Google Updates and SERP Changes - Sept 2015

[silentneedle]

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System: The following 17 messages were cut out of thread at: https://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4760634.htm [webmasterworld.com] by robert_charlton - 10:16 am on Sep 3, 2015 (PDT -8)

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So is/was Panda 4.2 a "slow rollout" or "no rollout"? For me it looks like they just announced 4.2 so that the webmaster community shuts up.

[Simon_H]

Hope it sticks too. Sunday is usually our best day of the week, the most recent was our worst. Wednesday is usually average, today is very good. More sign-ups in the past 24 hours than the previous 3 days put together. Yes, getting the double/triple conversions.

It's too early to tell much but given there seems to be some superficial correlation between us, can I throw a few questions mainly at @glakes, @samwest, anyone else seeing similar:
1. Are you guys seeing this on paid (Google Shopping) or just organic? GA is showing a very obvious dip for us in conversion rate starting on 18th Sept but apparently recovering today. The dip is most prominent in Google cpc.
2. Just throwing this out there... iOS9 was released on Sept 16th, along with ad blockers. Any way this could be related? I think we're all pretty sure there was an organic algo update in Sept, but some of us are seeing changes in paid too. That doesn't make sense. I wonder if the algo update was more than just organic and Google has done something encompassing organic and paid to help rebalance things caused by the ad blocker issue.
3. Following on from above - and again just throwing this out there - is there any possibility that the sudden surge in ad blocking is being mistaken for an update? Ad blockers have a habit of removing stuff that isn't ads, e.g. images and 'add to basket' buttons. This would manifest itself as stable traffic, but a reduction in transactions, i.e. just what is being seen. I'm unsure on this one, but interested in others' thoughts.

[samwest]

@SH
1. Just organic
2. Doubtful as iOS never converts even in the best of times.
3. I don;t place ads on our product pages at all...only in the blog area and only one at the bottom of each article.
Not a fan of ads and they're not worth the hassle / confusion / irritation they cause for users.
I'm pretty sure it's a data set switch and may very well be temporary. I've hit my "ceiling" again for the day, so don't expect to see much more in the way of conversions. These ON periods have been short and sweet....then OFF again for a few days.

[Simon_H]

@samwest Cheers. When you say iOS never converts, surely iPads do even if iPhones don't? iPads are our biggest user.

Bizarre that you should say you've hit your ceiling. Us too. Not sure where you're based, but we're UK and the ceiling was about 3 hours ago. We're still seeing activity but nowhere near as much as then.

[reseller]

I guess there is a difference in the top-5 countries of origin of traffic on 28th September and 30th September. If so, very interesting indeed!

[push_star]

I reviewed quite a few web sites today @smx via majestic (disclosure - I am an ambassador for Majestic) and saw a large amount of LOST or NEW links on and around Sept. 24th. Just reviewing the entire thread it appears to me that there was a rollout or refresh earlier in the month and then something strong from Google around the 23rd/24th of September.

[samwest]

^ but nothing took hold until 24 hours ago. Unfortunately it may be over already.

[Nutterum]

Actually just after the 2nd of Sept. I had the biggest conversion "ceiling hit" so far in 2015. Then on the 24th it reverted to pretty much normal levels(slightly higher). So I think whatever changed on the 2nd did bring good traffic, that was then reverted to the usual mix of good and bad visitors. Again international B2B service pure organic SERPs. Since there are several users from different countries experiencing pretty much the same thing, this algo change was either just introduced, or reverted. Can't tell which, yet.

@reseller - Yes, I am expecting some news from Google in the next weeks regarding an algo change(sort of gut feeling).

[liamkk]

Update from Australian market:

Within a few niches that I am monitoring, Google has completely wiped out sites with heavy PBN footprint. Based on whatever I have seen so far, it seems like an update to negate PBN or expired domains fuelled rankings.

On a positive notes, SERPs are now looking a lot cleaner and spam free for our main site.

[System]

The following 8 messages were cut out to new thread by robert_charlton. New thread at: google/4770282.htm [webmasterworld.com]
11:46 am on Oct 1, 2015 (PDT -8)