Okay, SEOs and website owners, Google’s latest core update just dropped, and the March 2024 update was a doozy! We also got another spam update, leaving some sites celebrating and others scrambling.
While the dust is settling, I want to examine what we’ve learned from this experience and discuss how you can future-proof your website and content strategy to succeed in Google’s constantly changing world.
Dissecting the Impact
Sure, we have broad outlines about the update’s focus, but let’s be honest – those in the trenches want actual case studies! Unfortunately, we don’t fully understand who got hit and who gained (yet). What I can offer right now are some things I’ve noticed, and we need more community sharing on this front:
- Thin content took a beating: Shallow articles lacking depth and substance seem to have been demoted.
- Over-optimized sites suffered: Keyword-stuffed, unnatural-sounding pages saw drops.
- Quality & E-A-T reigned supreme: Content demonstrating expertise, authority, and trustworthiness appears favored.
AI Content: It’s Complicated
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. I know everyone’s wondering about AI-generated content. Google’s stance is clear: Low-quality, spammy AI content won’t fly. But there’s a massive gray area. Here’s my take for now:
- Don’t abandon AI tools: They can be helpful but are not a magic solution.
- Human touch is essential: Fact-check, edit heavily, and inject your expertise and brand voice into AI-generated drafts.
- Transparency might be key: It’s unclear whether disclosing AI-generated content helps, but it could build trust if done tastefully.
Algorithm-Proofing Your Site (It’s Not Magic, But…)
Enough with the post-mortems on who got hit – how do we avoid being the next victim? It comes down to proactively building a site Google will love (or at least respect) in the long term:
- E-A-T is non-negotiable: Establish your voice as a subject matter expert, back up content with credible sources, and build trustworthiness signals.
- User experience is king: Fast loading times, clear navigation, satisfying answers to search intent – give people a reason to stay.
- Content quality > quantity: Don’t churn out fluff; put effort into every piece.
- Backlinks still matter… kind of: Natural, relevant links are good, but spammy backlinks are riskier than ever. Focus on earning high-quality links from reputable sources.
The Core Update vs. the Spam Update: What’s the Difference?
This double whammy update has many of us confused. These updates overlap somewhat but have distinct goals:
- Core Update: Targets overall content quality, rewarding good stuff and demoting not-so-good stuff.
- Spam Update: Specifically aims to weed out manipulative tactics that deceive users or try to game search results.
The Aftermath: Beyond the Basics
We need to analyze the impact more deeply. Consider:
- Industry-specific trends: Did certain niches see wilder volatility?
- Content types: Did blog posts fare differently than product pages?
- Non-traditional SERPs: Impacts on image, video, local results, etc.
Talking to Clients & Execs
SEOs, I feel your pain. Getting client buy-in after a rankings dip is tough! Here’s my pitch: Don’t just focus on quick fixes – highlight the need for a long-term, sustainable content strategy aligned with Google’s values. Data is your friend here!
Let’s Get Ready for the Next One
Google updates are a fact of life. We can cry, or we can adapt. I choose the latter! Remember, this isn’t a one-time fix. SEO in 2024 and beyond is about continuous improvement – making Google see your website as the best possible answer to your users’ needs.
