What to do After a Google Core Algorithm Update

TL;DR

Learn how to recover from Google core algorithm updates effectively.

Transcript

• Ouch, a Google core update just landed and your website just lost 60% of its traffic. In this video, I'm gonna do a deep dive into Google core algorithm updates. You're gonna get a full understanding of how they work and how to recover from them. And if you've been lucky enough to avoid their rest so far I'll help you make sure that luck turns in... Read More

Key Insights

• Google core algorithm updates occur two to three times a year, involving significant changes to ranking factors, making it challenging to pinpoint specific issues affecting a website's ranking.
• During a core update, Google assigns a quality score to each website, impacting the entire site rather than individual pages, and recovery often requires waiting for the next update.
• Correlation studies can help identify common ranking factors among winners and losers after an update, but they require extensive data and are not always accessible to everyone.
• A comprehensive website audit is crucial for recovery, addressing technical SEO issues, content quality, and ensuring proper topical coverage and keyword optimization.
• Technical SEO audits should focus on crawl errors, missing meta information, duplicate content, and site speed, using tools like Ahrefs, Siteliner, and Screaming Frog.
• Content audits should check for thin content, keyword cannibalization, and search intent issues, ensuring articles cover relevant subtopics and are properly optimized.
• E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, Trust) is essential for ranking, requiring author bios, up-to-date content, and credible external references to meet quality standards.
• Backlink audits should ensure a balanced anchor text profile and disavow spammy links to maintain a strong link profile, crucial for recovery after updates.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is a Google core algorithm update?

A Google core algorithm update is a significant change to Google's ranking algorithm, occurring two to three times a year. These updates involve broad changes to multiple ranking factors simultaneously, affecting the entire website rather than individual pages. The updates aim to improve the overall quality of search results by reassessing website quality scores.

Q: How should you react immediately after a core update?

Immediately after a core update, it's essential not to make any changes to your website for at least three weeks. This waiting period allows the update to fully roll out and stabilizes rankings. Making premature changes can be counterproductive, as Google might roll back some changes. Instead, focus on understanding the update's impact and plan a comprehensive audit.

Q: What role do correlation studies play in understanding core updates?

Correlation studies track thousands of websites for hundreds of ranking factors to identify common traits among winners and losers after a core update. They help in understanding which factors Google might have emphasized. However, these studies require extensive data and are not always accessible to individual website owners, making them reliant on third-party analysis.

Q: What is the importance of a technical SEO audit after a core update?

A technical SEO audit is crucial after a core update as it addresses issues that can negatively impact a website's quality score. Key areas include crawl errors, missing meta information, duplicate content, and site speed. Tools like Ahrefs, Siteliner, and Screaming Frog can help identify and fix these issues, ensuring the website is technically sound.

Q: How does E-A-T influence website rankings after a core update?

E-A-T, which stands for Expertise, Authority, and Trust, significantly influences rankings, especially after a core update. Websites need to demonstrate credible authorship, provide up-to-date and accurate content, and establish trust through external references. Although Google cannot verify all expert credentials, a lack of authorship and credibility signals can negatively impact rankings.

Q: Why is a content audit necessary after a core update?

A content audit is necessary to ensure that the website's content meets updated quality standards. It involves checking for thin content, keyword cannibalization, and search intent alignment. Ensuring articles cover relevant subtopics and are properly optimized helps maintain or improve rankings. Content audits also verify that articles are up-to-date and provide value to users.

Q: What should be checked during a backlink audit after a core update?

During a backlink audit, it's important to ensure a balanced anchor text profile and identify any spammy links that could harm the website's rankings. Creating a disavow file helps Google ignore harmful links. A strong backlink profile is crucial for maintaining authority and trust, which are essential for recovery and improved rankings after a core update.

Q: What is the 'do all the things' approach to recovering from a core update?

The 'do all the things' approach involves a comprehensive audit of the entire website, addressing every potential issue that could affect rankings. This includes technical SEO, content quality, topical coverage, and backlink profiles. By assuming multiple factors need improvement, website owners can ensure their sites are fully optimized, increasing the likelihood of recovery in subsequent updates.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Google core algorithm updates are significant changes to ranking factors, affecting entire websites rather than individual pages. Recovery often requires a comprehensive audit and waiting for the next update.

• Correlation studies, while useful, require extensive data and are not always accessible. A full website audit addressing technical SEO, content quality, and backlink profiles is essential for recovery.

• E-A-T, or Expertise, Authority, and Trust, plays a significant role in rankings. Ensuring credible authorship, up-to-date content, and proper backlink profiles are key to maintaining strong rankings.