Google Updates and Your Rankings - How the Two Are (Or Are Not) Related

 It’s hard to imagine the amount of brain power and technology it takes to keep Google’s search engine humming along on any given day.  But we know part of what keeps Google running in optimal form is its near-constant tweaking and updating. 

If you’ve spent any time in the digital marketing space, you know Google deploys updates fairly regularly. Some are made known to the public while others happen quietly in the background. 

Google normally deploys its major updates, also known as core updates, only a few times each year, separated by several months.  Summer 2021 has been unique, though.  Two core updates – one in June and another in July – were deployed. 

So at this point you’re probably asking yourself, “What is a core update and why should I care? Will these updates affect my Google ranking?”   

 The Google world is vast and requires constant maintenance, which is handled through regular updates. These updates may be extremely minor, involving just a bit of code correction. Or they could be more involved, like making adjustments to processes. These routine updates happen constantly – thousands of times a year.  Most of the time, these changes are so minor that people don’t even notice and Google doesn’t even bother telling us about it. 

But a core update is different. Google’s core updates involve substantial changes to its search algorithms and system. Core updates are a big deal, not least because the changes are broad and quite noticeable.   

Google generally gives their core updates a pretty straightforward name, like “July 2021 Core Update.”  They also make the general public aware, or at least those who are interested, and provide a description of the update. 

 Short answer:  Possibly. But ultimately, it depends on the update itself. 

Those standard, run-of-the mill updates Google deploys on a regular basis probably won’t cause your rankings to fluctuate. Again, these updates are minor and aren’t designed to impact individual rankings. 

Google core updates, on the other hand, could potentially affect your rankings. Again, it depends on the update itself and the algorithm changes involved. 

Here’s an example: Years ago, Google realized not everyone was playing nice when it came to ranking their sites.  Black hat SEO became a big issue, so Google decided to do something about it. They released a core update that specifically addressed SEO practices that were violating their terms of service. Sites that were using black hat SEO techniques saw their rankings plummet, while sites that were sticking to Google’s terms of service were unaffected (or they saw their rankings increase as the others fell away.) In this case, Google’s core update did affect site rankings. 

 The default answer to this question is first, be patient. Rankings fluctuate constantly to a certain degree, Google update or not.  So,  relax. Slight changes one way or the other are not the end of the world. In fact, they’re to be expected.

 But if your rankings have taken a nosedive and don’t seem to be recovering, even after you’ve allowed time for things to level out, it’s time to take action. If you work with a marketing firm, it might be time to put in a call to them. Here at Locallogy,  if one of our clients experiences a sudden drop in ranking, we work hard to find out why.  Then, if needed, we update the client’s SEO strategy to address the fluctuation.

 If you’re a DIY marketer and you don't work with a firm  ,  there are still steps you can take. First, do a quick search for Google’s recent core  updates. Educate yourself about the core updates and how they may have affected your ranking.  Remember, you won’t find much, if any, information online about Google’s  standard updates (they probably didn’t affect your ranking, anyway  . )

 If you determine a Google update is not the cause of your ranking change, now it’s time to take a look at your competition.  You know the keywords you’re ranking for? Well, other sites are ranking for those too.  Depending on your business vertical, competition can be fierce. Also keep in mind new and niche keywords are more likely to cause fluctuation.

 And finally, we know Google puts a lot of stock in user experience. If your rankings aren’t where you want them to be or they’re bouncing around, stop and take a look at your website.  Is it user friendly? Are you providing quality, informative content?  And—this is a big one—is your site optimized for mobile devices?

Looking for more help with your rankings? Get in touch with us at Locallogy - we're local marketing expects. We can help!