Google Update August 2018: this is what you need to know about it!
The SEO world was in turmoil on 1 August: in a few hours, SEO ‘s on various sites saw a decline in positions and traffic. It took a while before the cause of this was clear. During the day Google came up with the redeeming word: a big Google update has been implemented. Now that most of the dust has settled down, it is time to look at the impact of this update. And more importantly: how can you respond to this Google Update?
A number of SEO tools indicated early in the morning that significant fluctuations occurred in Google’s search results. On 1 and 2 August SEMrush reported that there were many position changes in the Google results and that this could indicate a change in Google’s algorithm. The message: keep an eye on your website. On Friday, August 3, it really went wild. Meanwhile, it was also clear that a large Google update was being rolled out. This was the time to check whether your site lost or won positions.
The update of the algorithm from Google lasted a few days. On Wednesday, August 8, Danny Sullivan from Google confirmed that the update was complete. The results of the update are now visible in, among other things, Google Analytics and SEO tools.
Google Medic Update
Google in general updates never really what they change to the algorithm. You do not know exactly why your website is better or worse than before the update. As a result, it is often not possible to take targeted actions when your positions have been negatively affected by the update.
Barry Schwartz, one of the best-known experts in the field of SEO, obviously did not accept this. That is why he started an investigation into the Google update in which he analyzed more than 300 websites that were affected by the update. One of his most important findings was that especially websites in the health sector were affected by the update. As a result, he renamed this update to the Google Medic Update.
Despite the fact that Schwartz (and even more SEOs) saw differences in other sectors, the differences in the medical sector are clearly the greatest. Danny Sullivan denies, however, that it is an update aimed at the health sector. On Twitter, he says that it is a general Google update.
This statement actually brings us back to that. A general update has taken place, but we do not know whether Google’s algorithm looks better at the link profile, the content or, for example, the security of the website.
What to do with the Google update?
If we are to believe Google’s tweet from March, you should just keep focusing on creating good content. This should result in a better ranking over time.
It is striking, however, that Schwartz’s analysis shows that the websites that lost positions were not really bad websites. This allows you to wonder whether good content is sufficient to improve your ranking.
The answer to this is, as far as I am concerned, no. Your link profile and the technique of your website must also be in order. The problem with all these things is that what’s good today can be out of date again next week. This makes SEO such a complex field.
My advice? See SEO as a process where you have to spend time and energy every day. Focus not only on creating new content, but also look critically at other aspects of your site. Also keep an eye on Google Analytics, Search Console and your relevant keywords: does the traffic to a certain page decrease or do you suddenly rank for more or fewer keywords? Then it is time to take action on this page.
Need help? I would like to help you! Contact contact with me or one of my fellow SEO specialists from Red Banana for an appointment.