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It’s the news you’ve been waiting for! The new Google Core update is out. Here’s what this means for businesses, webmasters, and SEOs.

What is a Google Core Algorithm Update?

Google updates its search algorithm to reflect recent trends every few months. The last Core update came on January 13, and as you can imagine, the world is very different now than it was back then.

These updates typically take two weeks to fully roll out and often produce noticeable changes in search engine results across languages and countries. Although core updates do not target specific pages, some sites may see drastic changes due to new content evaluation metrics.

Impact on Organic and Local Searches

SERP ranking and website traffic losses may correlate with Coronavirus search trends. So far, both small and large domains have reported unusually high keyword ranking volatility and search traffic reductions. Although Google Core updates often shift these metrics, the May 2020 update seems to have the strongest impact yet.

This update appears to be affecting both organic and local search traffic. Many sites report fluctuations in their rankings for usually strong, reliable keywords. This may indicate the algorithm prioritizes different local and organic results based on search intent during the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, Google has modified SERP features like carousels and snippet results, potentially diminishing organic search traffic opportunities.

What Does the May Core Algorithm Update Mean for SEO?

Remember, Google Core updates take up to two weeks to implement, and minor tweaks may be added as needed. Therefore, short-term traffic or ranking losses may not be an end-all change.

As with all core algorithm updates, some sites will see gains in certain areas and others will see losses. Webmasters should note these changes and carefully consider how the algorithm has altered a site’s search rankings. Think about how the Coronavirus opens up new content possibilities or eliminates them. Demand for specific content may be down during the pandemic, so webmasters and SEO experts must examine the site as a whole and consider ways to continue posting relevant content during this update period.

Here are some tips for responding to COVID-19 and the May core update:

• Explore your site’s strengths and weaknesses before and after the update
• Look at the analytics and try to understand how they changed along with the rankings
• Examine how new trends may be related to the Coronavirus and plan accordingly
• Read through Google’s guide for webmasters and improve your site’s SEO
• Consider how to update your pages and create new content during the Coronavirus outbreak

Search results are volatile for many industries, so focus on producing reliable and engaging content until traffic and SERP rankings stabilize. There is no perfect “fix” after a core update, and many other websites are experiencing the same issues. If you focus on content, you may be able to weather the Coronavirus storm and put your site in a successful position when life returns to normal.