Google August 2024 Core Update: SEO Impact and What to Expect
It’s here: the August 2024 Google core update, anticipated like no other, is now a reality that brings serious ramifications to websites across multiple different industries. Only 24 hours since its release, Google Search confirmed it’s experiencing an ongoing ranking bug that appears to be causing flux in search results. This is a time of unpredictability for Google Search, and most SEO professionals and content publishers are watching the update’s effects very closely.
Some Things to Keep in Mind About SEO Performance
When considering how this update is going to affect the website’s SEO performance, keeping the following things in mind is important:
1. Ranking Bug: There seems to be a current ranking bug with Google Search results that is causing unusual site ranking fluctuations.
2. Gradual Rollout: The core update is going to roll out within a month; hence, that would mean understanding its full impact on SEO rankings once shouldn’t be taken.
3. Expanded AI Summaries: AI-created content summaries have expanded, adding more links and displaying content to signed-out users that could impact organic search visibility.
Early Observations in SEO Rankings
As is often the case with core updates, many sites are not seeing any major shifts in their rankings yet. That being said, some websites negatively affected by the September 2023 helpful content update have already shown early signs of recovery.
– Signs of Recovery: A few of the sites hit by the September 2023 update are beginning to show very small, incremental improvements in Google Search ranking and visibility. While far from recoveries by any stretch of the imagination, they do show that maybe, just maybe, things may turn out okay.
– Mixed Bag: Sites impacted by earlier core updates, such as the March 2024 core update, are now seeing mixed results. Some are on the plus side, with positive movement; others are continuing to slide.
– Unexpected Changes: Interestingly, even websites that were not affected by the core updates earlier are now seeing changes, with some gaining and others losing visibility in search results.
SEO Industry Insights
The SEO community is debating the results flowing from the August 2024 core update. For instance, Glenn Gabe, an SEO consultant who tracked more than 380 sites with respect to the helpful content update, said 47 of those sites have begun to see recovery since the beginning of the August update rollout. Gabe added that even though some of these websites have low visibility, their traffic and ranking spiked, thus indicating potential recovery.
Notable Case Studies:
– House Fresh and Retro Dodo: These sites, previously notorious for attracting media attention due to their ranking challenges, each report some fluctuations in rankings since the update; however, no full recoveries have taken place.
Conclusion
As the August 2024 core update continues to roll out, SEO services professionals should closely monitor its impact. The recent volatility in Google search results further underscores the importance of ongoing performance monitoring and making data-driven adjustments to SEO strategies. Some sites have started showing early signs of recovery, but the full impact of this update on SEO services will become clearer in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for further developments as the SEO services community continues to analyze the effects of this update on organic search performance.
