Have You Upgraded Your Website in Sync with Google Algorithm Updates For 2023?
Interested in learning about Google Algorithm Updates For 2023? We have made it easier for you in this blog.
Google is the dominant search engine that currently has 86% of the global search market share. For the vast majority of consumers worldwide, their purchase journey often begins with a search on Google. Therefore, for businesses and other website owners, it is critical to ensure that their site is fully compliant with the latest Google search engine guidelines.
Google’s search algorithm is the motor that drives the search results. If you want your web pages to rank high on Google Page One, you need to optimize your pages in sync with the search algorithm. Google regularly updates its algorithm, and you will be left behind in search engine rankings if you are not keeping pace with these updates for your website.
Google Core Update – January 2023
Google’s first core algorithm update of 2020 came in January, which was designed to impact all search results globally. Google remained guarded on the specifics of the update but provided a hint that the update can be compared to a list of top all-time favorite movies which is constantly evolving. For instance, a top 25 list created in 2016 would have to be updated in 2020 to incorporate new titles (if any of them make it to the list).
The clear indication is that the January 2020 core update was aimed at downgrading website content that has not been refreshed for a long time, and is no longer very relevant. Therefore, if your web pages seem to have dropped in search result rankings after the January 2023 Google update, you should look at replacing or updating your old content to make it more current.
The central goal of the Google algorithm is to identify web pages that provide the most accurate, enriching, relevant, and current information to the user in response to their search query. So, while your site content may be accurate, enriching, and relevant, if it is not current or is missing the latest facts, data, or references, you may lose out in search rankings following this January algorithm update.
Google Core Algorithm Update – March 2023
In the first week of March, Google released its second core algorithm update of the year. Once again, Google did not divulge the specific elements of its algorithm that were updated. However, it did indicate that the update was aimed at rewarding those websites which provided high-quality content but have somehow not achieved high rankings in search results.
This major Google update seems have changed the search algorithm as a whole rather than tweaking only one particular factor or another (such as site download speed, social signals, web page bounce rate, inbound links, etc.) The update came during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic when the user dependence on online information is on the rise. Clearly, Google decided to raise the bar on content quality through this core algorithm update in May 2020.
How is the May Google Algorithm Updates For 2023 Impacting Websites and Search Results?
Web traffic analysts have noticed some dramatic changes in search rankings for different websites following the March 2023 core update from Google.
Websites with Thin Content are Losing Out
One of the key observations has been that websites that are thin on content quality but were winning in search rankings powered by external SEO factors have begun to lose their positions. The algorithm update seems to have sharpened Google’s ability to identify these websites and is pushing them down the search results so that more deserving websites with high-quality content can be rewarded with top rankings.
Major Domains are Strongly Affected
It appears that the algorithm update of May 2020 has first gone after big websites that command web traffic of more than one million visitors per month. After the Google update, there has been high volatility in the search rankings of the web pages of these sites.
Some of the under-rewarded large websites with highly relevant content are getting pushed up the search results, while some other large websites that do not deliver the desired level of quality content are facing downgrades in rankings.
Certain Industries are More Impacted than Others
According to some SEO experts, the feedback from webmasters shows that certain industries and business sectors are more affected than others by the May 2020 algorithm update. Some of these sectors include the ones that have also faced the maximum brunt from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Some of the most influenced sectors and categories (across mobile and desktop searches) include:
- Healthcare
- Travel & hospitality
- Food & beverage
- Real estate
- Pets & animals
- Society and people related domains
How You Should Respond to these Updates?
If your search rankings have been adversely affected after the Google algorithm core update of May 2020, you should take the following key steps:
- Re-examine the content on your web pages that have dropped in search rankings after the update.
- Evaluate your keyword optimization – have you been using excessive keyword density to optimize your pages?
- Review whether your website design is intuitive and visually appealing and whether the content placement is logical.
- Focus on boosting your Google E-A-T score (expertise, authority, trust) – which is now the most critical factor in achieving top search rankings on a sustainable basis.
- Compare your page rankings with those of your direct competitors. If they are ranking higher than you, then you need to analyze their keywords, page content, social activity, Google reviews and ratings, and other SEO factors.
- Pay attention to localized SEO. Build a strong presence on Google My Business, ensure your NAP consistency (name, address, phone number) across the web, and include local keywords in your content.
The 5 key factors that help determine which results are returned for your search query
Google goes over 200+ factors that influence your web page’s rank. The following are the 5 key elements that help the algorithm understand your search queries requirements. The entire 200+ factors are divided among these 5 elements.
- Meaning of the search query
- How relevant is the search query to your web page
- What is the quality of the content of your website
- Usability of the website
- The context of the queries and settings of your website
Hire the Services of a Digital Marketing and SEO Expert
Google encourages website owners to hire professional webmasters, website managers, or external digital marketing and SEO agencies. While Google’s primary emphasis is on content quality, it recognizes the importance of search engine optimization so that its web crawlers can identify the best content and reward it with high search rankings.
Choose a competent digital marketer and SEO specialist who can ensure your website achieves high visibility in search results across all current and future Google algorithm updates.
Read our recent blog – Comprehensive Guide to SEO Marketing For Businesses
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