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Google recently announced that they would be rolling out their August 2023 core search update. These core updates take place about once per quarter and are designed to consistently improve the results produced for a given query, but they can also impact your ranking. For some, this can be a positive boost, while others could see a drop.

In order to understand what this update means for you, we first need to discuss what is covered in the update. Once we have a firm grasp of Google’s goals, we can use that information to optimize our SEO strategy to best match the ever-changing digital landscape.

What is the August 2023 Core Update?

As stated, Core Updates can have a positive, negative, or neutral impact on your website’s search rankings. However, a decline in performance post-update does not necessarily mean that there is a fault in your website’s content or structure.

In their podcast “Search Off the Record”, Google’s Search Liaison Danny Sullivan speaks not just on the Core Update but the future of Updates in general. He discussed three main concepts: what the algorithm is, how these updates function, and Google’s plan for how they will manage future updates.

When discussing the algorithm, Sullivan wanted to make a clear point as to how Google itself functions. While many SEO thought leaders refer to Google’s algorithm as a singular entity, it is instead a series of multiple ranking systems working together. These ranking systems focus on different characteristics and communicate together to determine the best results for a given query. Websites that prioritize Google’s ranking criteria will be bumped up the list, while websites with more questionable relevance will be demoted in the list.

Ongoing Updates

This is the second core update of 2023; as these updates have become less individualistic, so has Google’s approach in announcing these improvements. Instead of announcing each update and its goals, they are presented as ongoing updates without much additional detail.

As these updates will be ongoing, the hope is that users will not have to change their SEO strategy with every Core update. Their ultimate goal is to inspire people to create better content rather than try to “game the system” in order to achieve a higher ranking.

What this Update Means for Users

The August 2023 Google core update is expected to minorly affect website rankings across the board but may heavily impact some more than others. If your website drops in ranking, there are a series of strategies you can implement to recover.

First, we recommend looking closely at pages that aren’t performing well to see where there is room for improvement. Second, analyzing what search terms led people to visiting those pages can help you understand what keywords are currently directing people to your website and identify potential keywords that are not actively benefiting you. Third, you should compare your content to the questions Google provides on its help page. As Google is trying to increase their transparency, their help page can be a great starting point to improve your website for their algorithms.

While these improvements will aid your website, it may take some time to see results. It typically takes several months for a website that dropped in ranking to re-earn its previous position. Additionally, these improvements are not guaranteed to aid in recovery. By providing authentic content, prioritizing website quality over quick fixes, and avoiding tricks or schemes to improve website ranking, you are much more likely to organically boost your website’s ranking for a prolonged period of time.

Designing Your SEO Strategy for Google’s Algorithm

One of Google’s ultimate goals is to make it so their updates don’t require dramatic alterations to your overall SEO strategy. While future updates may have a minor impact on your ranking, the goal is to make it so SEO experts can implement longer-lasting strategies that will boost your website consistently over time. By working with our experts at BluShark Digital, you can ensure your website has a healthy SEO strategy designed to not only handle the shifts caused by Google updates, but also to be long-lasting in the digital marketplace. Contact our team today to see how we can help you grow your business through digital marketing.