Insights into Google's March 2024 Update: Understanding Manual Actions

The recent update in March 2024 is considered a significant one.

I have witnessed every Google update over the years, and in my opinion, the March 2024 Core Algorithm Update is as impactful as the Florida, Panda, and Penguin updates. Experienced marketers I have spoken to also agree that this update is significant.

The Medic update was a notable change in the algorithm, but the current situation goes beyond a single shift. It represents a fundamental shift in how websites are ranked. Therefore, it is important to examine what is being penalized to grasp the full extent of this update.

2. Sites That Survived Previous Updates Didn’t Escape This One

Many social media posts are showing that Google is now taking down whole websites from search results and the search index. Some people are cheering the removal of low-quality sites that managed to stay in the SERPs despite past Google updates.

Some publishers are puzzled about why all their websites have disappeared.

In a post shared within the private Affiliate SEO Mastermind group, a publisher shares the story of their entire network of sites suddenly vanishing.

All eight affected sites were created within the past two years, each focusing on a different niche topic. The post's author mentioned that the content was primarily created manually, with minimal assistance from AI. Despite the effort put into creating the websites, they are currently not receiving any traffic impressions.

One possible reason for the sites being affected could be that they cover a wide range of topics. This variety may suggest that the author lacked the in-depth expertise in each niche that Google values when ranking websites.

The individual who posted on Facebook mentioned that they are quitting and shifting their attention to YouTube.

According to Jeff Coyle from MarketMuse AI Content Planning, a set of websites he monitors to gauge Google's search algorithm performance were recently taken off Google's search engine results pages (SERPs).

Jeff mentioned on Twitter that he was looking at a group of search engine results pages (SERPs) that he keeps an eye on. These SERPs contained a number of spam websites that have been lingering around for 12-18 months. Some of these websites have been completely removed from Google's index, while others are either hidden in filters or pushed to the very bottom of the SERP.

@barelypurple responded to Jeff’s tweet:

“Some pure garbage getting demolished which is great but my main concern is that we’ll just see big sites getting even more traction.”

3. Penalties Happening Fast

Another interesting feature of this update is the speed at which sites are receiving manual actions.

@ratneshkumar684 tweeted:

“It seems @googlesearchc is very fast to implement the spam update this time.

One of my friend’s site got completely deindexed today morning.

Just now he received this manual penalty affecting all the pages.

The site was publishing news in the entertainment niche.”

Screenshot Of Manual Action Notification

Screenshot X (formerly Twitter)

Lily Ray tweeted about ten sites gone overnight:

10 websites completely removed from Google search overnight. https://t.co/eeUgmhRxXs

— Lily Ray (@lilyraynyc) March 6, 2024

Gael Breton tweeted:

“I’m seeing AI spam sites getting fully deindexed left and right right now.

It’s going to get interesting”

@PureAffiliate responded with a tweet about a self-described “link building agency” that was completely eliminated from Google’s search results.

Julian Goldie's site has gone https://t.co/a82NQmQDVB

— Bobstack (@PureAffiliate) March 6, 2024

Screenshot Of Site Absent From SERPs

Google March 2024 Update: 6 Insights On Manual Actions

4. Inconsistent Communication About Manual Actions

Some businesses reaching out to Jeannie Hill (@essentialskill) for assistance have shared their confusion over the inconsistent communication from Google regarding manual actions. While some received an email notification, others only discovered the manual action when checking their Google Search Console. One interesting case even saw a decrease in traffic before being alerted through the search console.

I was asked to assist some websites that had received a manual action. Upon reviewing the data, it was evident that most of them experienced a noticeable drop in performance before the manual action appeared in their Google Search Console. A few of them even received an email notification.

Ollie Ryman @ollie_ryman shared his thoughts on manual actions regarding "abusive experiences." These manual actions do not show up in Google Search Console, with the only notification being sent through email.

In a tweet, Ollie mentioned:

Hey @searchliaison, I noticed that abusive experiences don't show up as a manual action in GSC, but only in the old webmaster tools. If someone uses a domain property, the only notification they'll get is through email. Is this how it's supposed to work?

Good question. Everyone I've asked who got the manual action said they did not get an email notification about it.

— Tony Hill (@tonythill) March 6, 2024

5. Small AI Content Sites Can Receive A Manual Action

It was suggested on Twitter that Google can identify AI-generated content based on the high volume of content published quickly.

The reason why Google de-indexes AI sites is likely due to the frequency of publishing rather than the actual content itself. If a website is posting an excessive amount of articles daily and misusing the search console API for indexing, it becomes easy for Google to flag and take action.

The speed at which a website publishes content can indeed help in identifying spam sites. However, it is important to note that Google has advanced capabilities to detect AI generated content, as mentioned in a response to the tweet above.

After the tweet above, Pete Reynolds shared his own experience with a small website that had AI-generated content but wasn't really doing much. Surprisingly, this seemingly unimportant site ended up getting a manual action.

I have a website with only 8 articles that were published a year ago. The content was created using AI technology and was mainly meant to establish a presence for the domain in case I decided to work on the project in the future.

Out of all the websites I own, this particular site is the only one that has received a manual action.

Another important point to keep in mind is that statistical analysis takes into account more than just one piece of data, such as how fast content is posted. The accuracy of statistical analysis improves significantly when multiple data points are considered. This has been a key aspect of statistical analysis in search engines for nearly two decades.

6. Old Sites Getting A Manual Action

Another facet of this update is that it’s affecting older sites that haven’t previously received manual actions.

@simransingh931 tweeted:

“Even one of our websites got hit with a manual penalty.

I launched a new website back in 2013, and it quickly gained popularity with good traffic. However, recently, I received a manual penalty for it. Our website never engaged in spammy practices, and all articles were written by reputable authors. We always created our own content, including screenshots.

I thought it was just us, but searched and found this and a few other threads.”

Takeaway: Reflection Before Action

The search marketing community has reported a wide range of manual actions, confirming Google's announcement about significant changes to their ranking systems and algorithms.

The Florida, Panda, and Penguin updates unveiled flaws in traditional SEO tactics, prompting search marketers to reevaluate their strategies and find new approaches to stay ahead.

It will take a full month for this update to be fully implemented. I suggest getting familiar with the websites that have received manual actions to recognize any common patterns among penalized sites. Keep in mind that the most obvious issue may not always be the most critical one.

The entire search marketing industry is eagerly anticipating the outcome of this update. Don't forget to take a moment to relax and breathe amidst all the excitement.

Featured image by Shutterstock/1000Photography

Editor's P/S:

The March 2024 Core Algorithm Update has been a significant event in the search marketing industry, with many experts comparing its impact to that of major updates like Florida, Panda, and Penguin. This update has resulted in widespread manual actions from Google, with numerous websites being completely removed from search results. Interestingly, even older sites with a clean history have been affected, indicating a fundamental shift in Google's ranking criteria.

The update has also highlighted the importance of creating high-quality content and avoiding spammy tactics. Google's ability to detect AI-generated content is a clear signal that search marketers need to focus on providing valuable and authentic information to their audience. It has also raised concerns about the potential for larger websites to gain even more traction, as smaller AI content sites face manual actions. The full impact of this update is yet to be seen, but it is clear that search marketers need to adapt their strategies and prioritize ethical and sustainable SEO practices to succeed in the future.