Has the performance of your website changed recently? Are you wondering if this is the result of a Google algorithm update? Let’s break it down to help you understand what’s going on and why it matters for your online presence.
What is Google Algorithm Update?
Imagine Google’s algorithm as a complex set of rules and formulas that decide which websites appear in search results and their order. When Google updates its algorithm, it adjusts these rules to enhance the search experience, often aiming to highlight high-quality, relevant content.
Google makes 10-14 major changes to its algorithm annually. These significant updates often cause a stir among business owners and SEO experts because they can lead to noticeable changes in website traffic and visibility.
How can Google Algorithm Update Affect Your SEO?
Here are a few impacts of Google Algorithm Update:
Sudden Drop in Organic Traffic
Google’s algorithm updates can impact how your website shows up in search results. Your website may receive fewer clicks, less traffic, and eventually fewer customers if it abruptly drops in the rankings for popular search terms.
Google often changes its algorithm to improve the search experience, giving preference to websites that offer helpful, relevant, and high-quality content. The drop in your website’s rankings may be a sign that Google believes there is room for improvement in your website’s content.
Decrease in Keyword Rankings
Let’s start with what a keyword ranking is. It’s the position your website holds in the search results when a user types in a particular word, term, or phrase. Being highly ranked increases the visibility of your website to prospective buyers, which is gold.
When you see a drop in your ranks; it’s like going from the front to the back of a packed concert! This decline may be one of the first indicators that the content or structure of your website isn’t being favorably affected by a recent change to the Google algorithm.
Changes in SERP Features
Elements on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP), such as featured snippets, local packs, and knowledge panels, can greatly enhance your website’s visibility and increase click-through rates. Losing these features can lead to a noticeable drop in user engagement and traffic.
Google’s algorithm updates frequently adjust the factors it considers important in content and website structure. If your site loses a featured snippet or drops out of the local pack after an update, it might be because Google now prioritizes different criteria for these features.
Increased Bounce Rate
An increase in bounce rate can indicate various issues, but when it coincides with an algorithm update, it often means your site may not be meeting user expectations or matching search intent effectively. Google’s primary goal is to provide users with the most relevant, high-quality content. If an update changes the criteria for what is deemed relevant or high-quality, and your site no longer aligns with those criteria, users might leave your site quickly to find content that better suits their needs.
Decline in Conversion Rate
When Google updates its algorithm, it can not only affect your website’s traffic but also the quality of that traffic. If the update alters your site’s rankings or the search keywords it appears for, you might begin attracting casual visitors who are less likely to convert. These visitors might be searching for something a bit different, or your site may no longer be perceived as authoritative or trustworthy following the update.
Warnings or Penalties in Google Search Console
Google Search Console displays how Google sees and uses your website like a health check. The standards for what constitutes good practice can change with an algorithm update, and behaviors that were previously acceptable may now result in warnings or fines.
Unusual Increase in Crawl Errors
Has the number of crawl errors in your Google Search Console increased recently? This could indicate that your website is facing the consequences of a recent Google algorithm upgrade rather than just a simple technical glitch.
When Google’s bots have difficulties accessing pages on your website, they produce crawl errors. While occasional errors are common, a sharp rise may be a sign of more serious issues, maybe related to modifications in the way Google’s algorithm evaluates and indexes webpages.
Fluctuations in Competitor Rankings
When Google updates its algorithm, it affects more than just your site; it can alter the entire search landscape. If you notice competitors suddenly rising or falling in the search rankings, it’s a clear sign that the rules have changed.
Things to do After Google Algorithm Update
The best way to pay attention to the news about updates. Take note of your rankings a week before and after the update.
Check Whether Your Rankings Were Impacted
There are several tools to measure your SEO performance like Google Search Console. When a new update comes out check whether your ranking has dropped and monitor it for a week. Sometimes the drop is temporary, your website will gain its original rank. However, there are some updates that will drop your ranking permanently. If you see such a case, you’ll have to improve your content and rank for the keywords.
Research About the Update and Changes
Google doesn’t disclose full details about their updates. However, they post about core ranking factors and offer some general guidelines in their search central blog. In addition to this, you can also search online for what people are discussing about the update and the best way to do this is to join a SEO community. You’ll find insights and analysis on how the update has impacted the websites.
The research is important because it will confirm whether other people and their websites are facing the same issue. So you can use the same SEO strategy. If that’s not the case, then you’ll have to work on your content.
Determine which Ranking Factors were Impacted
Finding out which factors are a source of your drop in ranking is a major challenge in SEO. Google uses a certain number of ranking factors to promote a website. You can find out these factors in their search central blogs to determine which factors are lowering your SEO ranking.
Improving the Quality Across all Your Webpages
You may see some of your web pages have taken a bigger hit after an update. However, most likely you’ll observe a general downward trend in ranking for all of your web pages. Depending on the drop, you may have to work on a page-by-page basis or take a site-wide approach.
Final Thoughts
Google’s algorithm updates can significantly impact your website’s SEO, affecting traffic, rankings, and user engagement. Understanding these changes and adapting your strategies is essential for maintaining and improving your online presence. Stay informed and flexible to navigate the evolving search landscape successfully.