Google Announced A New Core Update After Seven Months

Google is rolling out a new core update, called December 2020 Core Update. This is the third time that Google announced a core update in the year 2020. The first one was released in the month of January 2020 and the second one was in May 2020.

SEOs and Webmasters know that Google has released a core algorithm update after every few months. It has been just about seven months since the May 2020 core update, which took place on May 4, 2020. So this one took a lot longer than previous updates to roll out.

The Announcement:

Here is that tweet in which Google announced and said “later today, we are releasing a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year. It is called the December 2020 Core Update.”

Previous Updates:

The previous core update was announced in the month of May 2020, which was big and broad and took two or three weeks to fully roll out. Before May 2020 Core Update, Google announced January 2020 core update, which was analyzed by many SEOs and Webmasters and said that it didn’t have a big impact like the previous September 2019 core update. Google also released an update in November 2020, but that was specific to local rankings.

What To Do If You Are Hit?

Google has given advice on what to consider if you are negatively impacted by a core update in the past. There aren’t specific actions to take to recover, and in fact, a negative rankings impact may not signal anything is wrong with your pages. However, Google has offered a list of questions to consider if your site is hit by a core update. Google did say you can see a bit of recovery between core updates but the biggest change you would see would be after another core update.

Why Do We Care?

Whenever Google updates its search ranking algorithms, it means that your site can do better or worse in the search results. Knowing when Google makes these updates gives us something to point to in order to understand if it was something you changed on your website or something Google changed with its ranking algorithm. Today, we know Google will be releasing a core ranking update, so keep an eye on your analytics and rankings.

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Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update 23 November 2020

Google Search Ranking Shuffles on Thanksgiving 2020

As we all know that the search giant Google always makes changes in the algorithm and search ranking fluctuate. Same like this on November 23rd, many SEOs and Webmasters noticed that Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update like 23rd January 2020.

But I am seeing that SEOs are chattering about the latest changes in the Ranking Algorithm on Thanksgiving Day. Also, there are many search engine monitoring tools are showing big signals.

I just want to remind you that Google has not confirmed any update prior to Thanksgiving and it seems wrong on so many levels. So I also do not know that this is a real big Google update or if some websites are having issues.

Let’s first start with the tracking tools, again, most of them show big swings.

MOZCast:

SERPMetrics:

Advanced Web Rankings:

Accuranker:

RankRanger:

Cognitive SEO:

SERPstat:

SEMRush Sensor:

Here I like to share the screenshot that what SEOs are chattering at WebmasterWorld:

I want to say that this is not normal because these tracking tools are showing really big changes but right now the SEO community is pretty cool. Maybe webmasters are taken off due to Thanksgiving week and not obsessing over it. I am not 100 percent sure about this Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update. I did ask a few SEOs who track a lot of sites and they said it seemed pretty calm.

If you have noticed some big changes in the Ranking Algorithm Update so, please share them with me here in this post. Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.

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Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update on 18 June 2020

Grow your Business and Reach More Customers

Google My Business has added a new option that says “Connect in real-time, with video conferencing.” It says you can “grow your business and reach more customers when you use video conferencing providers.” Then a “set up” button to start to configure it.

I guess this is activated if you have updated your service availability option in Google My Business to specify you offer video appointments but it is not 100% confirmed.

Here is a screenshot of the box on the main home dashboard of Google My Business after you sign in and select a specific business:

After you click on “Set up” you are given these online video service providers including Google Meet, Webex, Skype, and Zoom. Here is a screenshot:

But after that, there does not seem to be a way to set it up more beyond that yet. When you click on Google Meet, it takes you to google.com/meet which I already use all the time. In fact, all the links take you to those service providers. Google does link to this help document with more details on how to configure it. There is a lot of Local SEOs that are chatting about this as well in the Local Search Forums.

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Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update 18 June 2020

Google Search Ranking Shuffles on Thursday, June 18th

Like we all know that Google always changing search results and update algorithms continuously. Right now I am seeing over the past couple of days that Search Engine Monitoring Tools showing usual changes in the Google search results and also SEO community is chattering at WebmasterWorld about the latest Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update on Thursday, 18 June 2020.

Search Engine Monitoring Tools:

RankRanger:

CognitiveSEO:

As you can see, the above two screenshots show the changes in the algorithm, bigger changes, around June 17th. But not all are seeing such big changes on the 17th or this week:

SEMRush:

Accuranker:

Advanced Web Rankings:

SERPMetrics:

Mozcast:

Are you noticing any changes since around yesterday, Thursday, June 18th?

Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.

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Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update on 23rd Jan 2020

Important News For Google Ads Partners Program

New requirements for agencies to achieve and maintain Google Partner status take effect starting in June 2020. Many Google Advertisers has received an email on Thursday about substantial changes coming to Google Ads Partners Program – the badge and certification program for agencies that meet certain criteria.

As far as I have read the news and understood the most important news are:

• Performance criteria for maintaining Partner’s badge will be more transparent and will directly refer to the optimization score highlighted in the “Recommendations” tab of each account (excluding ignored suggestions).
• It will no longer be enough to have 1 certified administrator/standard user to be able to display the Google Partner badge (2 for Premier Partners), but at least half of the administrator/standard users connected to your company’s account manager will have to pass the Skillshop certifications (the accounts on this platform must be connected to the company’s one).
• Growth of invested budgets and new accounts managed will no longer be a requirement to obtain the badge, but you only need to spend more than 20,000$ (it was 10,000$) in your managed accounts in the last 3 months. These requirements will stay still for Premier Partners, who will be chosen among the 3% of the best partners in terms of expenditure, growth of invested budgets and customer retention.

Below is Google’s comparison chart look at what’s changing, which you can find on this help page.

The first consideration I have to make about these new Google Ads Partner Program is starting to get serious about the recommendations tab. All of us PPC Professionals had long noticed that the quality of suggestions has been definitely improving. Now ignoring that section may also have important consequences on the Partner badge (as well as on the performance of the campaigns). So, do it at your own risk.

For now, Google is still not so sure of all its automatic optimization suggestions to consider also the wrong / ignored ones among those used to evaluate the account, but I could bet that there is where we are going.

They have finally understood that more transparency was needed in the evaluation criteria of the managed accounts to obtain the Partner badge and that this has nothing to do with increasing budgets and new customers. This is one of the main reasons why I left the program in 2017, given that in my opinion the added value of a PPC Expert lies in the the fact that he/she has to be independent from the platforms used. The very reason for us being on the market is that we are free to suggest the best solution for each customer, without necessarily having to “push” one or the other for reasons different from expected performance.

Unfortunately, this underlying opacity remains for Premier Partners, but Google has already taken a step in the right direction by withdrawing this criterion for the bulk of Partners, I hope that sooner or later they will also drop it for top spenders.

Note:

Google Ads Partner Program will select based on a number of factors, including but not limited to: annual Ads spend across managed accounts, client growth, client retention, and other information. Evaluation is done on an annual basis and status may not be available in all markets.

There is no doubt about that Google is continuously updating and make a lots of changes in Search Ranking Algorithm. I saw in the SEO community and also search engine monitoring tools are lighting up. These are all signs that there was a Google search ranking algorithm update. But truth is, this algorithm update can be directly related to the featured snippet de-duplication change on January 22nd.

What I am saying is that the tools might not be ready to process the change and thus are showing changes to what is listed in the Google search results for the queries they track. Also, SEOs might be noticing those changes in those third-party tools and potentially also noticing changes in traffic because of the de-duplication efforts.

Some of the tool providers need to make updates:

So what you will see below is likely related to the Google featured snippets change and not necessarily a ranking algorithm update.

Search Engine Monitoring Tools Tracking Google Algorithm Update:

Mozcast:

SERPMetrics:

Advanced Web Rankings:

RankRanger:

Cognitive SEO:

SEMRush Sensor:

So I really doubt Google did an algorithm update, outside of the featured snippet de-duplication change. But if they did, it would be hard to know. I will suggest to all SEOs, Webmasters and Site Owners that keep monitor your daily traffic in Google Analytics and manually check your Keywords Ranking. If you see any changes, please share it here regarding this unconfirmed update. Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.

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Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update on 4 Dec 2019

There is no doubt about that Google is continuously updating and make a lots of changes in Search Ranking Algorithm. I saw some chatters at WebmasterWorld and discussion about Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update on 4 Dec, 2019. Here I like to share some screenshots that what SEOs and Webmaster are saying about:

There is no confirmation from Google or their officials about this algorithm update. Just like in the past Google confirmed “March 2019 Core Update” but not update about 1 August 2019. There are some Search Engine Monitoring Tools are showing spikes in the signals of a Google search ranking update over the past couple of days – maybe December 3rd or 4th. Glenn Gabe also tweeted and shared the screenshot with the SEO Community regarding this Search Ranking Algorithm Update: 

Search Engine Monitoring Tools Tracking Google Algorithm Update:

MOZ:

SERPMetrics:

Algoroo:

Advanced Web Rankings:

Accuranker:

RankRanger:

Cognitive SEO:

SEMRush:

I will suggest to all SEOs, Webmasters and Site Owners that keep monitor your daily traffic in Google Analytics and manually check your Keywords Ranking. If you see any changes please share it here regarding this unconfirmed update.

Also Read: 

Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update 1 August

A Letter from Larry and Sergey

Today, Google Co-Founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin announced that they resigning from their roles as CEO and President of Alphabet. The company said that Sundar Pichai will become CEO of both Alphabet and Google, but Sergey Brin and Larry Page will remain on the Board.

In their letter, Sergey Brin and Larry Page used the analogy of parenting in reference to Google. They said that at age 21 it was time for the company they created to be able to exist without the co-founders daily influence. Google Co-Founders, Larry and Sergey  wrote that now it’s the time that company is stable and no need of   co-founders daily influence.

What Google Co-Founders Wrote About Sundar Pichai?

“Sundar brings humility and a deep passion for technology to our users, partners and our employees every day. He’s worked closely with us for 15 years, through the formation of Alphabet, as CEO of Google, and a member of the Alphabet Board of Directors. He shares our confidence in the value of the Alphabet structure, and the ability it provides us to tackle big challenges through technology. There is no one that we have relied on more since Alphabet was founded, and no better person to lead Google and Alphabet into the future.”

Sundar sent the following email to Google on Tuesday, December 3:

I first met Google Co-Founders Larry and Sergey back in 2004 and have been benefiting from their guidance and insights ever since. The good news is I’ll continue to work with them — although in different roles for them and me. They’ll still be around to advice as board members and co-founders.

The key message Larry and Sergey shared is this:

“While it has been a tremendous privilege to be deeply involved in the day-to-day management of the company for so long, we believe it’s time to assume the role of proud parents—offering advice and love, but not daily nagging!”

The founders of Google have given all of us an incredible chance to have an impact on the world. Thanks to them, we have a timeless mission, enduring values, and a culture of collaboration and exploration that makes it exciting to come to work every day. It’s a strong foundation on which we will continue to build. Can’t wait to see where we go next and look forward to continuing the journey with all of you.

– Sundar

Read the official announcement here: A Letter from Larry and Sergey

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Google New Reporting for Products Rich Results in Search Console

A New Product Performance Report in the Google Search Console

People visits Google to find, search and select that which product or brand is reliable to purchase. So Google announced that they are adding a new data reporting structure for products rich results in the search console. This will help shopper to get product information like descriptions, price and availability within the search results.

For SEOs and Webmasters, they can see data in the Search Console performance report, where you can view the stats such as total clicks, impressions, average click-through rate, and average position. Furthermore, these metrics will be segmented by device, geography and queries.

Those websites that are qualified to appear in Google’s product search results will find a new Search Appearance type called “Product results.” It will be easy to segment your traffic to analyze your search performance.

The new ‘Product results’ search appearance will help website owners understand their search performance for product rich results. For example how shopping traffic changes over time and which search queries product results show up for. You can drill down the data even further to figure out how much traffic comes specifically from rich data like price, availability, etc. If you have any questions on this (or other) Search Console reports, let Google know through the forum or on Twitter.

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Google Roll Out Speed Report in Search Console