actionable steps for websites affected by the updates.

Google notes that ranking improvements following these changes may take several months to reflect.

Google has revised its core algorithm update guidance, offering more detailed recommendations for websites affected by these changes.

The updated document, released with the August core update, features several new additions and removals.

New Sections Added

The latest update introduces two significant new sections: “Check if There’s a Traffic Drop in Search Console” and “Assessing a Large Drop in Position.”

In the “Check if There’s a Traffic Drop in Search Console” section, Google provides a step-by-step guide for using Search Console to determine if a core update has impacted a website. This process includes:

• Confirming the core update’s completion by checking the Search Status Dashboard
• Waiting at least a week after the update finishes before analyzing Search Console data
• Comparing search performance from before and after the update to identify any ranking changes
• Analyzing different search types (web, image, video, news) individually

The “Assessing a Large Drop in Position” section offers specific advice for websites that have experienced a significant drop in rankings after a core update.

It suggests thoroughly evaluating the site’s content against Google’s quality guidelines, focusing on the pages most affected by the update.

Other Additions

The updated document introduces a “Things to Keep in Mind When Making Changes” section, advising website owners to focus on meaningful, user-centered improvements rather than quick fixes. It emphasizes that content deletion should be a last resort, as removing content implies it was created for search engines rather than users.

Another new section, “How Long Does It Take to See an Effect in Search Results,” outlines the timeline for observing ranking changes after implementing content improvements.

Google notes that the full impact may take several months to be seen, with potential effects only becoming apparent after a future core update.

The document also includes a concluding paragraph highlighting that rankings can change even without website updates as new content continually emerges on the web.

Removed Content

The latest update has removed or replaced several sections from the previous version of the document.

The paragraph that mentioned pages affected by a core update “haven’t violated our spam policies” and likened core updates to refreshing a movie list has been eliminated. The “Assessing Your Own Content” section has also been replaced by the new “Assessing a Large Drop in Position.”

The “How Long Does It Take to Recover from a Core Update?” section has also been revised, removing specific details about the timing and frequency of core updates and the factors that influence recovery time.

In Summary

Here’s a breakdown of the additions and removals in Google’s updated Core Algorithm Update Guidance.

Added:

• “Check if There’s a Traffic Drop in Search Console” Section:
  • Step-by-step instructions for using Search Console to identify ranking changes.
• “Assessing a Large Drop in Position” Section:
  • Guidance for websites experiencing significant ranking declines after a core update.
• “Things to Keep in Mind When Making Changes” Section:
  • Encourages substantive improvements over quick fixes.
  • Suggests content deletion as a last resort.
• “How Long Does It Take to See an Effect in Search Results” Section:
  • Sets expectations for the time needed to see ranking changes after content improvements.
  • The full impact may take several months and require a future core update.
• Closing Paragraph:
  • Notes that rankings can change even without website updates as new content emerges.

Removed:

• A paragraph stating that pages impacted by a core update “haven’t violated our spam policies.”
• The comparison of core updates to refreshing a list of best movies.
• The “Assessing Your Own Content” section from the previous version has been replaced by the new “Assessing a Large Drop in Position” section.
• Specific details about the timing of core updates and factors influencing recovery time.

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