The infamous Google algorithm received a broad update that began rolling out Aug. 1, and the results of its changes have show some significant swings in the SERPs (search engine results page rankings, according to industry leaders who have been monitoring the change. The interesting thing about the update is what Google said as it relates to what companies can do: Basically nothing.
The algorithm determines what pages will be shown in the SERPs, and the overarching goal is to match the user’s intent of the search with the intent of web pages. Machine learning and artificial intelligence play a role in best matching those intents. Google is very secretive about its algorithm updates because it doesn’t want people gaming the system, as was done in the early days of search.
This week we released a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year. Our guidance about such updates remains the same as in March, as we covered here: https://t.co/uPlEdSLHoX
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) August 1, 2018
Google algorithm change: The Medic Update
Barry Schwartz calls this broad update the Medic Update because there is a focus on health and medical websites. Additionally, the update affected what have been dubbed YMYL pages. In a nutshell, they are pages that could impact your health and wealth. In its Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines, a document for real-life human evaluators, Google describes them this way:
Some types of pages could potentially impact the future happiness, health, financial stability, or safety of users. We call such pages “Your Money or Your Life” pages, or YMYL. The following are examples of YMYL pages:
- Shopping or financial transaction pages that allow users to make purchases, transfer money, pay bills, etc.
- Financial information pages that provide advice or information about investments, taxes, retirement planning, home purchase, paying for college, buying insurance, etc.
- Medical information pages: that provide advice or information about health, drugs, specific diseases or conditions, mental health, nutrition, etc.
- Legal information pages that provide legal advice or information on topics such as divorce, child custody, creating a will, becoming a citizen, etc.
- News articles or public/official information pages important for having an informed citizenry that include information about local/state/national government processes, policies, people, and laws; disaster response services; government programs and social services; news about important topics such as international events, business, politics, science, and technology; etc. (Please use your judgment and knowledge of your locale. Keep in mind that not all news articles are necessarily considered YMYL.)
- Other: there are many other topics that you may consider YMYL, such as child adoption, car safety information, etc. Please use your judgment.
Google evaluates these pages with a more critical eye … literally, which is why it relies on human evaluators, too. They are looking for the EAT when it comes to YMYL: Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. In other words: Do you have the wherewithal to be publishing and writing this kind of content? If you do, then your pages will rank higher. If you do not, then your pages will drop lowers in the SERPs.
Focus on content
Claudia Pennington, founder of DIY Marketing LLC, told search engine optimization specialists in a monthly coaching session there was really nothing companies could do to rank better. Instead, they needed to focus on quality content from quality contributors. Google said as much during its March broad update when it tweeted:
Each day, Google usually releases one or more changes designed to improve our results. Some are focused around specific improvements. Some are broad changes. Last week, we released a broad core algorithm update. We do these routinely several times per year….
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) March 12, 2018
There’s no “fix” for pages that may perform less well other than to remain focused on building great content. Over time, it may be that your content may rise relative to other pages.
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) March 12, 2018
Notice in the last tweet Google indicates: “There’s no ‘fix.'” Rather, companies should be focused on building great content. “Over time …” pages that once ranked high might return. I am not sure where I read it, but the fact remains Google is committed to providing the users of its search engines with the best possible experience. It wants to deliver the best content. However, content is not enough. That’s right. You heard me correctly.
Why content is not enough
In Pennington’s coaching session, she noted people needed to focus on quality content and that Google would also evaluate the quality of the contributor. So, it is not enough to have great content. It also must come from an authoritative source.
Google, Facebook and Twitter are facing increased scrutiny from U.S. government officials because of the spread of fake news and Russia’s meddling in U.S. elections. In order to help determine what content is reliable, the Google algorithm takes into account EAT: Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. I run an SEO/digital marketing company. If I start writing about health and wellness, Google is not going to rank my pages high. I am not in the health or wellness industry; I am not recognized as a health or wellness expert; and leaders in the health and wellness industry are not linking to my website because of my great content regarding their field.
So, how do you get to be an expert and authority, and, on top of that, have Google consider you trustworthy? It starts with content, but it does not end there. Another part of the equation is getting what are called backlinks. You want people to link to your site because your content is so great. As more people link to your site, as search engine bots recrawl and reindex your site, your authority will rise.
Backlinks are difficult to build for smaller sites. It used to be easier for bloggers. It wasn’t that difficult to write a guest blog on someone else’s site and link back to yours, and vice versa. But, the aim of getting backlinks is to create such compelling content that people will want to send others to your site to learn something. Neil Patel offers some insights into netting some backlinks here.
Backlinks are important because the more you get from other quality websites, the more authority you will have in Google’s eyes … and algorithm. But, you want it to be from quality websites. I was recently doing an analysis of a client’s website. I was looking for what keywords the site ranked, what sites were considered competitors (based on related keywords), how many backlinks my client had, and from where these backlinks came.
Unfortunately, many of those backlinks had to be disavowed. Google has a disavow tool that can be accessed through Google Search Console. You want to avoid spammy sites linking back to yours and devaluing your content. Just like not all content or contributors are equal, so, too, when it comes to backlinks: They are not all created equal.
Google algorithm update conclusion: Be better
In listening to Schwartz (see video below), the bottom line with this Google algorithm broad update seems to be pages will rank higher with a combination of on-site (using keywords properly) and off-site (backlinks) SEO. This is no surprise because proper use of keywords help Google better understand the intent of your page, which will help those using search engines. And, as was already addressed, backlinks from quality sites help build authority.
So, get writing great content and start building backlinks. What are you waiting for?
I hope you better understand this Google algorithm change. If you would like help with creating content for your site, then schedule a free consultation.