What is Google Core Update?
Google continuously rolls out smaller updates to its algorithms. These changes can, for example, affect what is ranked at the top of the search results. A Core Update is, as the name suggests, a larger update that goes deeper into the core of the Google algorithm, where users may see more significant changes and improvements.
It’s not as if Google announces every single minor update. Instead, these changes are typically noticed afterwards, for example through improved visibility. Core Updates can have several different purposes, but ultimately they are about driving positive change. This can include improvements that deliver greater value to users by being even more selective about which content and websites should be given more credibility. Google has a long-term goal of highlighting informative and helpful content, and filtering out less trustworthy websites with low-value content. This is often what a Google Core Update is about.
What value does Google Core Update deliver?
Google Core Update provides users who search for information with better results and reduces exposure to untrustworthy players. For a company, this means higher demands will be placed on them, in the sense that they must optimize and improve their website as a whole – including the content – to better meet their customers’ needs.
What is absolutely certain is that Core Updates create value for those who already have a strong website. At Solid Media, we can see that with a lot of high-quality content, our clients have experienced a positive impact this autumn following several Google Core Updates. When we review their competitors with weaker websites, we see that poorly developed content and structure often correlate with the decline. What has happened is that Core Updates have ranked these competitors lower precisely because of a poor website, making them less visible.
Google Core Update in 2023 – the most important updates
During the fall of 2023, Google has had three core updates, one “helpful content-update” and one “spam-update”. This is more than usual. We believe this is the reason why, this fall, we have seen the biggest changes so far, as we explained in the example above. Helpful content update and spam-update are probably the updates from this year that we consider can deliver the greatest long-term value.
Helpful content update is an update aimed at further developing the algorithms to elevate content that is genuinely helpful and informative. Despite Google’s strong focus on high-quality content, there are still several spam sites that manage to reach the first page. That’s why the spam update is an incredibly essential update, ensuring that those who have undeservedly achieved high rankings are pushed further down in the search results.
Our best tips
The best advice we have when it comes to Google Core Update is to keep creating content that aligns with what Google calls helpful content. Next, it’s important to organize the content in a logical and well-structured way – both from a technical perspective and for the sake of user experience. Google is critical of how the content is written and whether the right terms are used, so it’s essential to ensure that the content is written by real people who know how to write.
Another useful approach – which can make it a bit more engaging to keep up with the changes – is to monitor your own visibility. Changes can occur after the updates, and in some cases you may be negatively affected even if your content is solid. In those situations, it becomes even more important to be aware of this so you can improve your website’s content.
Finally, our recommendation is not to focus too much on Google Core Updates. Google is constantly rolling out updates in the background, where the best thing we can do is to think long term and stay committed to solid SEO and content production.
Summary
Google Core Update and other algorithm updates are a hot and much-debated topic in the SEO community these days. For some to rank higher and see positive outcomes, it simply means that others will have to settle for more negative changes. For example, many news sites have recently experienced a decline in visibility. It’s not always easy to understand why you may have lost visibility. Instead of tearing your hair out in frustration, we recommend consulting with someone who has a better understanding of what Google requires for you to capture the first page!
