SEO news and fresh tricks

Google's September 2022 core update has led to major disruptions for many websites' rankings and traffic. For site owners affected, understanding the update and responding strategically is crucial. Overview of Google's Core Updates Google rolls out core updates several times per year to refine their search algorithms globally. The September 14, 2022 core update aims to boost Google's new language AI system Gemini and return more "helpful" human-written content in results. Core updates can significantly shake up search rankings and traffic when Google makes major tweaks. Monitoring analytics helps gauge impacts. Case Study: Two Sites See Traffic Plummet Over 30% I operate two travel websites as public case studies. In this update, one lost 30% of its traffic, the other 44% - overnight. Despite quality content from experienced travel writers, strong technical SEO, and aiming to follow Google's advice, they still suffered hits. Such dramatic drops typically i...

Google was recently granted a patent for a sophisticated automated system to evaluate web content against its policies and curb the reach of violations. While details remain vague, this provides insight into Google's future capabilities and has intriguing implications for SEO and website owners. An In-Depth Look at How Google's Automated Screening System Works At its core, the system utilizes advanced machine learning models that have been trained to recognize when website content diverges from Google's extensive content policies and guidelines. This includes identifying inappropriate, explicit, dangerous or illegal material. Content is systematically checked against complex predefined patterns and categorized based on policy adherence. If a content item such as a webpage, video or image crosses a set threshold of similarity to prohibited patterns, Google can automatically demote or withhold it from going viral to limit exposure. To check overzealous automated decisions, th...

  Google has initiated the rollout of their latest major algorithm update, the September 2023 Helpful Content Update. This update aims to improve Google's classifier system, which is responsible for identifying and ranking high-quality, useful content higher in search results. For website owners, understanding these changes and optimizing accordingly is key to surviving this disruption. A Closer Look at Google's Classifier Technology The Google classifier applies machine learning to categorize and score content based on its perceived helpfulness and value to searchers. Pages that pass through the classifier successfully can then progress to be evaluated by other important ranking factors. Content deemed low-quality or unhelpful will conversely sink lower in rankings. This latest update seeks to enhance the classifier's capabilities, particularly in identifying "hidden gem" pages - those with great information that should rank higher but were previously overlooked....

  The latest Google algorithm update, dubbed the Helpful Content Update, has been wreaking havoc on websites since launching on September 13, 2023. Many site owners are seeing massive drops in traffic and rankings seemingly overnight. The Update's Impact While normally Google volatility detectors show high fluctuations during an update, many are still green and normal for this one. However, search results are proving extremely volatile. Some sites have seen traffic decrease 50% or more directly after the August Core Update. One 5-year-old, stable site went from 1,000 clicks per day down to just 300. Trying to Understand the Update It's still early at only 7 days in. Last year's Helpful Content Update lasted 38 days, so we may only be beginning to see effects. Some posit Google could rollback changes if complaints continue mounting. The update seems to reward big authority websites like Reddit, LinkedIn, and Quora, which have all seen exponential traffic increases. Their dom...

September 2023 has seen Google roll out a major algorithm update focused on improving content quality and user experience. This update, nicknamed the "helpful content update", aims to reward websites with content written for people, by people. The Update and Its Goals Announced on September 13, 2023, this update targets content that provides insightful, authentic information to searchers. Google wants results to showcase content created thoughtfully by human experts, not just content stuffed with keywords or written by AI. The goal is to surface helpful, high-quality content that gives searchers the information they need. If you've noticed drops in your own site's traffic and rankings, it likely means Google believes your content isn't as useful for searchers. Key Factors Targeted by the Update Google hasn't released specifics, but based on the rollout, key factors seem to include: Expertise and authorship  - Content written by knowledgeable human experts scor...