Google's Recent Core Update Successfully Concluded Early

Google has officially finished its March 2024 Core Update, bringing an end to the ranking fluctuations seen across the internet for over a month. However, Google did not officially announce the completion of the update until April 26, a week after it was finished on April 19.

Speculation had been circulating in the SEO community for days regarding the completion of the turbulent update. This delay in transparency highlights Google's ongoing communication challenges with publishers and emphasizes the importance of clarity during core updates.

Google March 2024 Core Update Timeline & Status

First announced on March 5, the core algorithm update is complete as of April 19. It took 45 days to complete.

Unlike more routine core refreshes, Google warned this one was more complex.

Google’s documentation reads:

The rollout of this update may take up to a month due to its complexity. There may be more fluctuations in rankings than usual as different systems are fully updated and reinforce each other.

Industry observers noted tangible aftershocks, with some websites experiencing losses of over 60% in organic search traffic.

The ripple effects also led to the deindexing of hundreds of sites that were allegedly violating Google’s guidelines.

Addressing Manipulation Attempts

Google has outlined the factors it considers when identifying link spam and manipulation efforts in its official guidelines. This includes producing "low-value content" solely to obtain manipulative links and boost rankings.

Links intended to boost sites’ rankings artificially, including manipulative outgoing links.

The “repurposing” of expired domains with radically different content to game search visibility.

The updated guidelines caution against link spam, which refers to any links that are meant to manipulate rankings in Google Search results. This includes any actions that manipulate links to your site or outgoing links from your site.

John Mueller, who works as a Search Advocate at Google, advised publishers not to make hasty changes during the core update. Instead, he recommended that sites address issues such as unnatural paid links proactively.

Mueller shared on Reddit that it's a good idea to make improvements on your website if you see areas that could be better. He emphasized that the goal shouldn't be to only cater to search engines, but to also enhance the user experience. Users will appreciate a better website, even if search engines haven't caught up yet.

Emphasizing Quality Over Links

The core update made notable changes to how Google ranks websites.

Google has decreased the significance of links in ranking websites. Previously described as crucial for determining relevancy, links are now just considered a factor according to Google's updated spam policies.

This change is in line with what Gary Illyes from Google has said about links not being as important for ranking. Instead, Google is focusing more on the quality, credibility, and depth of the content.

As a result, strategies that focus on acquiring low-quality links and keyword optimization have been downgraded.

Now that the update is finished, SEO professionals and website owners need to review their strategies and sites to make sure they are in line with Google's updated ranking criteria.

Core Update Feedback

Google has opened a ranking feedback form related to this core update.

You have until May 31 to use this form to share feedback with Google’s Search team regarding any issues you have noticed following the core update.

Although the feedback you provide will not directly result in changes for specific queries or websites, Google mentions that it could contribute to enhancing its search ranking systems for future updates.

Google recently updated its help documentation on “Debugging drops in Google Search traffic” to assist users in understanding ranking changes following a core update. The featured image is credited to Rohit Tripathi on Shutterstock.

FAQ

After the update, what steps should websites take to align with Google’s new ranking criteria?

After Google’s March 2024 Core Update, websites should:

Improve the quality, trustworthiness, and depth of their website content.

Stop heavily focusing on getting as many links as possible and prioritize relevant, high-quality links instead.

Fix any shady or spam-like SEO tactics on their sites.

Carefully review their SEO strategies to ensure they follow Google’s new guidelines.

Editor's P/S:

The Google March 2024 Core Update brought significant changes to search engine ranking criteria, emphasizing content quality over link acquisition. This shift highlights Google's ongoing efforts to combat link manipulation and reward websites that provide valuable information to users. The update has had a notable impact on websites, with some experiencing substantial traffic losses.

The delay in Google's official announcement of the update's completion underscores the ongoing communication challenges between Google and publishers. Clear and timely communication is crucial during core updates as it allows website owners to adapt their strategies effectively. The feedback form provided by Google offers an opportunity for publishers to share their experiences and contribute to the improvement of future updates.