Google confirmed that they ran a “broad core algorithm update” in March of 2018.
But there’s nothing new about these updates. They do them rather routinely.
What makes this particular Google algorithm update noteworthy is that it impacted the appearance and rankings of some websites in the search results.
And this caused some panic.
What Did This Google Algorithm Update Involve?
The SEO industry is quick to assume that any time Google does a core algorithm update, it’s purpose it to target low-quality web pages. What they don’t consider is that these updates could simply be improvements to providing the best answer to a search query.
In the case of this most recent update, Google acknowledged that some sites would see drops or gains, but offered reassurance that nothing was wrong with pages that were suddenly not performing as well as they had been.
They also assured people that changes to their systems were benefiting pages that were previously under-rewarded.
But Losing Rankings Was Distressing
And it was difficult for the SEO industry to just accept that Google was working to improves its ability to answer search queries. It was even harder to dismiss the possibility that the sites that lost rankings did something wrong.
In the midst of their low-grade panic, they wanted to find a fix. And to this, Google said that the only thing that could be done was to remain focused on building great content.
Over time, it was possible that quality content would rise relative to other pages. Still, when one’s content visibility drops, there’s a tendency to want to carry out checks to ensure everything possible is being done to try to resolve the issue.
But those in the know understood that doesn’t help in the case of an algorithm update.
Their advice?
Do Nothing Except Monitor the SERPs
Any time algorithmic testing is conducted, it’s going to affect a huge portion of sites. And other sites will follow the identical pattern, right down to the day. By keeping a close eye on the SERPs (search engine result pages), it was easy to see that the situation was algorithmic rather than isolated.
Staying connected with SEO and webmaster communities affirmed to those with affected sites that they were not alone. And more importantly, they were not in danger of being penalized by Google.
There was no need to run out and repair domains. It just meant that while concentrating on rewarding strong content and relevance, the algorithm update was going to unavoidably leave some domains on the loser list.
The Losses Were Not Permanent
In fact, the losses were short-lived. And they weren’t as drastic as people had at first imagined.
Still, if you want to ensure that your content is protected against future updates of this kind, there are two things to do when creating it:
- Focus on putting the searcher first
- Satisfy user intent
And, most importantly, the next time they run an algorithm update, don’t panic. You’ll be covered.
Still Living in Fear?
There’s no need! If you’re staying on top of your SEO and content, the next Google algorithm update won’t have a negative impact.
If you’re still not feeling confident though, contact our experts to get the support you need. We’re here to help you.