Google Updates and SERP Changes - April 2015

[getcooking]

---

System: The following 4 messages were cut out of thread at: http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4739952.htm [webmasterworld.com] by aakk9999 - 2:27 pm on Apr 1, 2015 (gmt 0)

---

My guess is: Google changed something when referring a visitor, not showing were they originally came from.

I saw this too. Freaked out big time when I saw the percent drop in Google referrers. I also noticed pages missing from the SERPS - but not consistently. Sometimes a particular page would be there and sometimes it wouldn't. And I don't mean just not ranking, I mean not indexed at all. Odd thing was, our traffic was up overall during this.

[Mentat]

Whatever they done, I have lower than Easter traffic.
The mobile interface did not do any good for me, my competitors does not have a mobile version, but they are still ranking better on mobile serp!

Great work Google!

[Martin Ice Web]

Itanium, are u german located?


We gained many places, some keys moved from 8-9 to 2. But yet traffic fell like a Stone.

Edit: Before this update we saw an traffic increase about 30%, then a drop. Thats normaly typical for Panda?!

[Itanium]

@Martin Ice Web

Yes, I got a minor boost too and rankings improved a little. But still, Today everything seems to be back to normal.

Other than that: It would be unusual for Google to roll out panda just in one market, wouldn't it?

[Nutterum]

The website I work on does have a German language version and I too confirm that we saw nifty increase in rankings while traffic plummeted heavily. I need to wait for Monday and Tue to roll to see whether the change was reverted or it sticks for my niche (b2b events in German venue centers).

[dethfire]

My site is mobile friendly, but I seem to have been hit by something

[Kratos]

I am seeing some interesting big fluctuations on desktop traffic for the last 4 or 5 days, anyone else seeing it? I just read at SEroundtable Barry saying that there's been chatter over a webspam update over the last couple of days. Our data says that something has occurred indeed (again, I'm only talking of DESKTOP traffic, not mobile traffic).

Anyone else noticed big fluctuations on desktop traffic since the 21st?

[Wilburforce]

Anyone else noticed big fluctuations on desktop traffic since the 21st?

Not at all (Niche service UK).

[Martin Ice Web]

Anyone else noticed big fluctuations on desktop traffic since the 21st?

I think it was german related serps changes. Begining friday serps changed. Since then i see something like this
- 3 pages from same brand
- 3 pages from a different brand
- 3 pages from a different brand
no 10th result

or
-1 and 2 spot are the very same URL/ same title

Some other german forums do discuss this update. And i still say it was a Panda release, hit only ecoms. I have to say that in some sectors in my niche Amazon did take a deep dive too. Brands are more present than ever. Choices for users in organics are now less than 3 out of 10 while Google Shopping /adwords presents a big mix. I am exited to see Google urgue due to the EU Investigation about Google Shopping. It is so obvious.

If iwas a doorway algo release then why is ebay still first for any query with their phb pages?

[salesleadcare]

Google had been rolling out Mobile Friendly Algorithm since 21 April, 2015. The major changes found for Reddit website which in non-responsive. But how can we get to know changes done effected in our website. Is it possible to get any idea from Google Webmaster Tools?

[silentneedle]

@Martin Two of our content sites also got hit (approx. -10%). However, doesn't look like panda for me, as only some high paying keywords were affected. Also it seems we recovered on some keywords today.

[Edge]

Technology vertical - no movement obvious in desktop, mobile or tablet.

[Itanium]

Something happend for sure. There's a pretty big spike for the german index: [advancedwebranking.com...]

Still, I'm not conviced it was Panda. Not enough movement for that imho. Maybe it was the final rollout of the doorway algorithm? I have seen some category pages disappear and haven't seen any movement in the german SERPs for the doorway algo before.

[samwest]

Well, April is wrapping itself up as the WORST month ever, not just for traffic but mostly for conversions. Sure we had the mobile mess, but I've spent all month in complete and utter amazement as desktop after desktop user landed on our signup page, sat there for 5 minutes, then just left. Just a month ago, conversions were about 60% of signup visits. Now it's 10% or less. What happened to desktop traffic? Is it really human or have the Zombies returned? Very, very odd patterns indeed. Time to go back to basics, pounding the pavement and pressing the flesh to get customers. Google land is a joke.

[Itanium]

What happend is the weather. After some cold and rainy months, it suddenly had 20+ degrees for the majority of April.

Yes I know, you have never seen this before in the previous years, but the way people use the internet has changed, as well as your overall websites ranking (most likely). So you can't take data from the last 2, 3, 4+ years as comparison.

As it happends, I have direct access to the visitor stats of one of my competitor sites and indirect access to another one (through someone involved). The visitor-patterns are identical to mine: Same highs and same downs. Google is obviously trying to get users to click on their ads, but there is no Google conspiracy here.

[SnowMan68]

I heard the zombies aren't as bad over at Facebook, check that site out.

[RedBar]

it suddenly had 20+ degrees for the majority of April.

Not everywhere!

[Itanium]

But in Germany / Central Europe, where samwest is located, if I remember correctly.

I'm really not Pro-Google. I hate the intransparency, monopoly and the sometimes even defective algorithms like everyone else, but blaming Google for _every_ drop in visitors is just ridiculous. Especially if there are virtually no changes in the SERPs. I'm just saying, that maybe there's sometimes something else going on.

[samwest]

What happend is the weather.

- Oh thank God somebody finally figured it all out. You gotta be kidding , right?

But in Germany / Central Europe, where samwest is located, if I remember correctly.

Nope, sorry try the upper midwest, USA.

When 80%+ of our traffic is from Google, hmmm, let's find another reason. I'm comparing notes and traffic data with webmasters around the world, some on a daily / hourly basis. We see the same patterns, consistently. Each year these patterns "tighten up" and refine. Either somebody is cranking down the screws and pushing us out or it's pure F.M. BTW - who said anything about a "conspiracy"? I simply said Google land is now a joke, which is simply my opinion. Let me refill your solo cup.

[Nutterum]

I can`t complain about April. Yes traffic is down as it is expected, due to my niche being heavily affected by easter and other national holidays(esp. in the EU countries) but overall I am in a OK mood. What I am disgruntled with is the mobilegedud that happened. Google was so upfront-and-center about how important this update is, while in reality its relevancy was mediocre at best. Non mobile friendly sites with "relevant" content are still cemented on the top 3-5 spots. Doorway page Algo was not felt either too.

I do not wish to pull the devil's tail here, but the preached changes Google raved about were just a drop in the ocean of ever-slowing traffic and engagement.

[Itanium]

@samwest: Sorry, did think you're in Europe.

We see the same patterns, consistently.

And what makes you think Google is the cause and not the visitor-behaviour itself? Sure, Google has a lot of influence, but I still don't get how they could deliberately send non-converting zombie-traffic while not changing the SERPs. Sure, they will put ads in front of the organic search results, but
a) only to the extent the advertisers are paying for and
b) ad-blockers are more popular than ever, so the influence is still somewhat limited (depending on the niche of course).

I'm not denying that Google is hitting webmasters hard, but still, I think the main-guideline in developing their search engine is, that they are trying to make search results better. Yeah, they want to make money, but if people are not finding what they are looking for, they will eventually use something else. Google is in for the long haul (see Android and all the other side projects) and they are perfectly capable of understanding that crippeling their SERPs just for profit will hurt them in the end.

[samwest]

@ Itanium - I think rish3 is better at explaining how they "allegedly" sculpt traffic. When traffic levels stay the same and my site has not changed and conversion suddenly drops to almost zero, for weeks, in fact all month, I know something is up with the traffic provider. I've been at this a long time. I'm also a big fan of chaos theory. This is not chaotic, it's controlled, HIGHLY controlled.
Remember how Schmidt say they want to get right up to the point of being creepy, but not cross the line? Well, IMHO, they've crossed that line a long time ago. See: [blogs.telegraph.co.uk...]

[EditorialGuy]

Samwest, you've been telling us for months that your Google traffic is declining, yet now you suggest that 80+% of your traffic is from Google.

Does that mean even more than 80+% of your traffic came from Google in the past?

Or has your traffic from other sources (Bing, Yahoo, direct, etc.) declined at the same rate as your Google traffic has slipped?

[Coldrum]

Just thought I'd join this thread.

Our traffic from old man google has been consistent +-5% since panda 4 in May 2014. Our main site IS mobile friendly and wasn't hit on the 21st of April, however it suddenly lost 10% of Google traffic yesterday. Many our top 10 positions dropped 1-2 spots.

I'm almost 100% certain it wasn't panda (as other pandalized sites in my niche didn't drop positions in the queries I'm watching).
I'm about 95%% certain it wasn't penguin either as I did a massive disavow in mid Feb and not that many scrapers, weak sites have been linking to us since then


So what the hell happened on the 28th (29th Australia time)?

The rank drops occured on both desktop AND mobile.

[samwest]

@ EG - wow you ask some real zingers - I'm talking about drastically declining conversions, not drastically declining traffic. What part of "When traffic levels stay the same" did you miss? My traffic has actually been on a slow increase since making recent changes. What's your point?

[Nutterum]

What he asked was whether 80%+ of your traffic comes from Google and as a follow up question, are your bing and other search engine traffic see drop in conversions.

I believe his point is (do not wish to play the devil`s advocate or anything just interested in the conversation) that maybe your business is too dependant on Google traffic?

[Martin Ice Web]

@Nutterum, @ Samwest: do you remember how Matt Cutts intreoduced the panda algo?

" Donīt expect any free traffic from google in the futere anymore"

Sure, Google has a lot of influence, but I still don't get how they could deliberately send non-converting zombie-traffic while not changing the SERPs

I think we, as webmasters do search in a way that will find our sites? The keys we are targeting is our search frame for looking if search result have changed. I think many users are missleaded by googles suggestions in the search box. I myself did find me searching on a topic and looked at the suggestions, while this are most dismatch my intentions.

How often did a customer called and said: wow, we search two days on google and didnīt find anything but you just have the thing we are looking for. While i do need one query to find the item they search for for two days. I think google is smart, but poeple using google are getting less smart. This engine is going to think for them and tells them what to search for and what to do. Very dangerous for the future. Poeple donīt think enough, google does.

[gregorym]

the sites that I didn't have time to upgrade are hit about 25%.

I am upgrading them but did Google say that once mobile friendly sites should go back to normal?

[Nutterum]

@MartinIceWeb - That is why I target keywords that are appearing in the suggestion box and then branch out to longer tail variants. But you are correct, sooner or later(and I bet it will be sooner rather than later) Google will update to suggestive search or upgrade to semantic search altogether and dictate the when, why and how users interact with the web - turn them from proactive to reactive. Imagine the revenue possibilities for advertising when that happens..

@gregorym - Yes Google did state that once you update to mobile you should see improvement. But knowing Google, they are quick to punish and slow to recover, so don`t be surprised if it takes some extra time.

[SnowMan68]

@ Coldrum....wow, a post in this thread that is useful! Talking about changes in the Google Serps that aren't a conspiracy theory. Thank you for that.

I am seeing the exact same thing, on the same date. I'm thinking it might just be minor testing and tweaking though. Did you see a bump in your keywords on April 24/25th? Ours went up on 24/25 and back down 28/29.

[samwest]

I believe his point is (do not wish to play the devil`s advocate or anything just interested in the conversation) that maybe your business is too dependant on Google traffic?

YA THINK?
That's exactly what I eluded to in message #4743838 and that's why I asked "what's your point"?

To be honest, I'm not a fan of comments that are taken from previous posts as though those conditions are written in stone. They are not. Traffic is always changing. When I report traffic, it's for that particular day. Not fodder for the partially informed to pull from the past and take out of context.