Changes to the Google algorithm seem to be happening more and more frequently. This became apparent with the number of core updates Google oversaw in the second half of 2023, with August, October and November seeing Google core updates take effect in these months. This, in addition to the recent March core update along with a spam update in the same month, means that the search engine results are constantly changing. So how can you identify a Google algorithm update happening, what is impacted, and how can you protect your website and your business from the next Google algorithm update?
Identifying A Google Algorithm Update
Usually algorithm updates will strike with no official warning from themselves. Google will only announce an update has taken place either after the event or in the middle of it, leading to a lot of speculation, calculations and sometimes guesswork to figure out when Google has made a change to their algorithms. Sometimes this can be a relatively minor change such as a helpful content update, a link spam update or a reviews update; or it can be a major wide-ranging core update.
However, there are a few signs you can look out for in order to identify a Google algorithm update taking place. These include:
Fluctuating Keyword Positions
This is probably the main identifier when it comes to an algorithm change. Because the algorithm looks to improve the search engine results pages (SERPs) directly, it’s only natural that the key metric to look out for is keyword position movement. And in terms of this movement, this wouldn’t normally just be a few position rises or drops. It is much more likely that you’ll see your website’s keyword fluctuated from a number of different positions in a short space of time, whilst the SERPs readjust to reflect the algorithm changes.
Big Jumps In Keyword Position
Whilst similar to fluctuating keywords, this relates more to keywords that either sharply rise in a significant and unexpected fashion, or even a keyword that temporarily drops, only for it to rise higher in the SERPs than it was originally. There are a number of things that can contribute to a page increasing dramatically in its position in the rankings, however if a rise can’t be attributed to something like an on-page content refresh or a resolution to cannibalisation, then the big position swings may be a result of an algorithm update.
Total Keyword Rankings
As well as looking at individual keywords, you can get a good picture of changes happening across the board when you look at a wide set of keywords. If you’re starting to notice that you’re dropping off in your number of keyword rankings, or conversely you’re seeing a spike in the amount of keywords your whole site and individual pages are being ranked for, this can be a sign of an ongoing Google update to their algorithm.
Impressions On Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a useful tool to have when it comes to seeing the impact that searches have on your website’s traffic, as well as what searches are leading to people visiting your website. One metric you can find is the number of impressions your pages are getting, especially relating to specific search terms. If you find that impressions are significantly down, then this means your keywords aren’t being shown in search engine results as often as they were. A significant change in this can be explained by algorithm updates, but also the seasonality of a keyword should also be considered and ruled out before an algorithm update is ruled in.
Manual Actions
One that has been prevalent during the March core and spam updates has been the increase in manual actions which are imposing big penalties on certain sites. In some cases, these are being entirely removed from the search index. Whilst this is aimed at removing low-quality sites from the SERPs, it’s also having a knock-on effect with non-spammy sites too. If you notice your traffic falling off a cliff or your rankings disappearing entirely, you should check for manual actions within Google Search Console.
The Results Of A Google Algorithm Update
The impact of algorithm updates can be felt across a wide range of accounts at DNRG. Usually, this is for positive reasons, where we see algorithm updates reward the work being done through SEO, however it isn’t always a straight-forward linear path.
These are the search engine impressions we’ve seen for our client Firefly AV. Following the August core update, the site actually took a hit in terms of impressions in September. We started work on this account in June 2023, meaning the August update came too soon to benefit from.
However, by the time the October and November core updates rolled around, we have an additional few months to really make that impact through writing new page content, building backlinks and fixing technical errors. This example shows the negative impact an update can bring, whilst also showing the positive benefits over time.
An increase in overall keywords can show the benefits that a combination of good SEO and an algorithm update can bring. In August 2023, our client Quill Hall Arboriculture was ranking for a total of 54 keywords across the whole site. This saw a leap in September to 118, the month following the August core update, and has continued to rise following the October and November core updates.
As of February 2024, it is ranking for 282 keywords, which shows the benefit that good SEO can have when the Google algorithms are updated to show the very best content. It should also be noted that Quill Hall had a brand new website in June 2023, and the following months had a heavy focus on service page optimisations, directly improving the site for key ranking factors like page speed and quality content.
Protecting Your Website From Google Algorithm Update
Google algorithm updates – such as the core update – are implemented to improve the search results. Meaning that anything negative that impacts your site as a result of an update is evidence to show that your website and the content on it isn’t something that Google wants to see. This could be for a whole variety of reasons, but can be explained through Google’s ranking factors.
The biggest one of them is content. Quality content that follows the E-E-A-T principles of experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness will usually be rewarded in the search results. There are a few ways this can be achieved, from writing specific to-the-point content about the products, services or experiences you offer; to writing technical blogs that go into detail about your industry and its latest insights. Content should also be written for users, and not for search engines, with Google looking unfavourably on tactics such as keyword stuffing and using unedited AI-generated content.
In addition to content, another key ranking factor is page load speed. With a large percentage of Google users searching through their phone, Google uses mobile page loading as a key decision maker on how high to rank your site in the SERPs. The technical health of your site is important not just to allow visitors to enjoy using your site, but also to allow them to find it in the first place. Tasks that can really help include compressing image size and reducing unused Javascript and CSS.
Ensuring your site has an SSL certificate to make it an HTTPS URL is also a large indicator to Google that your site is safe and secure, allowing it to trust it more.
Google algorithm updates can be combated with good SEO, which follows the best practices set out by Google itself to ensure that your website can organically grow in traffic and keyword positions. Sometimes Google algorithm updates such as the core update are when you can really notice the positive effects that on-site, off-site and technical SEO can have on a website; from writing high-quality page content, to winning backlinks and making your site quick to load.
If you feel like you’ve been negatively impacted but aren’t quite sure why, or you want to protect yourself from the next Google algorithm update, contact DNRG today to discuss your SEO requirements.
