With the release of Google’s latest core update, there are certain changes we’re seeing and others we can expect to see in the future.
In this blog, CEO and SEO expert John Lincoln will cover the Google August 2024 core update and how it will impact search rankings
What You’ll Learn
- What Is Google August 2024 Core Update?
- What Early Observations Are Marketers Seeing?
- Completed August 2024 Update
- SEO Advice to Help You Navigate The Update
My Expert Insights into the Google August 2024 Core Update
We’ve been keeping a close eye on Google’s core updates over the years up through recent months. With the latest rollout of the Google August 2024 core update, I’ve noticed certain changes that can impact rankings and, in some ways, already have. By adhering to Google’s guidelines and continuing to optimize with SEO best practices, your website will have a good chance of succeeding in rankings in light of the recent update.
Action Item: Continue with your current SEO campaigns and avoid making dramatic changes to them. By producing helpful and engaging content that your audiences find helpful while employing good SEO tactics, you should come out of the recent core update a winner in rankings.
What is the Google August 2024 Core Update?
Earlier this month, Google launched the August 2024 core update to its search engine algorithm. Like other updates in the past, the goal of this update is to continually improve search results to deliver helpful content to users based on their search queries.
According to the official Google announcement from John Mueller: “As always, we aim to connect people with a range of high quality sites, including small or independent sites that are creating useful, original content, when relevant to users’ searches.”
Early Observations of the Update
Since the update began rolling out earlier this month, certain websites have seen an increase in rankings across various industries.
One of these successes came from HouseFresh:
Hey @ichbingisele can you confirm this? https://t.co/fUM9mg4Qge
— Mic King (@iPullRank) August 16, 2024
At the same time, others are reporting successes mixed with fluctuations as the search engine remained volatile. Part of this volatility likely stemmed from a ranking bug affecting Google search earlier this month.
You can ask @iambrandonsalt about what he’s seeing, but I am picking up some nice increases there so far… Very early, but good to see. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/Vck0sMQABv
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) August 16, 2024
More recently, other industry experts, like Search Engine Land’s Barry Schwartz, continue to see positive changes following the update:
You can ask @iambrandonsalt about what he’s seeing, but I am picking up some nice increases there so far… Very early, but good to see. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/Vck0sMQABv
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) August 16, 2024
According to a few very simple polls run by Barry Schwartz himself, he saw
- 44% of respondents reported rankings and traffic are down (1,583)
- 27% of respondents reported rankings and traffic are up (993)
- 29% of respondents reported they saw no change in rankings and traffic (1,038)
Key Trends Marketers Are Noticing
- According to experts like SEO consultant Glenn Gabe, sites seeing the biggest surge in rankings were those impacted by the Helpful Content Update (HCU) in 2023.
- Sites producing and optimizing high-quality content also see a boost in rankings, especially those adhering to Google’s EEAT guidelines for creating content showcasing experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
- A good user experience (UX) will also positively affect rankings with the new update.
- Optimizing for Google’s Core Web Vitals will further help websites succeed in rankings.
Google’s Advice: How to Recover From the August 2024 Core Update
19 days later, on September 3rd, the August 2024 core update roll-out was completed.
During the rollout period, Google continued to note the importance of better matching search results with content that satisfies the user search intent and provides real value. So, sites that are focused on higher rankings and not helping the user will experience negative impacts from the update.
Luckily for SEOs, Google has updated their advice on recovering from this core update.
Section 1
“Check if there’s a traffic drop in Search Console” – A step-by-step guide for using Search Console to determine if a core update has affected your site:
Section 2
“Assessing a large drop in position” – This section used to be called “Assessing your own content” but has shifted into a section with guidance for sites with significant ranking declines after the update. It’s all about reviewing your sites content and assessing whether it measures up to Google’s quality guidelines.
Section 3
“Things to keep in mind when making changes” – This section stresses avoiding a “quick fix” to improve your rankings and instead suggests focusing on improving your content.
Section 4
“How long does it take to see an effect in Search Results?” – The final section of the document sets standards for when to expect to see changes.
SEO Advice To Help You Adapt
“This Google algorithm update continues to reward high-quality, original and helpful content while discouraging over optimizing content intended to game the system.” Jason Carleton, Director of SEO advises all digital marketers to follow these guidelines:
- Regularly conduct content reviews and optimize content with relevant keywords, on-page SEO elements, and off-page efforts.
- Implement technical SEO best practices, including using secure HTTPS URLs, eliminating duplicate content, and using the rel=nofollow tag for links to untrusted or paid content.
- Continually monitor and analyze your SEO results, making any necessary adjustments based on performance.
Stay Ahead of Google’s Algorithm Updates With Ignite Visibility
To help you optimize for the Google August 2024 core update and future algorithm changes, consider working with experts like Ignite Visibility.
With our help with your campaigns, you can:
- Develop fully customized SEO strategies using the latest trend
- Anticipate future algorithm updates
- Monitor your progress and adapt over time
- And more!
Get in touch with our team today to learn more about how we can elevate your website.
