Google has started rolling out its August 2024 core update, which will take about a month to fully complete. This update isn’t just a typical core update. It’s designed to surface more useful content from small and independent websites, addressing feedback Google received after the September 2023 update, which negatively affected many smaller publishers.
What Google Says:
John Mueller, a Search Advocate at Google, announced the update, stating it aims to improve search results by showing more genuinely useful content and less content made just to perform well in search engines. The update is particularly focused on promoting content from small and independent publishers.
Mueller mentioned that Google has listened to feedback from creators and others over the past few months and is working to ensure that high-quality content from small or independent sites is properly recognized. Google also updated its help page with more guidance on what to expect if your site is affected by the update.
What to Do If You’re Affected:
If your site is negatively impacted by this update, Google advises focusing on creating helpful, people-first content. There isn’t a specific action to take for recovery, but Google has provided a list of questions to consider if your site is hit by a core update.
In short, continue creating content that is meant for people, not just to rank in search engines.
Previous Core Updates:
Google’s last core update in March 2024 was the largest yet, taking 45 days to complete. There were also core updates in November 2023, October 2023, and August 2023.
Why This Matters:
Many sites that were negatively impacted by previous updates are hoping to see improvements with this August 2024 core update. Over the next few weeks, those affected will be watching closely to see if their sites recover.
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