
Google makes updates in its algorithms several times in a year. This year due to the COVID19 pandemic, internet users were unsure about when the update would be made.
However on May 4th, 2020 Google announced that it is releasing a broad core algorithm update and have named it as the May 2020 core update.
Worldwide many SEOs and webmasters agree that whenever there is an update made by Google, it has an impact on search engine rankings and other SEO factors affecting websites. The changes might lead to a website performing better, or worse than what it was before the update.
Although, this volatility in Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs) causes anxiety among webmasters, Google offers assurance that a negative rankings impact does not necessarily indicate that there is something wrong with a website.
What does the Google May 2020 core update do?
Website owners and the SEO services Calgary community in general are somewhat upset at the timing of the update – coming in the middle of a full-blown COVID 19 pandemic. This is the reason why some have named it as the “Corona Update”, “Pandemic Update” and “Force Update”.
Officially Google has not announced what changes it has made in its core algorithm by way of this update. It has only said that it works hard to improve search results and to highlight the content that internet users work on.
This fact is endorsed by experts who say that Google has not revealed the exact information about the changes in the algorithm and which industries, user groups, or topics it refers to. It is also not known whether the changes are related to COVID 19 pandemic or the behavioral changes observed in internet users as regards their search preferences.
One fact however is clear that the rollout happened on May 4th and lasted till May 18th 2020. It was a global rollout and all changes are now live, including tweaks made post-rollout.
What is the industry sentiment about Google May 2020 core update?
Industry experts who have been monitoring the rollout have looked at the effects of the update and expressed their insights and analysis.
While some of them feel that E-A-T (Expertise, Authority and Trust) signals are the most important factors of this update, others are of the opinion that Google has weighed in on not just content factors, but also brand factors and user data such as click through rates.
Broadly speaking the main findings are:
- In terms of impact, this was the second biggest one since August 2018 “”Medic update.
- Quality of a web page counts more than authority.
- Web pages that do not have a strong link profile and brand names are among the ones that are hit by the impact.
- Use behavior and signals emanated by the user are strong factors that are important.
- A strong E-A-T foundation is important for every website.
Impact of the update and what providers of SEO services Calgary can do
Google has reassured SEOs and webmasters worldwide that they should not feel concerned with this update as they have neither violated Google Webmaster Guidelines nor have undergone any manual or algorithmic action initiated by Google.
Still, if they feel that their websites have been impacted by the update they should focus on delivering the best possible content and conduct a website audit that addresses 4 major areas:
Quality & Content
Has the website got original, valuable content - not copied or pasted? Are the Meta titles and descriptions appealing? Does the content match the meta titles and descriptions. If you were a webmaster, would you share this content with friends?
Expertise and trust
Is the content on the web page error-free and trust worthy? If you were a webmaster, would you trust the site?
Presentation & production
Is the well researched and produced? Does it contain too many ads? Is the website compatible on all devices and does it look appealing there?
Comparison with competitors
How does the site rate in comparison to competitors? Does it offer more value? Does it meet the expectations of users?
Conclusion:
Providers of SEO Services Calgary are abreast of these recommendations and are building them into their SEO strategies for 2020 and beyond.
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