Google's August 2024 Core Update Rolled Out, Separate from Ranking Fix
As of August 2024, Google has rolled out yet another core update. The August 2024 core update rolled out two changes that may affect your website rankings. This most recent update also provided a fix for a ranking problem some were seeing that was causing smaller, more independent sites not to appear in rankings as usual, leaving many clients asking their SEO agencies about the changes.
The most important thing to understand as we wait to see the fallout from this recent update is that we need time for the dust to settle. There will always be some flux around the time of any core updates or fixes by Google. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should take a break from adding high-quality content and changes to your website. None of these changes should stop you from updating your website positively.
This new guide provides detailed tips for website owners who think they may have been affected by the most recent changes. It offers tips for investigating traffic drops and improving content to combat these effects. It provides actionable steps you can take to work through these updates.
A breakdown of removed and added items in Google’s newest Core Algorithm Update:
Removed:
A paragraph indicating that pages affected by a core update did not breach any spam regulations.
An analogy is likening core updates to revisiting a list of top movies.
The previous "Assessing your own content" section has been substituted with the "Assessing a significant ranking drop" section.
Specific information regarding the timing of core updates and the elements that influence recovery duration.
Added:
"Check for traffic drops in Search Console" section:
Detailed instructions for using Search Console to spot ranking shifts.
"Assessing a significant ranking drop" section:
Tips for sites that experience major drops in rankings following a core update.
"Things to consider when implementing changes" section:
Encourages thorough enhancements rather than superficial adjustments.
Suggests content removal as a final measure.
"How long before changes impact Search results?" section:
Outlines the expected time frame to observe ranking improvements after content updates.
Mentions that the full effect may take several months and rely on a future core update.
It’s important to remember that rankings can shift even without any updates to the site as new content becomes available.