Google Updates and SERP Changes - Jan 2016

[Nutterum]

Continuing from:
Google Updates and SERP Changes - Dec 2015
https://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4780066.htm [webmasterworld.com]


I was off for the past two weeks, but looking back at the traffic patterns at the mid-end of Dec I can safely say something moved in the non US Google domains. Seeing positive changes in the UK, DE, FR and IT traffic. Asia is same but since we do not get much traffic from there either way I can't say for sure there was no changes in the SERPS there.

Too early to tell as for Jan. because it is the first workday of 2016, but I guess I can confirm my observations on Friday.

[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 10:56 am (utc) on Jan 4, 2016]

[EditorialGuy]

To go one further...I can now visualize government regulation of Google and other large search engines.

Not in the U.S., thanks to the First Amendment.

[internetlibrary.com...]

[ecommerceprofit]

I remember that case...so long ago...how time moves so quick as I get older...

They will be regulated eventually...they have lobbyists but eventually some big entity will challenge...there are so many ways to regulate...from the judicial angle ...one case is not enough protection...just need a big player / group to get angry who has their own lobbyists to work from the legislative end or maybe even the judicial end...

[Simon_H]

@dipper I don't actually agree with your first paragraph. I'll attempt to explain, but may do a bad job! IMO the purpose of testing is unlikely to be purely to ensure the search returns the best set of results at the time of testing. The purpose of testing would be at least in part to ensure the algorithm responds correctly to the multiple inputs it is designed to process, and testing would potentially need to happen at a unit level rather than purely at a system level. By testing at this lower level, it would ensure the serps correctly adapt to user interaction over time, rather than ensuring they were correct at the time of testing. I hope this makes sense. For example, Google may want to test 100 unique users running a specific search and then clicking on the same site in the results, in order to measure the impact on the rankings of that site as a result of those clicks. And those 100 test users/bots would be perceived as zombie traffic to the owner of the site involved in the test.

Yes, traffic shaping is a key aspect of this and as you say something that @tedster wrote about too in connection with zombie traffic. If sites are allocated traffic quotas, then when a chunk gets used by test/spam/competitor users, it results in a drop in conversions. I'm not aware that JM has been asked about this.

Of course, this is all speculation...!

[dipper]

... your thoughts are interesting! I can completely understand the testing difference you have described - it's the load testing, and variance angle of testing the software - could be possible. IMHO less likely than my scenario, but entirely possible.

Given I haven't experienced the zombie traffic (knowingly) I guess I'm not as frustrated as you (and others).

It might be worthwhile you directly asking JohnMu in a Webmaster hangout, or asking him in a dm on Google+ to make comment on your thoughts mentioned on this thread.

[Robert Charlton]

Mod's note: This thread had some technical problems and was offline for several days. We regret if any posts were lost during this period. Thanks.

[engine]

Interesting to note that there seems to be some activity on Google SERPs again, this weekend.

[hasek747]

Of course, this is all speculation...!

@Simon_H, wouldn't this speculation be easy to test though by sending tons of bots to a site and monitoring the results for a week or two?

[Simon_H]

@hasek747 Do you mean to test if traffic shaping takes place? I don't think it's as simple as that. The bots (real people would be better) couldn't just be sent to the site, they'd need to run Google searches and then click on the test site in the serps. Also, the traffic shaping is unlikely to happen with the short tail, so you can't just get a load of people to search for a set of keywords that you knew the site ranked for, click on the site in the serps, and then expect the site to suddenly drop out the serps at 5pm. It's the long tail where Google is more dynamic.

So what would actually happen is that if Google felt a site's organic traffic was increasing at a rate higher than it wanted, Google would slow that down by showing the site less in the long tail/rare/unique searches (which collectively form a high proportion of total traffic but is very difficult to track). This is something that you can't test.

[Atomic]

Interesting to note that there seems to be some activity on Google SERPs again, this weekend.

I'm seeing some nice gains on a few keywords we lost ground on few months ago in a highly competitive niche.

[lostshootingstar]

Seeing about a 20% drop in traffic on Friday the 22nd and Saturday 23rd. Hoping it's mostly related to the snowstorm but I think I know the real answer :(

[RedBar]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld lostshootingstar

No, no, not a weather, football, seasonal, athletics, baseball, whatever theory:-)

but I think I know the real answer

Which is?

[glakes]

I think I know the real answer

I think the real answer is that Google made some changes this weekend, which can be confirmed by Algoroo. I benefited greatly, although January is historically my worst month of the year. Sales are surprisingly good for the month. I'm not holding my breath that this will stick.

[timemachined]

I'm seeing multiple (3) instances of .uk domains with redirects to chinese websites in one particular sector. You click on an indexed .co.uk or .org.uk domain and you get instantly redirected to a .cn. I'm surprised G has indexed them.

[timemachined]

I tell you what though, for all the G slating, that 'send feedback' link works quickly. They took action on one of the sites. Site de-indexed from term I found it on and now with link 'this site might be hacked'

[SEOcomfort]

Saw a small decrease in traffic starting on the 22nd. I hope this isn't permanent. It looks like the typical "Google testing something" drop.

[RedBar]

Something strange happened to several of my sites over the weekend, not weather related, however they seem to be back to normal today.

[KrystianSzastok]

Finally a quiet weekend!

[Johan007]

My UK site seeing the first sustained rise since 2011. Real users (check). Started 22nd Jan and rising (100uv to 400uv used to 4000uv back in 2011).

Never diagnosed Penguin - focus was always on Panda and take down of content on third party websites (Amazon still have not removed my content).

I hope this rise will continue.

[Jez123]

Is it holding @ Johan007?

[Johan007]

Started to dip yesterday to 300. I will be able to confirm later on in the week.

[Jez123]

My traffic seems a bit more perky too. It's hard to tell as this time of year in my niche is pretty desolate anyway. It was the highest it's been this year yesterday but maybe just an anomaly. Fingers crossed for you, unless you are in my niche, then I hope it drops off :-)

[RedBar]

Finally a quiet weekend!

What do you mean?

[samwest]

Total shut down since the 25th...odd early morning conversions followed by totally dead daytime traffic. Turning ads ON has no positive effect. The month started out nice with the expected seasonal spike around the 1st, but each good day has been countered by the reliable old "throttle" and the seasonal surge which used to be 4 months long a few years years ago is progressively culled each year to less and less. Last year the surge lasted 4 weeks, this year more like 4 days. "They" seem to be faster and smarter at responding to rises in traffic and seem to be "harvesting" those peaks for their own.

[JS_Harris]

I had a new site lingering in the -50 area for the past 3 weeks and it suddenly jumped up into a proper ranking position. I'd say my site finally got clearance to rank so it was probably an update. What is often called the sandbox is just the amount of time between major Google updates, in my opinion.

[Jez123]

I've got a lot of domain crowding in my SERPs. It's pushed me right out of the top 10. I though google had got control of this a bit better.

[timemachined]

Again, another tactic to drive users to click ads, because it's really simply to write in wordpress "only show a post once on front page no matter the category" so imagine how easy it is for g to state, "only show one website reference per returned results"

There must be a max however otherwise Amazon with its 412 billion products would show at least 1000 pages for a generic search. One day G will go premium on search results to please shareholders, pay £10 a year and still run the gauntlet.

[Johan007]

Traffic sadly back to normal be it +10% or so. Google crawl stats been very encouraging since Jan so I am hoping for a another rise.

I still have plagiarised content on Amazon reviews that have not been removed by Amazon (but that is on another thread).

My sectors is film reviews.

Good luck all.

[SEOcomfort]

My traffic has seen a steady increase for most of the month but over the past couple of days, my conversions have gone completely down the drain. Anyone else seeing this?

I know for my site, we normally see a downward trend in conversions at this time of year, but it's nothing like what I am seeing right now. Basically overnight, my daily conversion average was cut in half, when it normally has a steady downfall as the natural trend.

[samwest]

^ Yes SEO, I am seeing the exact same pattern...from good conversions to no conversions almost overnight, Although, I find my highest traffic days are miserable but my lowest traffic days oddly seem to "make up" for some of the dead days. Thursday - Sat is my slowest period but getting the most conversions. High traffic days Sun - Wed produce little to nothing.

[SEOcomfort]

@samwest yea same here. for example, today our traffic is slightly lower but I have already surpassed my conversions from the past 3 days combined. I have not made any changes to my site this week, just as a side note.