According to Business Insider, Google and YouTube capture more than 90% of the internet search market. In fact, Google processes more than 3.5 billion search queries daily. Companies compete through SEO to make it as close to the top of the search results as possible. So, when a new Google algorithm update rolls out, it’s almost always a big deal. Here’s what you need to know about Google’s newest core update.
When the Update Occurred
Google first announced the June 2019 Core Update via a tweet on June 2nd of this year. The update went live a day later. In a series of related tweets, the tech giant shared that it updates its search engine on a daily basis. This helps to consistently improve the relevancy and quality of search results. However, a core update makes more profound changes to the algorithm. This can create positive or negative effects on website traffic overnight. So, what changed?
The Results of the Update
Google rarely provides concrete information on specific changes and how it will affect the way search results work. This can make change especially difficult for companies that are negatively impacted by the updates. So far, many companies have complained about a sharp decrease in organic search result ranking, which affects their profitability.
The Daily Mail reported losing up to half of their daily traffic from search results after the update went live. Other companies have also reported sharp declines in traffic, including The Sun and HuffPost. One big website even decided to shut down its operations.
Forbes reports that CCN.com, a cryptocurrency news website, is closing its doors and cited Google’s algorithm update as the specific reason for its decision. The founder claimed to lose 71% in traffic overnight, which translated into a 90% drop in profits. This spurred some rumors that Google specifically targeted the cryptocurrency community. However, there are other crypto sites that suffered only minor effects. Some experienced none at all.
What You Can Do About It
In spite of the negative effects experienced by some websites after the Google algorithm update, the recommended course of action is to do nothing. The company warns content creators not to make changes to their websites and the content they create. In doing so, they may begin to change things that were never the problem to begin with. Instead, Google recommends that websites focus on putting out the best possible content.
However, for the companies negatively affected by the update, this may not be enough. Was your website negatively affected by the recent changes? Here are some ways you can breathe some life back into your site:
1. Launch a Few New Experiments
Find other websites and blogs in your industry that have not suffered any changes to their website traffic. If possible, look for websites that claim to have experienced an increase in traffic. After all, Google must divert the lost traffic somewhere! Who is now ranking for your keywords? Evaluate their website, especially their content, and see what differentiates their SEO tactics from your own. Then, fill in the gaps on your own website.
2. Focus on Community-Building
Search engine results provide a great way to increase exposure and attract new visitors. Still, the real core of a website’s following are its subscribers, followers and fans. These are the people who turn to specific websites for their products and services, irrespective of any Google algorithm update. By prioritizing retention over growth, a company can remain afloat while waiting to discover the secrets of the new algorithm.
3. Increase Advertising
Prioritizing community-building doesn’t mean attracting new visitors should take a backseat. Instead, companies should consider using ads to attract new visitors and expand reach. Ad platforms to consider include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Google AdWords. Make a note of the blog links and landing pages used for ads. These may act as controls for your experiments. Otherwise, it will be difficult to tell whether any new growth comes from ads or better SEO tactics.
Naturally, a lot of entrepreneurs feel upset about the Google algorithm update. However, when it comes to google search results, it is important to note that Google’s priority is consumers, not companies. To maintain its 90%-plus market share, Google must continue to provide results that are the most relevant and of the highest quality for users.
Thus, when improving your website’s page rankings, remember to tackle all improvements from the perspective of Google and the consumer. Need help reviving your client’s website SEO performance? We can help! Learn more about our white label SEO services and see how a partnership with Boostability can help your business (and your clients) flourish!
