We interrupt our regular scheduled programming to deliver some important news to all of the businesses currently operating or preparing to reopen across Canada and the USA. Google may or may not have thrown a wrench into your plans. On May 4th the search engine giant announced the arrival of a core algorithm update, dispelling the rumors (hopes) that they would ease up on the algorithm rollouts amidst the COVID 19 crisis. No such luck. But the news doesn’t have to be taken as “bad”. Here’s what you need to know.
3 Things Businesses Need to Know About the First Google Core Algorithm Update Since the COVID 19 Crisis Hit North America
It’s Not a Bad Thing If You’ve Been Playing by the Rules
There are a few online marketing firms out there who get pretty stressed out when Google drops a core algorithm update. The ones who do may not have been preparing their clients for the inevitable. Some may have involved their clients in paid link schemes and/or dropped the ball on the fundamentals of search-engine-friendly web development. However, more often than not they have done clients a disservice when it comes to content quality. For the uninitiated, a Google core algorithm update is as follows:
“Several times a year, we make significant, broad changes to our search algorithms and systems. We refer to these as “core updates.” They’re designed to ensure that overall, we’re delivering on our mission to present relevant and authoritative content to searchers.” (Google Webmaster Central)
While backlink quality and smart web design are extremely important, it really comes down to content. If your website is being updated on a weekly basis with some combination of original articles, images, and infographics that is interesting, engaging, and helpful to searchers (prospective customers/clients) then you really don’t have much to worry about, assuming quality links and site design round out the equation.
Take a look at your website today. Has your content been updated over the last week or two? Has a customer-targeted new blog post or landing page been published? If not, connect to an online marketing firm who provides this essential service.
What If You Lost Rank Regardless?
“It’s not that you’ve been doing a bad job, it’s just that your competition may be doing it better than you.”
Some of you may have been playing by the rules, but have already experienced a drop in search rank. This does not mean you’ve received a “penalty” per se. Your perceived drop may have simply come from the fact that competitors received a boost in rank – a reward for doing a great job with their own SEO and quality content delivery campaigns. If their rank goes up, it has to happen at the expense of others. In this case, it’s not that you’ve been doing a bad job, it’s just that your competition may be doing it better than you.
The good news, if that there is something you can do about it – up your game. This will require a comprehensive audit of your website. Once an SEO consultant has run this analysis and provided corrective action items you can then embark on a more aggressive and robust content delivery campaign. Sounds like a lot of work? We won’t lie – it will be. However, these duties can be handed over to an content expert while you focus on your core business.
They Will Do It Again
As mentioned in the introduction, the SEO industry half-expected Google to take the foot off the gas on core algorithm updates while business struggle to recover from the economic shutdown of 2020. Alas, they did not. Why should they? Google core updates exist to improve the search result quality for the public – those who have also been impacted by COVID 19. Being able to trust search results is therefore more important than ever before as consumers must secure products and services online with fewer brick and mortar locations to visit in-person. Google has made a statement with this May 4th move, and only businesses who choose to adapt and evolve will reopen with a sustainable business model. For this reason, you need to increase your investment in digital marketing, with a stronger focus on search engine optimization.
Guest Post By: Marcus Maraih – SEO Consultant