Google’s August 2024 Core Update

In the ever-evolving landscape of SEO, Google has once again rolled out a core update, this time known as the August 2024 Core Update. As with all core updates, this one promises to bring significant changes to search rankings and the visibility of websites, particularly affecting smaller and independent publishers. Google has stated that this update will take about a month to fully roll out, making the coming weeks crucial for site owners and SEO professionals.

A Shift Towards More Useful Content

The primary aim of this update is to continue Google’s mission of improving the quality of its search results. The August 2024 update is not just another routine core update but is deeply rooted in feedback received from the SEO community following the controversialSeptember 2023 helpful content update. That update had a detrimental effect on many small and independent publishers, leaving them struggling to regain their previous rankings.

Google’s John Mueller, a Search Advocate at Google, announced the new update, stating, “Today, we launched our August 2024 core update to Google Search. This update is designed to continue our work to improve the quality of our search results by showing more content that people find genuinely useful and less content that feels like it was made just to perform well on Search.” This statement underscores Google’s intention to shift the focus back to valuable content, especially content that genuinely benefits users rather than content solely optimized for search engines.

Focusing on Small and Independent Sites

A major focus of the August 2024 core update is to promote useful content from small and independent publishers. Since the March 2024 core update, Google has been listening to feedback, particularly from creators who have felt left behind by previous updates. This update aims to correct some of those issues and help smaller sites regain visibility in Google’s search results.

According to Mueller, “This latest update takes into account the feedback we’ve heard from some creators and others over the past few months. As always, we aim to connect people with a range of high-quality sites, including ‘small’ or ‘independent’ sites that are creating useful, original content on relevant searches.”

This is promising news for small businesses, bloggers, and independent publishers who produce niche content. Historically, these sites often found it difficult to compete with larger, more established websites in search rankings. With this new update, there is hope that high-quality, original content from smaller publishers will have a better chance of being discovered by users.

Google’s Commitment to Improvement

One key aspect of the August 2024 core update is its intention to “better capture improvements that sites may have made.” This is a crucial development for those who have been diligently working on enhancing their website’s content, structure, and user experience. Previous updates sometimes left sites stagnant, even after making significant improvements. The hope now is that this update will reward those efforts by reflecting these changes in search rankings.

Google has also made several updates to its help page on core updates, providing more in-depth guidance for site owners and content creators who see changes after an update. This updated guidance can help publishers better understand the areas where they can improve to align with Google’s standards for high-quality content.

SEO Volatility and the Impact of Core Updates

The period leading up to the release of the August 2024 core update has been marked by noticeable search ranking volatility. The SEO community has observed significant fluctuations in search results, leaving many site owners and SEO professionals concerned about potential impacts on their rankings. This volatility was noted by many before Google even confirmed the existence of the core update.

These fluctuations highlight the unpredictability of core updates, as sites can experience sudden changes in their search rankings without warning. The August 2024 core update comes after a series of major updates, including the March 2024 core update, which was one of the largest to date, taking 45 days to fully roll out. Before that, the November 2023 core update and the October 2023 core update also brought significant changes to the search landscape.

In addition to core updates, Google has been continuously releasing updates aimed at tackling spam. The most recent was the June 2024 spam update, which took seven days to complete. These regular updates underscore Google’s commitment to ensuring the integrity of its search results, even as the algorithm evolves.

What to Do If Your Site Is Affected

For site owners negatively impacted by the August 2024 core update, Google has reiterated its previous advice: focus on creating helpful, reliable, and people-first content. There isn’t a specific set of actions to take if your site experiences a drop in rankings, as core updates are designed to assess the overall quality of a website’s content. Google advises that you might see some recovery between core updates, but the most significant changes will likely come after another core update.

Google has published a list of questions to help creators assess their content if they notice a drop in performance. These questions encourage site owners to evaluate the quality, originality, and relevance of their content, and whether it genuinely serves users’ needs. The emphasis remains on writing for people, not for search engines.

In the past, many sites hit by previous updates, particularly the September 2023 helpful content update, have been waiting for a recovery that never seemed to come. The hope now is that the August 2024 core update will address some of these issues and allow affected sites to regain their lost rankings.

Conclusion: A New Opportunity for Small Publishers

The August 2024 core update represents a significant shift in Google’s approach to search rankings, particularly for small and independent publishers. By prioritizing useful, people-first content, Google is providing an opportunity for smaller sites to compete more effectively with larger publishers. However, this update is also a reminder that SEO is an ongoing process, and maintaining high-quality content that serves the needs of users should always be the top priority.

As this update continues to roll out over the next month, site owners should closely monitor their search rankings and be prepared to make adjustments where necessary. For those negatively impacted, the key takeaway is that there are no quick fixes—ongoing commitment to creating valuable content is essential for long-term success in Google’s ever-changing search landscape.