How Does a Google New Algorithm Update Affect Your Website?
Google search engine utilizes an intricate system of algorithms and ranking factors to deliver webpages ranked according to relevance for each query. Google updates can have significant ramifications on websites of all shapes and sizes.
The Florida update focused on black hat SEO tactics and made it harder to rank well using manipulative techniques, while simultaneously rewarding websites focusing on E-A-T.
Google’s RankBrain
Google RankBrain is an artificial intelligence that processes search queries. Over time, its learning helps improve SERP results while it can also handle new search questions that Google has never previously processed. According to estimates, up to 15% of Google search volume may pass through it each day.
Contrasting with Hummingbird’s keywords-centric focus, RankBrain uses machine learning and multiple factors to accurately establish user search intent. It takes into account their location, current trends, and previous search history so as to deliver relevant and useful results for their searches.
Before the holidays, an algorithm was released with the intent of penalizing websites using outdated SEO tactics such as keyword stuffing and link manipulation, while simultaneously improving mobile-friendly rankings. It took three weeks to roll out, leading to significant SERP volatility and significant SERP volatility. Furthermore, its 2021 product reviews update rewarded expert product reviews while penalizing thin content which provided only basic product info – marking its inaugural appearance.
Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines
Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines are a set of criteria designed to impact search rankings and visibility of search results. While they do not directly impact individual site rankings, their presence can still have a huge impact on how SERPs are displayed. Furthermore, these guidelines aim to emphasize content created for humans rather than solely ranking purposes.
Guidelines include criteria like expertise, authority and trustworthiness (E-A-T). In addition to that they prohibit websites that match search terms in order to increase traffic. They will penalize websites which promote hateful acts against groups of people including religion, race, gender, disability nationality or age.
The BERT update, which had an impactful 10% of searches, helped Google understand searches and page content more like human language. Following that update in September 2022 was another broad core algorithm update which rewarded well-crafted, high-quality pages while demoting low quality ones.
Google’s Mobile-First Indexing
Google has introduced several major algorithm updates designed to enhance search results, known as “Google Updates,” that may alter your visibility as well as affect other websites’. While an update could potentially impact you negatively, if your content adheres to Quality Rater Guidelines it will continue ranking well even after one.
The Mobile-First Indexing Update, implemented in November 2016, revolutionized how Google evaluates pages to rank them. Instead of giving priority to desktop versions of pages, mobile versions now dominate rankings assessment and Google has discontinued using TF-IDF to measure keyword density – something which previously helped boost sites with lots of keywords in both titles and bodies.
The Product Reviews Update began rolling out in December 2021 to reward English-language product review articles. It was less broad than previous core updates and only caused slight ranking volatility; soon thereafter it was followed up with another core update in September 2022 that focused on helping searchers discover useful content.
Google’s Knowledge Graph
Google’s Knowledge Graph is its way of linking people, places and things together and can be seen in SERP features such as Knowledge Panels or Knowledge Cards.
Knowledge graphs use information from credible sources, such as Wikipedia and CIA World Factbook, to form relationships among entities. To be included in a Knowledge Graph, entities must receive at least 30 confirmations from credible sources.
Optimizing your business for the Knowledge Graph can significantly increase its visibility. This is particularly vital for local businesses as Google will display accurate and up-to-date information about you in search results for people searching nearby. While optimizing for the Knowledge Graph doesn’t take as much work as building high-quality links, it still takes time and effort to ensure Google’s Knowledge Graph remains accurate, improving user experience while increasing website traffic.