Google has provided guidance on its core search ranking algorithm updates, known as core updates, which the company implements every few months. The most recent update was the June core update.
Previously, Google’s advice was that there is nothing specific you can do to rectify a drop in search rankings following a core update. In this new blog post, Google reaffirms that stance but adds some general advice: focus on your content.
Nothing to fix. Google emphasized that there is often nothing to correct on your site after these core updates. “We understand those with sites experiencing drops will seek fixes, and we want to ensure they don’t try to correct the wrong things. Moreover, there might not be anything to fix at all.” Google added, “There’s nothing wrong with pages that may perform less well after a core update.”
So what has changed? So, what has changed? What should you do to improve your site’s ranking after a core update? Google explained that changes lie in how its systems evaluate content overall. They offered an example using top movie ratings:
“Think of how a core update functions: imagine you created a list of the top 100 movies in 2015. A few years later in 2019, you refresh the list. Naturally, it will change. New and excellent movies that didn’t exist before will now be candidates for inclusion. You might also reassess some films and realize they deserved a higher place on the list than they previously had. The list will change, and films that move down aren’t bad; there are simply more deserving films now ahead of them,” Google wrote.
What can I do? Google’s latest advice echoes the guidance it provided in 2011 concerning its Panda algorithm: “We recommend focusing on providing the best content you can. That’s what our algorithms aim to reward.”
The company suggested considering the following questions when evaluating your content:
- Does the content provide original information, reporting, research, or analysis?
- Does the content offer a substantial, complete, or comprehensive description of the topic?
- Does the content provide insightful analysis or intriguing information beyond the obvious?
- If the content draws on other sources, does it avoid merely copying or rewriting and instead offer substantial additional value and originality?
- Does the headline and/or page title offer a descriptive, helpful summary of the content?
- Does the headline and/or page title avoid being exaggerated or shocking in nature?
- Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?
- Would you expect to see this content in or referenced by a printed magazine, encyclopedia, or book?
Expertise questions
- Does the content present information in a way that builds trust, such as clear sourcing, evidence of the expertise involved, or background about the author or the site that publishes it?
- If you researched the site producing the content, would you come away with the impression that it is well-trusted or widely recognized as an authority on its topic?
- Is this content written by an expert or enthusiast who demonstrably knows the topic well?
- Is the content free from easily verifiable factual errors?
- Would you feel comfortable trusting this content for issues related to your money or your life?
Presentation and production questions
- Is the content free from spelling or stylistic issues?
- Was the content produced well, or does it appear sloppy or hastily made?
- Is the content mass-produced or outsourced to a large number of creators, spreading across a large network of sites, thus not receiving much individual attention or care?
- Does the content have an excessive amount of ads that distract from or interfere with the main content?
- Does the content display well on mobile devices?
Comparative questions
- Does the content provide substantial value when compared to other pages in search results?
- Does the content serve the genuine interests of visitors, or does it exist mainly to guess what might rank well in search engines?
Quality raters guidelines and EAT. Many SEO experts have stressed the importance of reading the search quality raters guidelines and focusing on the EAT sections—Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. “Reading the guidelines may help you assess how your content is doing from an E-A-T perspective and consider improvements,” Google advised.
Not a confirmation of an update. This post does not confirm any new updates. The last confirmed update was the June core update, and since then, no new updates have been confirmed despite rumors. “Broad core updates tend to happen every few months,” Google said. “We’re constantly making updates to our search algorithms, including smaller core updates,” Google added. While some changes may have been made to previous core updates, Google noted, “we don’t announce all of these because they’re generally not widely noticeable.” However, the company acknowledged, “still, when released, they can cause content to recover if improvements warrant.”
Why we care. This guidance gives us a clearer direction from Google on how to proceed if a site is negatively impacted by a core update.
