Google regularly releases updates to its search algorithm, known as kernel updates. These updates aim to improve the quality and relevance of search results. The Google update in August 2024 will be the latest contribution to this ongoing process. It is designed to identify and reward high-quality, user-friendly content while giving less visibility to lower-quality content.
Objectives and focus of the update
Emphasise quality and user-centricity
A key objective of this update is to emphasise quality and user-focus. Google aims to ensure that its users get the most relevant and useful information possible in their search results. This means:
- Improving relevance: better matching with user search questions.
- Assessing content quality– Google increasingly values expert and reliable content, especially in areas where accuracy is critical, such as health, finance and legal services.
To achieve these goals, Google uses complex algorithms that evaluate the E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) scores of websites, which is a key factor in ranking websites.
The impact of the update on websites – How the update affects different regions and industries
The core update of August 2024 will affect websites in different ways, depending on the quality of their content and how well they meet Google’s new requirements. Here are some of the key impacts:
- Ranking changes: sites that provide high quality and expert content can expect to see improvements in their visibility, while those that produce low quality content may see their rankings decline.
- Specific impacts on industry: different industries will experience the effects of the update in different ways. For example, the health, legal services and financial sectors, where the need for reliable information is high, are likely to see greater changes in ranking criteria.
These changes underline the need to focus on producing quality content that serves users’ needs and responds to their queries. This means that site owners and content providers need to re-evaluate and possibly update their strategies to meet Google’s latest requirements.
SEO strategies after the Google update
How can websites adapt to Google’s algorithm changes?
The August 2024 Google Core Update is a major milestone in search engine optimisation, and will require website owners to adapt to the new requirements in order to maintain or improve their visibility in Google search results. In this section, we discuss specific SEO strategiesto help websites adapt to these changes.
Focus on content quality and user experience
Quality content and an excellent user experience are key in the light of Google’s latest update. Search engines are now increasingly favouring sites that offer real value to their users. The next steps are key:
- Evaluate and improve your content: Make sure that all content on your website is informative, well written and meets the needs of your target audience.
- Optimising the user experience: improve the speed, navigation and responsiveness of your website. Make sure users can find the information they are looking for quickly and easily.
Build and maintain authority
Google values expertise, authority and trustworthiness, collectively known as E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Actions to improve these factors:
- Demonstrate your expertise: regularly publish in-depth and researched content from experts in your field.
- Developing your link structure: getting quality backlinks from reputable sources will increase your site’s credibility.
Take advantage of technical SEO
Technical SEO is a vital part of optimising your website, especially after major Google updates. The main technical areas to focus on are:
- Mobile-friendliness: make sure your website works seamlessly on all devices, especially mobile devices.
- Site speed: Optimise images, minify codes and use caching to improve site load speed.
- Use of structured data: implement structured data to help search engines better understand your website content and display enriched snippets in search results.
E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) meaning
The importance of content reliability and expertise
Google’s search algorithms increasingly emphasise the E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) principles, which are key factors in determining the quality of content and the trustworthiness of a website. These three factors are vital in ensuring that the information your site provides is not only accurate, but also valued by users and search engines.
Expertise (Expertise)
Expertise means that the content provider has the necessary knowledge or competence in the subject matter they are dealing with. This is particularly important in areas where accuracy and in-depth understanding are essential, such as healthcare, finance and technology.
How to demonstrate expertise:
- Use trained and qualified experts in your field to produce content.
- Publish thoroughly researched and verified information.
- Clearly showcase the qualifications and achievements of your authors on your website.
Authority (Authoritativeness)
Authority refers to the extent to which a website or its authors are recognised as reliable sources in their field. A site’s authority increases as it gains recognition from other respected players in the same field.
How to build authority:
- Get mentions, referrals and backlinks from other reputable sites.
- Participate in industry debates and publications.
- Collect and publish positive reviews and customer feedback.
Reliability (Trustworthiness)
Trustworthiness reflects how reliable and secure your site is perceived by users and Google. This includes technical security, such as HTTPS security, and the authenticity of your content.
How to improve reliability:
- Make sure your site has a valid SSL certificate.
- Transparently disclose contact details and privacy policies.
- Avoid misleading content and follow ethical standards in all publishing activities.
Summary
E-A-T is more important than ever when it comes to building your site’s visibility and trust in Google’s eyes. By investing time and resources to strengthen these three elements, you can significantly improve your site’s search engine visibility and enhance the user experience. Investing in expertise, authority and trustworthiness pays off in the long run, as it helps build lasting trust between your site and its audience.
Technical SEO and site structure
How will the technical aspects of SEO affect rankings after the new update?
Technical SEO is a key part of website optimisation, and its importance is even greater with Google’s latest updates. This section looks at how technical factors affect a website’s search engine rankings and what steps can be taken to improve them.
Site speed and performance
Google has consistently stressed the importance of site load speed for user experience and search engine rankings. The latest update makes this factor even more critical.
- Mobile-friendliness: make sure the site is optimised for mobile use, as most users arrive on mobile devices.
- Resource optimisation: it is worth optimising the size of images and videos, and minifying JavaScript and CSS can improve load times.
You can check the speed of your website at https://pagespeed.web.dev/, if you need help optimising the speed of your website you can contact us.
Technical SEO criteria
The basics of technical SEO cover a wide range of measures that need to be taken into account in the structure of a website:
- Robots.txt: Check and update your robots.txt file to help search robots crawl your site more efficiently.
- XML site map: make sure the site map is up-to-date and contains all the important pages.
- SSL/TLS certificates: the use of HTTPS is essential as it increases both security and trust.
Structured data and Schema Markup
Structured data helps search engines to better understand your website content and can improve your visibility in enriched search results.
- Schema.org: use Schema.org definitions to help Google better understand the content and context of your site.
- Enriched search results: take advantage of structured data to display product reviews, events, personal data, etc. in search results.
Summary
Optimizing technical SEO and site structure is vital for your site’s search engine visibility, especially after major Google updates. Focusing on these areas will ensure that your site meets current search engine requirements, while providing a fast and secure user experience. This will not only improve your rankings, but also strengthen your site’s position as a trusted resource in your industry.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Google Core Update?
Google Core Update refers to changes to Google’s search algorithm that aim to improve the relevance and quality of search results. These updates can affect the visibility of sites in search results, either by improving or reducing their rankings.
How can I prepare for Google Core Update?
Preparing for the Google Core Update requires several steps:
- Ensuring content quality: produce high-quality, relevant content that answers users’ questions.
- Technical SEO: Make sure the technical implementation of your website is in order, including speed, mobile-friendliness and site security.
- Following the E-A-T principles: focus on expertise, authority and reliability in your content.
What happens if my site is negatively affected by an update?
If you notice a decrease in the performance of your site after an update:
- Analyse the changes: use Google Analytics and Search Console to see which pages have lost traffic.
- Make the necessary changes: improve content, update outdated information and make sure all technical aspects of your site are up to date.
How quickly will I see changes in my investments after the update?
Changes in rankings may occur immediately after the release of an update, but in some cases it may take weeks to see the full effect. It is important to monitor your site’s performance regularly and make continuous improvements.
Is there a timetable for Core Update updates?
Google does not usually announce precise timetables for Core Update updates. They are released on an as-needed basis, and Google usually announces major updates in advance.
