Google began a significant modification to its search algorithm on Thursday, resulting in some instability in Google Search. Another update followed the next day, alongside which a ranking error was identified. The full fix for this issue is expected in about a month.
This major change has drawn attention from the SEO and publishing sectors, prompting observation and analysis of its introduction. Most websites reported minimal or no changes, a typical response to such updates. However, websites with higher organic search performance noted considerable shifts, illustrating the impact of this modification.
Sites impacted by the ‘Helpful Content Update’ in September of the previous year are showing minor recovery signs. Despite prior struggles with visibility and search rankings, they are beginning to see steady improvement, reclaiming their positions on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). Traffic is slowly increasing again, which indicates the possibility of recovering from significant post-update losses.
SEO consultant Glenn Gabe tracked over 380 websites, 47 of which showed a notable increase in visibility since the modification.
Analyzing Google’s algorithm impact on visibility
Some of these sites had low visibility and spiked with the update, while others with higher visibility are also improving. The more noticeable changes were seen in websites with previously low visibility, demonstrating the effectiveness of the changes.
Two monitored sites, House Fresh and Retro Dodo, have shown some recent ranking shifts but no significant turnarounds. House Fresh experienced a minor traffic surge last month, while Retro Dodo saw an almost negligible change. However, both sites have remained relatively stable in their overall Google rankings. Ongoing optimization efforts and robust SEO strategies may aid in improved search engine rankings moving forward.
Due to the ongoing rollout of the central update for August and a present search ranking bug, the future of these sites is uncertain. They may improve, remain stable, or further decline. Therefore, ongoing monitoring and detailed reporting will continue to comprehend the broader implications of these Google updates.
