This interview focused on Google Search quality, core updates, and how content creators and SEO professionals can navigate the ever-changing landscape. Here are the key takeaways:
Core Updates:
- Google’s goal is to improve Search for everyone with core updates, which are like major software updates for your phone.
- Recent updates aimed to reward smaller, independent publishers, but some sites haven’t seen full recovery. Google is working on further improvements. 1. Recovery uncertain: Google’s Danny Sullivan on algorithm impacts – Search Engine Land searchengineland.com
- There’s no guarantee sites will recover to pre-update ranking positions. Search results are becoming more diverse, including forums and social content. 1. Social Media Search Engines and the Rise of Social Search – Sculpt wearesculpt.com
- Patience is key. Google says some sites may see continued improvement over time.
Ranking and Traffic:
- Ranking well doesn’t always translate to high traffic. Ad placement and infinite scroll features can push organic results down.
- Focus on creating great content. Even if ranking on the first page but not driving high traffic, Google still values your content.
Helpful Content Update:
- The helpful content system is now integrated into the core ranking system. 1. Interview Of Google’s Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, On The August Core Update www.seroundtable.com
- Google acknowledges some sites were negatively impacted by the September 2023 update and is working on improvements.
Tremors and Adjustments During Core Updates:
- Google says they don’t make adjustments to core updates once they’re rolled out. Everything is evaluated, tested, and reviewed before launch.
- The recent ranking bug was unrelated to the core update. 1. Google Search ranking bug is now resolved searchengineland.com
Site Recovery:
- Google doesn’t have data on how many sites have recovered from core updates.
- They acknowledge some sites, especially smaller publishers, are struggling and are working on improvements.
Feedback Form and Insights:
- Google received valuable feedback from the March 2024 core update feedback form and is using it to improve algorithms.
- No new form is available yet because Google is still processing the existing data.
Manual Involvement in Ranking Changes:
- Filling out the feedback form doesn’t lead to specific site changes. Google doesn’t manually adjust rankings based on the form.
Content Marketing Efforts:
- Focus on creating targeted, valuable content for your audience, not generic content.
- Google wants to see content that drives conversions and provides a satisfying user experience. 1. Understanding Google Page Experience | Google Search Central | Documentation developers.google.com
Page Experience and Ads:
- Google’s page experience guide doesn’t prevent ads, but emphasizes a positive user experience. 1. Google Page Experience Factors: Mobile-Friendliness, Core Web Vitals, HTTPS – SE Ranking seranking.com
Reddit and Forum Content Ranking Well:
- Google surfaces social content for some queries, as it can be helpful for users. However, they acknowledge it’s not perfect and are working on improvements.
Hidden Gems:
- Google wants to showcase “hidden gems” in search results, including content with an authentic human voice. 1. Google Search ranking improvement aims to surface hidden gems searchengineland.com
Site Reputation Abuse Policy:
- This policy is still enforced through manual actions, not algorithms.
AI Content and Scaled Content Policy:
- The focus is on the content’s purpose, not the creation method (AI or human).
- Google frowns upon content produced at scale (AI or human) primarily for ranking purposes. 1. Google Search’s guidance about AI-generated content developers.google.com
Navboost and Core Updates:
- Google wouldn’t confirm if Navboost is part of core updates. They use a variety of ranking signals and don’t disclose specifics.
Overall, the interview highlights Google’s ongoing efforts to improve Search quality and transparency. However, challenges remain for content creators, especially smaller sites, navigating core updates and ranking fluctuations. The key takeaway is to focus on creating high-quality, user-centric content and be patient with Google’s ever-evolving algorithms.