Google Confirms Algorithm Update!
What Happened?
Google has confirmed that it released a "broad core algorithm" update last week.
The update was confirmed on Google's @searchliason Twitter account on Monday:
Each day, Google usually releases one or more changes designed to improve our results. Some are focused around specific improvements. Some are broad changes. Last week, we released a broad core algorithm update. We do these routinely several times per year....
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) March 12, 2018
According to Google, any drops in rankings aren't the result of those pages doing anything wrong, rather the higher ranking pages were "previously under-rewarded" in SERPs.
Each day, Google usually releases one or more changes designed to improve our results. Some are focused around specific improvements. Some are broad changes. Last week, we released a broad core algorithm update. We do these routinely several times per year....
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) March 12, 2018
So how should you respond to a drop in position or clicks?
There isn't a particular issue or technique being targeted by this update. Google said that "there's no fix for pages that may perform less well". If you did notice a drop with your pages, there's likely nothing you were doing wrong. Instead, continue to focus on providing users with the most value and best possible experience with your website.
This release from Google confirms the weekend speculation.
What Do?
If you come away with one thing from this update it's this:
There's not much you can do about it.
That might sound pessimistic, but take moment to think about it. In SEO, we sometimes get a bit obsesses with the idea of Google "targeting" or "punishing" bad websites.
But that's can reveal more about ourselves than it does about them.
Sometimes Google figures out a way to provide their users with better search results, and adjusts their rankings accordingly. Which appears to be what happened here.
So if your website did lose organic traffic thanks to this update, don't panic!
For a more in-depth analysis of the broad core algorithm update from Google, see here.
