Google updates and readjusts its ranking metrics constantly, but every quarter, it drops a big algorithm change, known as a core update. These changes aren’t always dramatic; they’re mainly directed at removing spam sites. However, you may see some startling changes in your ranking. 

We're here to tell you when you should panic and what to do if you experience a sudden dip in your ranking. We'll focus on the August 2024 update, but the advice holds true for most core updates.

What the Core Updates Do

Each core update will have its specific flavor or problem that Google is trying to address. However, the core of Google's philosophy guides all of its changes: Help people get the best content as easily and reliably as possible.

Except with their AI update—not sure what the guiding principle on that was.

Google generally doesn't explain much about these core updates, and this time is no different. This August 2024 core update focused on taking feedback from those who were negatively affected—mostly small or independent publishers—by the Helpful Content Update in September 2023.

Google published this explanation of its changes for the August 2024 update:

"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, when relevant to users' searches. This is an area we'll continue to address in future updates. This update also aims to better capture improvements that sites may have made, so we can continue to show the best of the web."

How To Check Your Ranking

If you have a website, you know what a big deal keyword ranking is for traffic. But a surprising number of people don't know how to track it. Some paid tools like Ubersuggest and Moz can give you more information about keywords and track the behavior of specific ones. 

Luckily, one of the most straightforward tools to use is free and Google itself provides it: Google Search Console. Google Analytics also provides more granular tracking, but it’s tricky to use and harder to get the information we want.

Follow this guide to create an account. Then, once you're in, hop down "Performance" and then "Search results." By default, it gives you the average performance of every keyword (query) on your website. However, you can also check the performance of specific pages, compare dates against each other, and filter the results by page or keyword to get more specific information.

My Ranking Dropped! When Do I Panic?

Not yet! Sometimes, in the aftermath of an algorithm update, pages or keywords plummet and then regain their standing. This is especially true while the update is rolling out. The March 2024 update was one of the biggest yet and took 45 days to complete.

The Senior Search Analyst at Google, John Meuller posted:

“You’d really need to wait until the core update finishes rolling out to make any call about its effect. That’s not to say you should wait with working on your website, it’s just if you want to compare before vs after, waiting for it to be finished is important. From looking at social posts from SEOs tracking these things, there are often fluctuations during the rollout, I don’t think it’s worth trying to separate out the effects from the ranking issue.”

Second, there will always be natural peaks and valleys in your performance. This graph tracks our website's performance over just 28 days, and you can see how unstable rankings can be.

Looking at this in isolation graph won't give you much information. You'll get a much clearer picture of your results using the compare function, which allows you to compare averages rather than extremes.

Using the compare button can show you if you've had a significant loss of views and clicks compared to the previous period.

For example, one of our pages is currently in a valley. However, compared to the previous three months, it performed significantly better on average.

In summary, before you panic:

1. Check that the algorithm isn’t in the middle of an update. Google recommends waiting at least a week after the update finishes to assess. This one started on August 15th with an unknown date of completion.

2. Use the comparison feature on Google Search Console to see if the problem is a random dip or a significant loss of traffic over a period of time.

3. Check and see if the drops were statistically meaningful. If your pages dropped from 1-4, that's nothing to worry about. If it fell more than 20 spots, that's when you should pay attention.

4. See if the change affected the keywords you care about. You may have been ranking for a random word that had nothing to do with you, but now you aren’t. That’s just the update working as intended.

Okay, Do I Panic Now?

Still no. Losing ranking can be a blow, but it's not time to panic and make slap-dash changes to your website. Changing every single blog title to the keyword you want ranked may seem like a good idea, but it only hurts your ranking in the long run.

This is an excellent time to make meaningful changes to your content strategy. Google wants you to make “helpful, reliable, people-first content” (yes, we did come up with the name before Google did). 

Google provides a list of ways to assess your content, but it boils down to ensuring your website runs well and your content delivers on its promise. Now might be a good time to run a content audit. Check that your blogs fulfill Google’s E-E-A-T requirements of demonstrating Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

Using some common sense search engine optimization techniques won’t hurt either as well as making sure your blogs are formatted correctly for SEO.

Other Possibility: Bug!

In an issue that Google said was unrelated to the core update, a separate bug has affected rankings. It occurred from 8-15-24 and ended 8-20-24. There wasn't much information on exactly what the bug was or how it affected results, only that there was an issue affecting many search results. They've now identified the root cause and fixed the problem.

The report only said that the issue was ongoing, so there's not much information on when exactly the problem began. Monitor your rankings and see if any keywords or pages shoot up.

If you ever see a widespread disturbance in your rankings, check on the Google Search Status Dashboard, which reports the status of different updates and bugs.

I’ve Made Changes, But Still Nothing

While it would be lovely if you released an edited version of your content and it immediately started ranking incredibly well, that's not what typically happens. Google warns that it can take a couple of months to see improvements, and you may even need to wait until the next core update.

However, don’t despair. We’ve personally seen incredible results with revising our existing content both for ourselves and our clients. It may just take some time to see the results of your efforts.

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You Can Handle the Recent Google Algorithm Updates

In the ever-evolving landscape of Google’s algorithms, it’s natural to feel anxious when your rankings drop, but understanding the process and responding thoughtfully is key. Core updates are designed to enhance the search experience by surfacing the most relevant content. While this may temporarily impact your site’s performance, it’s not necessarily a cause for alarm. 

By following the steps outlined—monitoring your rankings, assessing the true impact, and making strategic content improvements—you can turn a potential setback into an opportunity for growth. Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Patience, coupled with a focus on delivering valuable content, will pay off in the long run. Stay informed, stay calm, and keep optimizing. Your efforts will ultimately be rewarded.

If you want to bring in the big guns, People First Content specializes in creating content that endures. We perform content audits to see where your biggest potential lies and then optimize your existing content so it can reach its potential. Schedule a call today to learn more!

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