What to know about the August 2024 core update
Posted on 15 August, Google wrote: “This update is designed to continue our work to improve the quality of our search results by showing more content that people find genuinely useful and less content that feels like it was made just to perform well on Search.”
The update is in response to feedback from creators urging Google to implement features to favour smaller and independent sites that have useful content, but may be getting bogged down by bigger companies who have the ability to implement SEO tactics to boost their search ranking. The update will target low-quality content, such as spam articles and AI-generated content.
What are the consequences?
Google makes up 91% of the global search engine market share across all devices, mobile and desktop. There are 6.3 million Google searches per second. (Source: Statista)
So, search results matter!
In the Google core updates announcement, Google implied that small and independent sites with “useful” content will be prioritised in search rankings.
Many SEO specialists fear that this could be a targeted update to infiltrate SEO articles and so far it looks like SEO-focussed content will be demoted in rankings. For example, if a website was doing well because its content was meticulously optimised for search engines, they may suffer from this update due to their content being keyword heavy and not delivering new insights.
What should I do?
The update will take around a month to roll out, so there’s no time like the present to get started! There are several proactive steps you can take as a marketer to get ahead of the Google core updates.
- Audit your content and ensure that nothing is AI-generated or low-quality. If possible, rework these pieces of content to be higher quality, or remove them from your website all together. Even if you have some low-quality combined with mostly high-quality content, Google could give you a poor rating.
- If you want to use AI, ensure that it is enhanced with your own insights and ideas. AI is an incredibly useful tool in content creation, so do not discount it immediately! We recommend being conscious of your AI use to add original spins from your business’s perspective.
- Review best SEO practices and be aware of any changes in algorithms. This is the best way to maintain your search engine rankings and keep your content up-to-date. This will also help you audit content to make it better quality.
Will I be affected by the Google core update?
Everyone in the digital space should take this update as a sign to audit their website’s content. While we will not known the exact effects until the update is complete, it’s important to consider tailoring your content to be specific to your business. Not only will this be favourable in the proposed update guidelines, but it will also be beneficial to your business in the long run. Make sure you are delivering new and authentic insights that are engaging for your audience - not just sprinkling in SEO keywords.
Novicell’s take on the Google core update
At Novicell, our SEO specialists know the ins and outs of search engine rankings and algorithms. We believe that staying on top of your content in relation to your specific audience is the key to coming out on top in this update. User-centric content that’s written for your audiences real needs rather than AI generated generic content will be increasingly more important in the coming months/years. If you’re struggling to define your target audience or come up with new ideas for content that engages your users reach out to our team of in-house copywriting experts.
Want to learn more? We've created a simple guide and checklist to share with your team to optimise for the latest Google core update. Get the guide straight to your inbox below:
FAQs
What is a Google core update?
As we know, Google updates it’s ranking Algorithm many times a year but a core update is something different. In the never ending quest to improve it’s experience, Google is always on the lookout for ways to improve user experience and return the best possible result to searchers. Core updates reflect algorithm changes intended to improve search.
Have I been affected by a Google core update?
One way to know for sure is to carefully monitor the traffic getting to your website in Google Search Console. Start by making a report that looks at both branded and non-branded traffic over the 3 months directly preceding the core update rollout and look for any changes or unusual patterns in your data. If you spot something unusual or you’re noticing a significant loss of traffic following a Google Core Update it might be time to reach out to a specialist SEO agency. Also, using SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush you’ll be able to keep a close eye on keyword positions and any broad changes to your existing positions may indicate that you’ve been affected.
How to recover from a Google broad core algorithm update?
There’s unfortunately no ‘one size fits all’ method to recover from a Google update, but the consistent recommendation from Google is to create user-centric and relevant content for your audience.
Top tip: Google has stated they’re looking to reward independent smaller websites with a focus on creating helpful content for people, so whatever your niche or industry, the key is to focus on content that really answers user queries. SEO is evolving to be more user-centric and therefore your content needs to represent the needs of your audience.
What was the May 2022 Google core update?
The Google May 2022 update was focused on EAT (Expertise Authority & Trust). In a nutshell this update seeks to serve better results to users by presenting websites that work hard to show that they’re a trustworthy source of information within their industry. Here’s a great guide to learn more about E-E-A-T.
