Google recently rolled out two changes that affected website rankings: the August 2024 core update and a fix for a separate ranking problem. These events occurred nearly simultaneously, making it challenging for SEO experts to discern which change impacted their sites’ search rankings.
John Mueller, Senior Search Analyst at Google, commented on LinkedIn to help clarify the situation.
The discussion began when Rüdiger Dalchow inquired about distinguishing the effects of the core update from those of the ranking issue fix, given their close timing.
Mueller: Wait Before Analyzing Changes
Mueller’s primary advice was to exercise patience.
He suggested not attempting to distinguish the effects of the ranking fix from those of the core update while everything is still stabilizing.
He noted that it’s typical for rankings to fluctuate during this period.
Mueller stated:
“You’d really need to wait until the core update finishes rolling out to make any call about its effect. That’s not to say you should wait with working on your website, it’s just if you want to compare before vs after, waiting for it to be finished is important. From looking at social posts from SEOs tracking these things, there are often fluctuations during the rollout, I don’t think it’s worth trying to separate out the effects from the ranking issue.”
Mueller: Don’t Wait To Improve Your Website
Mueller emphasized not delaying improvements to your website, but highlighted the importance of allowing the core update to complete before jumping to conclusions about its impact.
This aligns with Google’s standard advice on core updates: wait until they’re fully rolled out before analyzing changes.
In the same conversation, Hans Petter Blindheim recommended including a special notice in Google Search Console during core updates or when issues arise.
Mueller responded cautiously, saying:
“Most websites don’t see big changes, so I’m hesitant to make it seem like an even bigger deal for them.”
He mentioned that Chrome add-ons are available for those who wish to monitor these events more closely.
Why This Matters
This discussion illustrates the complexity of Google’s search updates and the difficulty in pinpointing the exact causes of ranking changes.
While the August 2024 core update is rolling out, Mueller advises focusing on the overall quality of your site rather than trying to identify which specific change caused what.
More Information
Google has recently updated its advice on core updates. This new guide provides more detailed tips for websites affected by these changes.
It includes a step-by-step walkthrough on using Search Console to check if your traffic has dropped and emphasizes making user-focused improvements to your content.
As always, we’ll monitor this core update closely over the next few weeks. Once it’s fully rolled out, a clearer picture should emerge on how it has affected websites.
Featured Image: Daniel Pawer/Shutterstock
