Google’s search algorithm undergoes regular updates to ensure that users are presented with the most relevant and high-quality information available. These updates, known as core updates, can significantly impact the visibility of websites in search results. On November 2, 2023, Google rolled out its latest core update, marking the fourth major algorithm change of the year. The update has been completed after 25 days, 21 hours.
What is a Core Update?
A core update is a broad algorithm update that affects how Google evaluates and ranks websites. These updates aim to improve the overall quality of search results by rewarding websites that provide valuable, relevant, and user-friendly content. Core updates are typically rolled out gradually over a few weeks, allowing time for websites to adjust to the new ranking factors.
Impact of the November 2023 Core Update
The November 2023 core update was widely anticipated, as it came on the heels of the October 2023 core update. While Google has not provided specific details about the changes made in this update, experts have observed that it has a significant impact on websites across various industries.
Many websites got highly affected after Google’s Helpful Content Update and October Core update. Food nices, especially Recipe niches are not affected in recent updates. I have researched more than 500 sites, and about 50% of sites are down after Google’s helpful update and October core update.
Early indications suggest that the November 2023 core update emphasizes:
- High-quality content: Websites that provide original, informative, and well-written content are likely to benefit from this update.
- E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness): Google continues to prioritize websites that demonstrate expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness in their niche.
- User experience: Websites that provide a positive user experience, including fast loading times, mobile-friendliness, and easy navigation, are likely to see improvements in rankings.
Google is giving better priority to Quora and Reddit. But my question is do people give researched articles to these forum sites?
Google Search’s algorithm prioritizes forum and e-commerce sites after the Helpful Content update for several reasons:
Forums:
- Community engagement: Forums foster active discussions and provide a platform for users to exchange knowledge and experiences. This user-generated content can be valuable for searchers seeking diverse perspectives and insights on a topic.
- Freshness and relevance: Forum discussions are often updated with the latest information and trends, making them a relevant source for current information.
- Expertise: Forum users may develop expertise in specific areas through active participation and knowledge sharing. Their contributions can provide valuable insights and perspectives on niche topics.
- E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness): Reputable forums with established communities and moderators can demonstrate expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, making them reliable sources of information.
E-commerce sites:
- Product information and reviews: E-commerce sites provide detailed product information, specifications, and user reviews, which can be helpful for searchers making informed purchasing decisions.
- Relevance to search intent: E-commerce sites are often directly relevant to transactional search queries, aligning with the user’s intent to purchase or research products.
- High-quality content: E-commerce sites typically invest in creating high-quality product descriptions, specifications, and user-generated content, ensuring informative and relevant content for searchers.
- Trustworthiness: Reputable e-commerce sites with established reputations and secure payment gateways can demonstrate trustworthiness, making them reliable sources of information.
Regarding the reliability of information on forum sites, it depends on the specific forum and the nature of the discussion. While some forums may contain inaccurate or misleading information, many reputable forums have established moderators who actively maintain the quality of discussions and remove harmful content. Additionally, forum users can help self-regulate by voting up helpful contributions and downvoting or flagging inaccurate or misleading information.
Overall, the prioritization of forum and e-commerce sites reflects Google Search’s goal to provide users with the most relevant and helpful information. These sites often offer valuable content, expertise, and user-generated insights, making them valuable sources for searchers.
How to Prepare for Future Core Updates
While Google does not announce the specific changes made in core updates, there are general guidelines that website owners can follow to improve their chances of ranking well:
- Focus on creating high-quality, original content that is relevant to your target audience.
- Establish yourself as an expert in your field by earning backlinks from reputable websites.
- Ensure that your website is easy to use and provides a positive user experience.
- Keep your website’s technical aspects up-to-date, including mobile-friendliness and loading speed.
- Stay informed about Google’s search algorithm updates and best practices.
By following these guidelines, website owners can increase their chances of ranking well in search results, regardless of Google’s algorithm updates. It is important to remember that core updates are designed to improve the overall quality of search results, and websites that provide valuable content and a positive user experience will continue to thrive in the ever-evolving search landscape.
People should focus on video blogging. People are not used to understand a topic with video explanation. So, with written blog, we also should focus on video blogging to sustain in the market. - AJK
