Google’s core algorithm updates can feel a bit like shifting sand. One month, your website might be ranking well, and the next, it’s struggling to be seen. For businesses, staying on top of these updates is essential for maintaining visibility and ensuring customers find your site before they find the competition.
Why Are Core Updates Important?
Each core update is an opportunity for Google to get better at giving users what they want. This means websites offering clear, helpful, and trustworthy content usually benefit in the rankings, while sites that don’t meet these standards may see a drop. Core updates aren’t intended to penalise websites directly but rather to reward pages that align with Google’s ever-evolving criteria for quality.
For businesses, this means two things:
- Keeping content relevant and high-quality is non-negotiable.
- Monitoring site performance is essential to adapt quickly to any ranking changes after updates.
Focus on Quality Content
Quality content is one of the mainstays of good rankings. Google looks for material that’s informative, well-written, and relevant to the searcher’s intent. To prepare for future core updates, make sure your content is:
- Well-researched and accurate: Back up your claims with credible sources.
- Relevant: Understand your audience’s needs and tailor content accordingly.
- Readable: Use clear, concise language and avoid excessive jargon.
- Updated regularly: Keep your content fresh, especially if it covers fast-evolving topics or trends.
Check Your E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)
E-E-A-T is Google’s guideline for assessing page quality, especially on topics that impact a user’s well-being, finances, or safety. This is even more critical for industries like finance, health, and legal services, where trustworthiness is paramount. For example:
- Experience: Show that the content is created by someone with real-life experience or knowledge on the topic.
- Expertise: Make it clear the content creator is knowledgeable, such as linking to their professional credentials.
- Authoritativeness: Cite reliable sources and link to relevant, high-quality websites.
- Trustworthiness: Make your site secure, show clear privacy practices, and maintain a clean, functional website.
Optimise for Mobile and User Experience
Core updates increasingly favour sites with great user experiences, especially on mobile devices. Since mobile-first indexing became the norm, sites that don’t provide a good mobile experience risk being deprioritised. Here’s how to keep up:
- Ensure your site is responsive: It should look and function well across all devices.
- Boost loading speed: Slow pages frustrate users and lead to higher bounce rates.
- Optimise navigation: Make it easy for users to find what they need quickly.
After a Core Update: Steps to Take
So, you’ve followed all the best practices, but your site’s ranking drops after a core update. What should you do?
1. Don’t Panic; Monitor Changes
It’s natural to feel anxious when rankings fluctuate, but keep in mind that it can take time for the full impact of an update to settle. Give it at least a couple of weeks and observe how your site’s metrics—such as organic traffic, bounce rate, and conversions—are affected. This waiting period allows you to make an informed decision about necessary changes rather than reacting impulsively.
2. Conduct a Content Audit
Content audits help ensure that your pages meet Google’s standards. This involves reviewing and updating older content to ensure it’s still relevant and adding new material where necessary. A few tips for an effective content audit:
- Identify underperforming pages: Use tools like Google Analytics to see which pages have lost traffic.
- Refresh outdated content: Update statistics, links, or information as needed.
- Consolidate similar content: If you have several pages on similar topics, consider combining them into a more comprehensive page.
3. Analyse Competitors
If you’re experiencing a ranking dip, take a look at which competitors are now ranking ahead of you. Analyse their top-ranking pages to identify potential improvements for your own site. Look for:
- Content structure and length: Are they offering a deeper or more extensive overview?
- Use of keywords and phrases: Do they use specific terms that resonate with the target audience?
- Media and engagement features: Are there images, videos, or interactive elements that might be engaging users more effectively?
4. Stay Updated and Adjust SEO Strategy
SEO isn’t a “set and forget” strategy—core updates make it essential to adapt. Sign up for industry newsletters, follow SEO blogs, and attend webinars to stay current with best practices. Whenever an update rolls out, check for official advice from Google and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Long-Term Strategies for Algorithm Changes
Staying on top of Google’s updates means building a website that stands the test of time. Here are some reliable practices to maintain relevance, no matter what changes come:
- Build a robust link profile: Earning backlinks from reputable sites remains one of the best ways to signal authority.
- Encourage user engagement: User comments, shares, and time spent on the site all indicate content value.
- Maintain regular site health checks: Ensure there are no broken links, slow-loading pages, or outdated plugins that could negatively impact the user experience.
Key Takeaways for Staying Ahead
Staying on top of Google’s core updates is about committing to quality, relevancy, and user experience over the long term. By continuously refining your content, keeping an eye on site performance, and staying updated on best practices, you’ll be well-positioned to weather any algorithm changes.
