Google August 2024 Core Update Completed
Google has now finished rolling out its August 2024 core update, according to a spokesperson for the company. The update started on August 15, 2024 and took 19 days to complete, which means it ended on September 3, 2024. This update caused significant movement and changes in Google search results.
What the latest update means
This update is not just a regular core update. The August 2024 core update has taken into account the feedback Google received since the September 2023 “helpful content update”, which had a negative impact on many small and independent publishers. For the first time, we saw some movement among some (but not all) sites affected by the previous update.
A recent survey found that most people who participated were negatively affected by the latest core update:
- 44% said their rankings/traffic decreased (1,583 total votes)
- 27% said their ranking/traffic increased (993 total votes)
- 29% said they didn’t notice any change (1,038 total votes)
In summary, it appears that we saw some recovery from the September 2023 update, but it was only for a few sites and limited recoveries. Most sites did not see significant or meaningful recoveries, and even more saw further declines or were flat.
Bugs in the ranking
During the first four days of the August core update, there was a significant search ranking bug that was fixed four days later. So you should ignore any changes you saw in those first few days. Instead, compare the rankings and traffic you’ve seen from Google this week, going forward, compared to the weeks before the release of the August core update.
What Google said about the update
John Mueller, Search Advocate at Google, wrote when the update was originally released:
- “Today we launched our August 2024 core update to Google Search. This update is designed to continue our work to improve the quality of our search results by showing more content that people actually find useful and less content that feels like it was created just to perform well in Search.”
Google has said that this update aims to promote useful content from small and independent publishers, after listening to feedback received since the release of the March 2024 core update. Mueller added:
- “This latest update takes into account the feedback we’ve heard from some creators and others over the past few months. As always, we aim to connect people with a wide range of high-quality websites, including ‘small’ or ‘independent’ websites that create useful, original content for relevant searches. This is an area we will continue to focus on in future updates.”
Updated guidance
Google has updated its help page on core updates with more detailed guidance for those who may see changes after an update.
Previous core updates
Here’s a timeline and our coverage of the latest core updates:
- The March 2024 core update began on March 5 and ended on April 19.
- The November 2023 core update started on November 2nd and ended on November 28th.
- The October 2023 core update started on October 5th and ended on October 19th.
- The August 2023 core update started on August 22nd and ended on September 7th.
- The March 2023 core update started on March 15 and ended on March 28.
- The September 2022 broad core update was less impactful and ended on September 26.
- May 2022 broad core update was a significant and fast update.
What to do if you are affected
Google has previously given advice on what to think about if you are negatively affected by a core update. Google has not provided any new advice here:
- There are no specific steps to take to recover. A negative ranking impact does not necessarily mean that there is something wrong with your pages.
- Google has offered a list of questions to consider if your website is affected by a core update.
- You can see some recovery between core updates, but the biggest change would happen after another core update.
In short, write helpful content for people and not to rank in search engines.
Why this is important
By now you should have seen the trend of this update and how it may have affected your site. If you notice improvements, that’s great – if not, you may have more work to do for Google to consider your site useful enough to rank higher in search results.
Google releases core updates every few months, so you should always continue to improve your site and the content on your site. Future updates can benefit your website’s ranking and Google’s traffic – so always work on improvements, not only for Google Search, but also for your website users.
No Feedback form for this update
Google has announced that there will be no feedback form for the August 2024 core update. This means that users and webmasters will have no direct channel to report their experiences or complaints about the update. Instead, Google relies on the feedback it has already received over the past few months and continues to improve its algorithms based on this feedback and its own internal testing and analysis.
Conclusion
The August 2024 core update has created significant movement in Google search results, and it is clear that Google continues to refine its algorithms to show more useful and relevant content to users. For many small and independent publishers, this update can provide an opportunity for improved rankings if they create quality and original content.
For those who have been negatively affected by the update, Google recommends focusing on creating content that is useful and satisfying for users, rather than trying to “game” the algorithm. This means that the best way to prepare for future updates is to continuously work on improving the quality of your content and your website overall.
What you as a creator should think about
- Continue to create quality content: Focus on creating content that is of value to your readers. Avoid creating content solely to rank higher in search engines.
- Evaluate and adapt: Analyze how your website was affected by the update and make necessary adjustments based on the new guidelines and recommendations from Google.
- Stay up-to-date: Core updates come regularly, so stay informed about future updates and be ready to adjust your strategy as needed.
- Use Google’s guidance: Take advantage of the updated help pages and advice provided by Google to better understand how to improve your site’s performance in search results.
By focusing on creating useful, original and high-quality content, you can better position your website for future core updates and give your users a better experience, which in turn can lead to better rankings and increased traffic. Keep working on improving your site for both your visitors and to meet Google’s requirements.
