How to tell if you’re being affected by Google’s updates

Whether you’re a business owner trying to rank on SERPs or an SEO expert dedicated to getting companies ranking, the news that Google is rolling out a new update is something to be aware of. Even if good solid SEO practice has been in place for years, every update can cause issues and top-ranking websites can plummet overnight. While this doesn’t usually happen, it’s not unprecedented. Even small shifts caused by Google updates can lead to changes in your rankings and an unexpected (not to mention unwelcome) drop in traffic.

Will a new update tank my SEO?

While it’s not possible to predict what will occur when future updates roll out, there are certain things you can monitor to prepare for updates and mitigate any changes they may cause. One key point to remember is that Google serves searchers, not businesses. Their primary goal is to ensure their users find the most relevant and high-quality information quickly. The updates are designed to improve the user experience. Therefore, the biggest takeaway you need to bear in mind is that user experience and the delivery of informative, on-topic, high-quality content should always be the focus of your efforts. 

Seek primary sources of information about updates

As soon as you catch wind of an update, seek out primary sources of credible information. Any action you take needs to be based on facts rather than hearsay. Explanations from Google are usually made in a formal announcement via the Google Search Ranking Updates page. 

When you start with reliable information that informs you of the genuine characteristics of an update, you can get a realistic understanding of the outcomes you can expect for your page as a result of it. 

Objectively review your SEO activities

If you’re reviewing a website in light of an update – particularly if it’s your own website – it’s important to take a step back and be as objective as possible. The financial investment you have made in a website and any emotional attachment you might have will cloud your judgement.

Google themselves have shared provocative questions you can ask to check if your content will help or hinder you: 

• Is your content designed to help people or attract search engine traffic?
• Does your content cover a range of topics to try and attract traffic, or does it focus on your area(s) of expertise?
• Is your content being produced by automation? 
• Are you summarising what others have said, or adding value? 
• Do you write about topics you wouldn’t normally cover because they are trending?
• Do your readers finish your content feeling they need to search again for better information?
• Are you writing to a set word count in the belief Google prefers a specific number of words? 
• Do you cover a niche topic because you think it will drive traffic, even though you have no expertise in the area?
• Are you promising answers to unanswerable questions, like release dates that haven’t been announced yet?

Check for correlations between anomalous traffic and updates

If there are areas of your site or pages on it that you feel are questionable in light of a new update, there are a few things you can check:

• Monitor your website analytics 
• Have a clear understanding of what Google’s intended consequences of the new update will be.
• If you notice any traffic anomalies, such as unexplained drops in traffic or rankings, check to see if they occurred following an update. 
• Understand that a ‘rollout’ doesn’t mean you’ll see a sudden negative impact, gradual changes are more likely. 

Look at other Search Engine traffic sources

Strange as it is to believe, Google isn’t the only search engine. Suppose you have a site that is prominent enough to receive steady traffic from other search engines, such as Bing!, DuckDuckGo, or Yandex. In that case, it’s useful to compare traffic behaviour on Google with others. You can view this data by considering Google vs ‘other sources’ and combining all other search engine data if you don’t have enough from one. 

If it’s only traffic from Google showing anomalies then it’s likely the cause is related to something specific to Google. If so, it’s well worth taking a closer look at the latest update.

Check secondary information sources

While primary sources are vital when you’re first investigating the impact of a Google update, secondary sources can come into play further down the rabbit hole. 

There’s a lot of speculation when Google first rolls out updates, and it can be counterproductive to slog through all this. It’s based on assumptions and predictions, rather than actual data. Once the update has actually rolled out and there is real data to work with, it’s helpful to look for reputable secondary sources. 

Often the best source of secondary data on updates comes from SEO tool providers. They have amazing analytics and frequently share their insights. The likes of Moz, Search Engine Land, Semrush, and Sistrix are all great secondary sources to consult, with genuine experts making observations and recommendations based on hard data collected during the rollout.