Google’s latest core updates have once again shifted the SEO landscape. The search engine has been at the forefront of prioritising quality over quantity and emphasising authentic, user-focused content. As these changes roll out, businesses must adapt to maintain or improve their search rankings. Here’s a breakdown of the critical impact of these updates and actionable strategies to help your site thrive in the new search environment.
Key Points To Consider:
- Priotise High Quality Content
- Enhance User Experience
- Strengthen E-E-A-T To EAT
- Monitor, Analyse and Adapt
- Stay Informed and Agile
The Impact of Google’s 2024 Core Updates on Search Rankings
Google’s 2024 updates, mainly the March and August core updates, have targeted the ever-growing issue of low-quality, AI-generated content. The March update alone saw hundreds of websites deindexed, resulting in significant traffic and revenue losses. A study by Originality.ai revealed that 100% of the affected sites contained AI-generated content, with some relying on it for up to 90% of their posts.
The August update further underscored Google’s commitment to surfacing genuinely helpful content, favouring smaller, independent publishers who produce original, valuable material. The update sends a clear message: high-quality, user-centric content is the key to ranking success. Sites adhering to these principles have seen positive impacts, while those focusing solely on SEO optimisation rather than user value risk falling behind.
Key Strategies to Adapt and Improve Your Rankings
1. Prioritise High-Quality Content
Content remains king, but not just any content—Google’s updates reward depth, originality and relevance. The goal is for brands to provide relevant, helpful information that addresses the audience’s needs. Moving away from keyword stuffing and focusing on creating engaging, informative content that demonstrates expertise and builds trust is key to improving ranking.
2. Enhance User Experience
User experience is no longer just a buzzword – it’s a core aspect of SEO success. A website that loads quickly, navigates smoothly and looks great on all devices will score brownie points with both users and Google. Evaluate your site’s UX regularly and prioritise updates that enhance accessibility and usability.
3. Strengthen Your E-E-A-T To EAT
Google’s emphasis on E-E-A-T means that showcasing your authority and credibility is more important than ever. E-E-A-T is an acronym used by Google to describe Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. This can be achieved by publishing high-quality content, featuring expert authors, and earning backlinks from reputable sites. Ensure your site transparently displays author credentials, references credible sources and consistently offers reliable information.
4. Monitor, Analyse and Adapt
With SEO, it’s crucial to stay vigilant. Using tools like Google Search Console to track your site’s performance is essential to identify areas for improvement. Regularly audit your content to remain relevant and aligned with Google’s changing standards. Remember, search rankings are dynamic, and continuous optimisation is necessary to keep pace with Google’s changes.
5. Stay Informed and Agile
SEO is not a one-time task – it’s an ongoing process that requires staying up-to-date with the latest trends and updates. Google rolls out core updates several times a year, each with the potential to significantly impact search rankings. Staying informed about the changes allows you to adapt your strategy swiftly and maintain a competitive edge.
Final Thoughts
Keeping up to date with the latest SEO trends, promoting E-E-A-T with your content and constant optimisation are crucial to staying ahead of Google’s changes to ranking. As Google partners renowned for their skill in SEO optimisation, we would love to help your business gain real results from its ranking.
