How to Deal with SEO and Core Algorithms and Analyze Them

 

Updates to the core algorithm might be the torment of an SEO's existence. 

The quantity of unknowns that come with an update keeps consumers on their toes, while Google appears to sit back and watch them try to figure out what's changed.

Given Google's mysterious approach to core changes — and even regular updates, for that matter — it can feel like we're at the mercy of the algorithm, with no genuine countermeasures. 

Google has explicitly stressed on multiple occasions that website owners should not regard upgrades as something to be fought against.

Do we just throw our hands up in defeat after all of this?

No, there are plenty of strategies at our disposal; however, like with anything in SEO, it's a more sophisticated, long-term strategy. 

We'll look at how to deal with, assess, and influence the outcomes of fundamental algorithm upgrades in this article.

What should you do about Google's fundamental algorithm updates?

First and foremost, we must appropriately calibrate our thinking regarding algorithm upgrades to the core. 

As previously stated, Google has verified that there is no "fix" that website owners should implement in reaction to the recent core change, tweeting the following.

The lack of a simple "fix" is because websites are examined over time. 

This can be thought of as a single, consolidated report card that is then used to make judgments about whether to reward, punish, or retain a site's existing status.

Continuing with the metaphor, if we want to get good grades at the end of the year, we should make sure we are doing our best throughout the semester rather than missing classes and cramming right before the final. 

In a similar vein, many SEOs have noticed a pattern where website updates in the weeks leading before a major update are generally ignored.

This finding makes sense when websites are evaluated based on modifications made over a longer period of time rather than just a few weeks. 

If Google is gracious enough to provide us advance warning of an upgrade, it should not be interpreted as permission to make a slew of changes sitewide.

Below are some insights based on the launch dates of previous core updates, in an attempt to provide some sort of concrete facts that we can actually utilize to better understand scheduling. 

The "Brackets" Core Update appears to be the point at which the concept of "core algorithm updates" gained traction.

With that in mind, we may deduce the following from previous core revisions since "Brackets" in March 2018.

How to Examine Google's Algorithm Changes

Now that we know when core changes might happen, we need to thoroughly examine website performance once they've been rolled out. 

Google has become slightly more upfront about algorithm modifications in recent years. 

One piece of information they've provided is the duration of the rollout: one to two weeks.

Although everyone will be keen to monitor trend lines as the update is being rolled out, a more in-depth analysis should wait until two weeks following the initial launch date, or when Google has signaled that the update is complete. 

Multiple rounds of post-update analysis will be reduced as a result of this.

One of the greatest ways to gain an initial gauge of website performance fluctuations is to use STAT's Competitive Landscape tab. 

The reason for this is that STAT is capable of providing the most accurate portrayal of website exposure around the terms you care about the most because you can choose which keywords are tracked.

STAT, on the other hand, may not be the most enlightening if you're tracking a tiny subset of keywords or if you've only just added keywords, as you'll likely want a wide enough set of keywords to limit outliers, and STAT is unable to offer historical data retroactively.

You'll want to go to the "Competitive Landscape" tab of STAT, assuming you have a large enough keyword set.

We may understand SERP volatility for the top 10 competitors by using this technique. 

STAT keeps a simple tally of the sites that appeared the most frequently in the top 10 search results for your chosen keyword set every seven days. 

That's how the top ten competitors are chosen.

The following are just a few of the numerous things we can learn from a Core Algorithm Update:

Changes in visibility inside your keyword set's overall space: 

Gains or losses in an industry as a whole could imply a variety of reasons, including an increase in overall demand or a decline in Google SERP characteristics.

Changes in your website's visibility: Increases in visibility following an update indicate that your site has been favorably impacted, while decreases indicate that your site has been negatively impacted. 

After a significant update, inverse correlations in visibility between your site and competitors can reveal who the winners and losers are.

Changes in Google visibility: If Google displays a higher degree of visibility following a Core Algorithm Update, they've likely included more SERP features that effectively shift visibility away from your website or competitors.

Your website may or may not be automatically featured in the view based on your visibility around a certain keyword set. 

If your website isn't already listed in the Competitive Landscape area, follow the instructions below.

In the Site Tools pane, choose Settings after selecting a site in the Data Views pane.

Select the tab for Share of Voice.

Enter the website's domain name:

• "www.example.com" does not contain "example.com" or "shop.example.com," because domains are matched exactly.

• Schemes ("http://" or "https://") and directory paths ("www.example.com/blog/") are not allowed.

• Select Add from the drop-down menu.

• Save the file.

• To confirm, click Yes.

Your pinned site will now show up in your share of voice charts and tables (as seen in the bottom left of the screenshot above). 

It could take up to 24 hours to calculate this information. 

Asterisks indicate places that have been pinned.

Whether or not your website has been compromised, I recommend using Search Analytics for Sheets, a Google Sheets add-on that allows you to obtain and backup data from Webmaster Tools. 

This tool is essentially a more advanced version of Google Search Console. 

It allows you to segment various data points (dates, queries, pages, and so on) to obtain a considerably higher level of granularity than Search Console's regular web frontend offers.

Let's look at a website that benefited from the June 2021 core update and see how this tool can help us compare/handle possible algorithmic adjustments.

Our date range should be somewhat narrow, but it should include the full rollout period, as well as a few days before and after as possible. 

Days before the update will help you understand regular pre-update performance and can be used as a benchmark. 

The days following the upgrade will, of course, assist you in comprehending post-update adjustments.

Because the rollout was from June 2 to June 12, I chose a 22-day date span of 5/30 to 6/20. 

Next, enter the date in the "Group By:" field.

Using the "Filter" options, ensure that all trademarked keywords are excluded. 

Finally, at the bottom of the side panel, click "Request Data" in blue.

There is a lot of data manipulation that can be done once the data has been generated to gain insight. 

Absolute changes ([current period] – [previous period]) and relative percent changes (([current period] / [prior period]) – 1) are useful formulas for analysing movement in general.

We now have a general knowledge of the following tendencies based on this data:

The core upgrade looks to have had a favorable influence on my website:

• The number of daily clicks appears to be increasing.

• The average daily impressions appear to be increasing.

• The average position in the rankings appears to have improved.

While there may be other things to consider, such as other Google updates, the day of the week, website migrations, technical website modifications, and so on, the above will point website owners in the right direction to answer the question, "was my website affected?"

How might the outcome of Google's fundamental algorithm upgrades be influenced?

Finally, we'd like to look into the kinds of website changes that might be slightly more valuable in the context of core algorithm updates. 

While the types of strategies we can use to try to elicit good algorithmic responses are limitless, we can make some educated assumptions based on Google's previous key focus areas.

Google has been cracking down on sites labeled as "Y-M-Y-L" since the August 2018 Medic Update (Your Money Your Life). 

YMYL sites are those in the medical, health, financial, and news domains that have the potential to affect someone's livelihood. 

At the time, Google implemented this concept, as well as a higher level of examination, as a way to counteract the spread of misleading information.

Since August 2018, YMYL webpages have been the focus of Google upgrades regularly. 

From 2018 through 2020, after a core update, trendlines of websites presumably classified as YMYL would commonly encounter sharp hills and falling valleys.

Conclusion

To summarise, you, the website owner, are equipped with several options to combat damaging algorithmic declines - after all, the greatest defense is a good offense, as the saying goes. 

You may better prepare for the inevitable volatility on a triennial basis by better understanding how to handle, assess, and influence the results of fundamental algorithm upgrades.

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