What To Know About Google 2020 Update

We have perused the websites of SEO experts to see what they have discovered about Google’s new update. Apparently, the update rolled out during the second week of January.

Many reported that the update affected a large number of websites. Google labeled the update a “broad core update,” which means that it was not specific to a category of sites or regions.

Maybe you weren’t even aware that the update was taking place, but you noticed that your ranking seemed to have changed over the last few weeks. Now you know a possible reason for the change.

When Google introduced massive updates in June of 2019, the company said there was little you could do to fix your site if you saw a decline in ranking. The good news is that Google has been a little more forthcoming this time around in posting advice on what you can do to fix your site. Here’s what we know so far.

Don’t overhaul your website.
We know this answer is not very satisfying. But when writing about the updates, Google representatives state, “There’s nothing wrong with pages that may perform less well in a core update.”

We know how frustrating this answer is. If your website previously appeared on the first page, and now it is buried on page three, you will receive fewer clicks. When Google representatives tell us to relax, that is not very satisfying.

Google representatives used an analogy to describe the process. We are instructed to think of a “Top 100 Movies” list that was published in 2015. If that list was re-examined in 2019, there would be new movies that were made in the last four years to replace some of the previous films on the list. Over those four years, movie viewers would have time to think about other movies that hadn’t made the list previously that they now view as contenders.

While the movies that were removed from the list weren’t bad, others may have been more deserving of the top-ranking four years later.

Apparently, we are to think of the Google update the same way. It’s not that your website is poor quality, but perhaps others have come along since the last update that are better. Google says that these websites now are more deserving of a first-page rank.

We know how unsatisfying this explanation is. You have been working hard on your website, and you thought you were doing everything in your power to earn your rank.
It’s all about the content. Google goes on to reiterate the advice that they have given time and time again. Focus on your content. Google says that its algorithms reward websites with good content.

Here are some things to think about regarding the content on your website. The questions that we pose are written in our words, but they are based upon the questions that Google provided.

These questions can be summarized by the acronym EAT, which stands for Expertise, Authoritative, and Trustworthiness. Whether or not your website has these traits can be determined by the answers to the following questions.

Is your content original?
Do you comprehensively cover the topic?
Do you provide original research or reporting?
Does the information come from quality sources?
Is the headline descriptive and offer a summary of the content?
Do you avoid exaggerations and shocking headlines?
Does your content seem like something that would be published in an encyclopedia or book?
Does your content provide information that you would want to share?
Do we learn about the author of the content?
Does the author seem like someone with authority?
Do you feel as if the author could be an expert on the topic?
Is the content free of factual errors?
Do you trust this content?
Is the content free of grammatical and spelling errors?
Does the content follow the same style?
Is the webpage mobile friendly?
Is there an abundance of ads on the page?
Is the content engaging?
As you go through the list of questions, you may feel as if you are checking off all the necessary boxes to achieve a high-ranking website. If you aren’t getting the clicks you think that you deserve, something must be wrong.

If nothing obvious jumps out as being wrong with your content, visit the higher ranking pages. Analyze what they are doing to achieve the top spot.

Are they providing a list of sources for each of their articles that come from government or education websites?

Do they provide biographies of their authors? Do they seem as if they could be experts on the topic?

Are the articles longer than what you have provided your readers?

If you have tried your best at improving your ranking, but to no avail, maybe it’s time to consult with an SEO expert. The future of your company may depend upon it.

This article was originally posted at Virtual Surge.