Have your sales suddenly dropped, and you can't figure out why? Many webshop owners are experiencing similar issues, with their online businesses not performing as well as they used to. The primary reason often lies in changes to Google's search ranking algorithms. Understanding these changes and adapting to them is crucial for maintaining your webshop's visibility and sales.
Google's Search Ranking System
Google ranks websites based on a variety of criteria to ensure users find the most relevant and useful information. These criteria are constantly evolving. In May, Google released a significant core update along with a new spam policy. Such updates can lead to fluctuations in search rankings, impacting your site's visibility and, consequently, your sales.
Timeline of Google Updates
Understanding the timeline of Google updates is crucial for webshop owners to maintain their site's visibility and performance. Google frequently updates its algorithms to improve the quality of search results, which can significantly impact your website's ranking. Here, we break down two major updates in 2024 that have affected many sites:
| Update | Description | Impact | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Core Update March - May 2024 |
The core algorithm update during this period introduced significant changes to Google's search ranking algorithms, specifically targeting low-quality backlinks and deceptive content. Websites that did not meet the new criteria could drop in rankings or disappear from search results. This update primarily focused on refining how backlinks are evaluated, in addition to targeting low-quality and deceptive content. Webshops that had relied on low-quality backlinks or had deceptive content risked significant drops in their search rankings or complete removal from Google’s search results. |
Websites that did not meet the new criteria could drop in rankings or disappear from search results. | Familiarize yourself with the updated spam policy to ensure your site remains compliant and avoids potential ranking drops. You can access the policy here. |
|
Spam Update June 20-27, 2024 |
A week-long update released to further combat spam. Although Google claimed it was a general update not targeting search rankings specifically, it caused some websites to disappear, be deindexed, or drop in rankings. This update highlights the importance of maintaining high-quality, non-spammy content. Despite Google's statement that this update was a general improvement, many websites experienced significant disruptions. |
Many sites experienced significant ranking changes, leading to reduced visibility and traffic. | Keep up-to-date with changes and updates from Google. Regularly check industry resources and forums to understand the impact of updates and adapt your SEO strategies accordingly. More information about the June update can be found here. |
Ongoing Effects and Reassurance
These two updates continue to affect websites. The impacts of these updates can last longer than the update periods themselves. It's important for site owners to remember that fluctuations in search rankings are not uncommon and can be addressed. If your site drops in rankings or is temporarily deindexed, don't panic. By following Google's guidelines and making necessary improvements, you can restore and even improve your site's position over time. Everything can be solved with patience and proper adjustments.
Understanding SpamBrain and Its Implications
Google’s SpamBrain is an AI-based system designed to detect and prevent spam. The improvements made to SpamBrain could be a significant factor in why some pages are dropping in rankings. The content on your site plays a crucial role in how it is ranked. Ensuring that your content is high-quality, relevant, and not perceived as spam is essential for maintaining good rankings.
Manual and Algorithmic Checks
Google uses both manual and algorithmic checks to evaluate website content. During the May update, Google mentioned that pages would be manually checked in addition to AI program checks. If spam content is detected during a manual check, you will be notified and given a chance to rectify the issues. However, if an algorithmic check detects problems, you won’t be notified, making it challenging to understand why your site’s performance has dropped. This underscores the importance of proactive prevention. For an example of how manual checks can affect sites, you can read about the March 2024 core update and its impact on certain sites below.
Learn About Manual Checks
Best Practices for Webshop Owners
To safeguard your webshop from sudden drops in rankings, focus on the following:
- Create Valuable Content: Ensure your content is informative, relevant, and valuable to users.
- Regular Updates: Regularly update your blog posts, product descriptions, and other content to reflect the latest information and trends.
- Originality: Avoid duplicating content from other sites. Original content is favored by Google's algorithms and helps avoid penalties for plagiarism.
- Review Google’s Policies: Regularly review Google’s spam policies to ensure your site complies.
- Avoid Misleading Functionality: Ensure that all links, buttons, and interactive elements on your site do what they are supposed to. Misleading functionalities can be flagged as spam.
- Transparent Practices: Be transparent about your business practices, including clear contact information, return policies, and privacy policies.
- Use Analytics Tools: Employ tools like Google Analytics to monitor your site’s performance. Track metrics such as page views, bounce rates, and conversion rates to identify potential issues.
- Search Console: Regularly check Google Search Console for any alerts or notifications about your site’s health and performance.
- Performance Audits: Be Conduct regular performance audits to identify and fix issues such as broken links, slow loading times, and mobile-friendliness.
- Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest updates from Google regarding their search algorithms. Follow industry news and subscribe to relevant newsletters.
- Engage with the Community: Participate in forums and communities related to SEO and digital marketing.
- Secure Your Site: Ensure your site uses HTTPS instead of HTTP. Secure sites are preferred by Google and provide a better user experience.
- Optimize for Mobile: Make sure your site is mobile-friendly.
- Improve User Experience: Focus on improving the overall user experience.
- Link Building: Engage in ethical link-building practices. High-quality backlinks from reputable sites can improve your site's authority and ranking.
- Keyword Optimization: Use relevant keywords strategically in your content, titles, and meta descriptions. Avoid keyword stuffing, which can be penalized by Google.
- Avoid Black Hat SEO: Steer clear of black hat SEO techniques like cloaking, keyword stuffing, and buying backlinks. These practices can result in severe penalties from Google.
Quality Content
Who Can Help: Content creators, professional writers, and SEO specialists can assist in crafting, updating, and maintaining high-quality, original content that aligns with the latest trends and standards.
Compliance with Policies
Who Can Help: SEO consultants, web developers, and legal advisors can provide insights, verify functionalities, and ensure your business practices meet regulatory standards.
Continuous Monitoring
Who Can Help: Data analysts, SEO professionals, and web developers can help interpret metrics, manage Search Console data, and perform comprehensive performance audits.
Engage with Updates
Who Can Help: Digital marketing agencies and SEO experts can provide updates, advice, and valuable community insights.
Additional Best Practices
Who Can Help: IT specialists, web developers, UX/UI designers, and SEO experts can ensure your site is secure, mobile-friendly, user-friendly, and compliant with ethical SEO practices.
Conclusion
Google’s updates aim to improve user experience by filtering out low-quality content, but they can pose challenges for webshop owners. By focusing on high-quality content and staying compliant with Google’s policies, you can mitigate the risks of drops in rankings. While these updates may seem daunting, understanding them and taking proactive steps can help ensure your webshop remains visible and successful.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact us. We are here to help you navigate these changes and maintain your webshop's performance.
Author
Written by: Evelin-Valéria Székely
About me: With years of experience in the dynamic field of marketing, I specialize in leveraging Google Ads to seamlessly fuse creativity with data-driven insights, ultimately propelling brands to new heights. As a devoted Google Ads specialist, ensuring precise tracking is a non-negotiable priority for me. Staying ahead in the ever-evolving landscape of successful advertising demands continuous learning and adaptation to cutting-edge innovations, like the game-changing feature detailed in this blog. My commitment to staying informed about emerging technologies and features underscores my dedication to delivering optimal results for our clients.