Just when your website achieved high rankings, Google did it again! The two major Core Updates by Google in 2024 have influenced a lot of websites, maybe yours as well? Don't panic! Let's summarize what happened in these Core Updates and how that affects site rankings. But first, what does "Core Update" mean?
Imagine Google was a spaceship, and in the engine room there is a warp core that powers the ship. Core Updates are like giving those engines an overhaul. You can also think of it as Spring Cleaning for the Search Algorithm. The result is more useful search results, as well as plenty of inferior websites that lose ranking.
Going Through Changes in the Latest Google Core Updates
Google’s March 2024 Core Update took aim at low-quality content and introduced new policies on spam to combat manipulative practices. The result? A ton of low-quality, unoriginal content was removed. They even took aim at pages that pretended to have answers to popular searches but then failed to deliver helpful content. The August 2024 core update promoted sites with content that people find genuinely helpful and demoted low-value SEO content. Website owners need to do more self-auditing and study Google’s quality guidelines. Meaningful changes based on user needs will help more than simply deleting underperforming pages. Sites with significant ranking drop after the Core Updates typically had content that no longer satisfied Google's stricter standards. Then again, if your website has high-quality helpful content, it might see a boost in rankings.
The bottom line is that as Google's algorithm keeps changing, websites must keep delivering helpful content for their audience while following the newest rules. But if you already have a top ten ranking then Google also recommends against radical changes just to try move up one or two positions. Sites with quality content are encouraged to hold steady and keep the quality content coming. Remember that Google’s algorithms are still being refined.
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