Google, the tech giant and world’s most used search engine, updates itself now and then to stay relevant. These changes are usually small and frequent. However, some updates are noticeable and may relate strongly with some users. Google ensures to inform users about such core updates before they implement them. For example, Google reminded users about the Speed Update several months before implementation. Some of these critical updates are called Core Updates.
These updates access content, not specific users or websites.
These Google updates affect every website differently. Some sites may notice a drop in audience and vice versa. People whose content performs poorly after the core update may feel the need to fix some things. However, it is crucial to know that Google does not target specific websites or pages with these core updates. The purpose of these updates is to improve the way their systems evaluate content. Besides, these updates enable some poor-performing sites to shine.
Improve the content quality.
As Google emphasizes, their algorithm updates are more about reevaluating content rather than websites. The ones whose performance drops have nothing wrong to fix. If they still feel like changing something, they may try to deliver a better content quality. Try presenting the best content you can because Google strives to reward it. Try revisiting the advice given by Google in the past to self-assess your content. Here are a few questions you can consider while self-evaluating your content and its quality:
- Is the information, research, analysis, and reporting on your content original?
- Are you providing significant, comprehensive, and complete information about the topic in your content?
- Is your content presenting analysis and information that is beyond what is obvious?
- If you make content inspired by other sources, are you simply copying what others did, or are you adding some authenticity and value to it?
- Does your content headline/title describe and summarize the information in the content?
- Does your headline/title avoid coming across as exaggerated or shocking in any way?
- From a viewer’s point of view, would you consider saving/bookmarking/sharing your content?
- Would you expect some magazine, encyclopedia, or book to reference your content?
Other questions point towards the expertise of the author/poster, like:
- Have you professionally presented information, including authentic sources? Is there any evidence that some expertise has gone into creating said content?
- If you looked at your site from the viewer’s perspective, would it look like a trusted source for that topic?
- Does the content look like it an expert has written it?
- Does your content have any verifiable factual errors?
- As a viewer, would you feel comfortable trusting this content about topics regarding money/life?
If you are confident about the content quality and expertise, look at these questions about presentation and production.
- Are there any stylistic and spelling errors in your content?
- Have you presented your content in a neat format or a sloppy, unorganized one?
- Have you uploaded mass-produced content outsourced to several creators that take attention away from other, authentic sources?
- Does your content have too many ads that may distract the viewers?
- Are your website and content mobile-friendly?
Lastly, a couple of comparative questions are also necessary.
- If you compare your website to pages in search results, does your website provide more information/value to the viewers?
- Does your content serve its visitors’ interests well?
Instead of evaluating your page/website all by yourself, share this task with someone you trust. That way, you can get additional insights regarding your website along with possible suggestions for improvement.
If you experience a drop in your website’s performance after the core update, consider analyzing it. Which areas have suffered the most? What type of searches were most impacted by the core update? Which parts have shown improvement?
Lastly, read and understand the rater guidelines. Raters are people who study and determine whether algorithms are working correctly. These guidelines are like reviews for every change Google makes in its algorithms. They help creators understand the difference between good and bad content, enabling them to change their content accordingly.
The last question is about the recovery of the affected and improved content. Unfortunately, the pages affected by the core update may not recover until the next core update. However, Google releases updates frequently that may allow some content to recover. However, more deserving content will continue to outperform.