In August and September, Google introduced a series of significant updates that are crucial for digital marketers and SEO professionals to be aware of.
The second core update of the year commenced in August and concluded its rollout in September. Simultaneously, the September’s helpful content update is nearing completion.
Core updates are designed to refine search results and enhance the user experience on Google. Monitoring their effects can provide insights into Google’s expectations for optimal search outcomes.
Comparing the elements of Google’s algorithm to a recipe, core updates are akin to adjustments to the recipe’s balance, potentially altering the ingredients or the evaluation processes for search results.
As with past updates, your website might have been affected positively or negatively, or it may have remained unaffected. It’s essential to analyze your site’s performance post-core update.
When assessing the impact of core updates, one can observe Google’s evolving perspective on user preferences. The winners of these updates often reflect SEO strategies that were overlooked by the losers.
For sites experiencing negative outcomes due to core updates, it’s advised not to “reset” your search strategy but to pivot or evolve it. Declines are not penalties but rather opportunities for strategic adjustments.
The Helpful Content Update addresses AI content, crackdowns on third-party content hosted on subdomains or the main site area, and other search ranking factors.
The Helpful Content System is Google’s mechanism for promoting high-quality content and removing unhelpful content from search results.
Key aspects of September’s update include:
Google has moved away from prioritizing human-created content, adopting a more neutral stance on AI-generated content, as long as it serves the needs of search users. At Coalition, we advise caution with AI-generated content, as it may not meet Google’s EEAT criteria without unique data and human oversight.
Third-party content on subdomains or the main site can negatively impact a website, as highlighted in the Helpful Content Update. The update advises that such content should be blocked from indexing if it is largely independent of the main site’s purpose or lacks supervision.
Google recommends self-assessing your content to handle traffic loss due to the update. They suggest asking yourself whether the content is helpful and reliable, and also consider obtaining an honest assessment from unaffiliated parties.
To align your site with Google’s updates and ensure ongoing performance, we recommend consulting with one of our digital strategists at Coalition Technologies. We are committed to staying ahead of updates to maintain your site’s optimal performance.
