Spring is in the air, and for most, that means the start of the rain and the blossoms, but for Google, it means it’s time for another core update. Unlike the minor updates the search engine releases on a daily basis, core updates only happen every few months. For instance, this is the first core update since September 2022.
Here’s what you need to know for your business for the latest core update for March of 2023.
What it impacts
Google’s algorithm updates are aimed to continuously refine how the search engine presents increasingly relevant and high-quality search results. Usually, these updates affect how pages rank and whether or not previous search engine-optimized keywords still play a part in how your website ranks.
Google uses its core algorithm updates to adjust website-wide quality metrics that are too expensive or time-consuming to calculate on an ongoing basis. Since core updates impact the performance of an entire website, changes in rankings and Google traffic can be particularly alarming.
If you have a website, you’ll want to review your content to make sure it meets the new standard that Google is introducing in this latest update. If you employ a marketing team, and they're worth their salt, they’ll already be aware of the update and be pivoting your content to remain optimal for ranking.
Scorpion’s Ranking team helps clients thrive through algorithm updates by looking for indicators in your content that might not be satisfying users’ search intent, such as a high bounce rate or low page visits per session. Our experts also assess technical factors that Google evaluates during core updates, such as low-value content, duplicate content, and orphaned pages.
Our Ranking team constantly looks for ways to make your content more valuable to searchers—after all, they’re your potential customers. Our writers bring years of experience in your industry, enabling them to add details, references, media, and facts that demonstrate expertise to both search engines and your prospects.
When Google changes how they rank websites, it’s important to adapt quickly. Scorpion’s exclusive search engine optimization (SEO) artificial intelligence technology, dubbed Ranking AI, helps our team by constantly analyzing results in your local market. That information helps us understand which website qualities Google finds most important. Ranking AI then generates SEO strategies targeted at improving your website’s specific weaknesses. New strategies are generated every week, so when Google changes its algorithm, our Ranking team is able to adjust before other SEO agencies have even had a chance to figure out what changed.
What’s new
Google is committed to continuing to provide its users with the highest quality content available. That means your content needs to be written with a target audience in mind and provide value to the reader.
The most important step is to keep an eye on your analytics as the update is moved to completion. Remember, you’re not going to see a lot of changes all at once. Google core algorithm updates typically take a few weeks to completely rollout, so it’s important not to draw any conclusions until the algorithm has finished.
If you want to take action now, here are some steps suggested by Google to review your content and make sure it’s the best quality possible.
Original content: You don’t need to be the next Michelangelo of content writing, but the information you have on your site should be your own. Writing about popular topics is one thing, but make sure your content is unique for your business and your audience.
Avoid the shock factor: Google does not reward solicitous headlines or ones that add shock value to the reader. Make sure all your headlines and subheadings provide interest but not exaggeration. Looking at you, Weekly World News.
Value Meter: Google will only reward content with a high ranking if it adds value for readers. Review your latest content and ask yourself, does this provide unique value when compared to other pages covering the same topic?
People-first content: Remember your content should always be written for your customers and not for search engine ranking. Google doesn’t take kindly to content trying to manipulate rankings, and you may even get penalized for it.
Keep in mind your business is unique, and therefore your perspective is too. First, identifying your target audience, narrowing down the topics they care about, and presenting how you and your business can help are what will set you apart from your competitors on the results page.
Time is on your side
As of right now, Google is saying they expect the new rollout to take about 2-3 weeks to complete now that it’s been officially announced. That means you have time to evaluate your current content, make sure your website is up-to-date with business information, and prepare future posts for re-evaluation. If you, like many other small business owners, prefer to have a team of SEO experts on your side, Scorpion is ready to meet all your marketing needs, algorithm updates included.
