Google Updates and SERP Changes - September 2017

[martinibuster]

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System: The following 4 messages were cut out of thread at: https://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4860963.htm [webmasterworld.com] by robert_charlton - 3:25 am on Sep 2, 2017 (PDT -8)

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How do you compare your pages with those in the top 10?

User intent.

[Martin Ice Web]

@Bushytop, yeah, it seems the more information and sublimental content we add the more we got hit. And i don´t mean nonsens content but something like calculators, datasheets, links, pictures, videos a.s.o.

[engine]

I've noted some interesting changes in the SERPs this week. Too early to say what's up, and it'll have to settle before making a better assessment.

[keyplyr]

For info sites, I've seen recent good results by moving away from keyword structured pages to answer based content. Those pages got a jump in SERP inclusion.

[BushyTop]

I know a lot of people take these types of tools with a pinch of salt, but Algoroo and moz and showing big movements today in the US. In my experience, the UK usually follows. Hopefully its a reversal of what happened last week - because we've definitely been hit with something.

[Samsam1978]

Something they have done is not right with this update, my content is written by me and takes 3 hours to write one articles - it is good, clean quality content. It has taken me 15 years of doing this everyday, now, were 30% down. I am seeing spammy sites above me in the search with a few lines of text. Something is not right...Google please fix this before us good websites go out of business, maybe it is a test or something, lets hope it goes back to normal soon. My site has never been hit before.

[Samsam1978]

I have also moved it over to https yesterday just in the hope this will change but looks worse today :-( duhhh

[SnowMan68]

I know a lot of people take these types of tools with a pinch of salt, but Algoroo and moz and showing big movements today in the US. In my experience, the UK usually follows. Hopefully its a reversal of what happened last week - because we've definitely been hit with something.

I think you can include Serpmetrics in there now too. It made a huge jump overnight. I wouldn't be surprised to see the others follow today.

[Martin Ice Web]

I have also moved it over to https yesterday just in the hope this will change

https will change nothing. The only thing that will change something is to buy ads and in this case you can push our money directly down the drain.

[Samsam1978]

Sorry what do you mean by "The only thing that will change something is to buy ads and in this case you can push our money directly down the drain."

[Samsam1978]

Anyone had any info from there google account manager? I will call mine next week if still the same. Glad I am not alone.

[Martin Ice Web]

@Samsam, moving to https will not have any influence on our traffic.

[Cralamarre]

Traffic seems to be good here. In fact, yesterday I recovered from the 3-5% drop from the Sept. 20th Google update. Today has been solid and steady, and even a bit better than yesterday, at least so far.

[BushyTop]

@cralamere where are you based? UK?

[Cralamarre]

@BushyTop My site is based in the US. Most of my traffic is from the US.

[NicJamCo]

Here in the UK I've been seeing a plethora of websites (not in all sectors) since late June early July to present, that have little to no content, plastered with keywords in the titles (h1's to h6's) that are using the (dead) Keyword Tag, Description Tag and Title Tag to stuff hundreds if not thousands of keywords... with shockingly bad backlinks from comment sections on blog sites, on multiple duplicated websites, as single messages on Forum pages, spam directories... all comfortably sitting on the first, second and third pages of Googles search results. HOW?

I am hoping this is either a big glitch, or Googles means of gathering up and sifting through the rubbish before penalizing and or deindexing these websites, so that those who have done their honest hard work following Googles very own guidelines can actually reap there rewards. Otherwise like the age ole saying "If you can't beat them, join them!" myself and many others will have no other alternative but use the spammy techniques of yesteryear which seem to be alive and kicking almost 7 years after the roll out of the likes of Panda, Penguin...

[BushyTop]

@cralamarre argh right. That makes sense then (and its a bit of a relief) I tend to think that we see the results of what is going on in the US about 3-5 days after. Hopefully, we see the same results that you have.

[Cralamarre]

@BushyTop, My traffic has actually been pretty consistent all month, with a gradual increase every week. The only bump in the road was on the 20th when I suddenly lost 3-5% of my Google traffic. As of yesterday, it seems to have recovered. Other than that little hiccup, I haven't really seen any sign of an update affecting me since the one in May (which I still haven't fully recovered from).

Of course, Google has done an excellent job this year of training me to think that it will all end at any moment, so I'm constantly looking for the evidence. Every little dip in traffic is a sure sign of the end. But then, traffic goes back up, and at the end of the day, everything was fine. Doesn't matter though because the worry and anxiety just start fresh again the next morning. I'm pretty sure this will be my life from now on.

[Shaddows]

Seeing some big shifts in referral patterns since 14:00 UTC (15:00 BST, 11:00 EST). Nothing obvious in SERPs.

[Jori]

My traffic is also improving a tiny bit week after week, but the improvements are so microscopic that I'm always living in fear of loosing everything at any moment...

@Cralamarre: I was like you, always looking at my numbers. Only to generate more and more anxiety during the day. Now, I only look at them after dinner. It is much better for me, and I can start the day after with a clear mind.

[Cralamarre]

@Jori, Oh, I know that looking at the numbers doesn't help anything. In fact, it can bring about a self-fulfilling prophecy. You convince yourself that it's all going to end, and then spend so much of your time looking for evidence of it that you don't get any work done. Then you end up losing everything because you weren't working. The logical, rational part of me completely understands this. And if it was anyone else, I'd be telling them to stop wasting time on things they have no control over and focus on getting things done.

But of course, it's always easier when it's someone else. It also doesn't help that I work alone during the day, with only my thoughts, stress and anxiety to keep me company.

[RedBar]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld NicJamCo

Here in the UK I've been seeing a plethora of websites

Read through some of my recent and older posts, I have been compalining about this for ages yet no one else seems to be seeing this, then again I have no personalisation with G.

And as for today, even further losses with international traffic, in a period of a few weeks my lowest-trafficked UK sites which still have the same volume of traffic have actually OVERTAKEN my global sites ... A massive manipulation in favour of USA sites is being performed by Google yet no one else seems to be experiencing it, yet another -37%.

[NicJamCo]

@RedBar Thank you!

It's almost reminiscent of 2012 to 2013 and the year Penguin was originally going to run in real time to when it actually did a year later. There were several months of highs and lows before one or two re-corrections and then reverting back to a much earlier version of the results. With websites owners not bouncing back until 6 months to a year after those events, including many big players in the field such as the likes of Amazon, who coincidentally are still on the first page for many search terms but have dropped rankings for many, many others. From my tracking I see that they have dropped by approximately 32% in keyword search volume since this time 2 weeks ago

[RedBar]

Have you noticed that ebay has had a major boost with lots of phrases ranking #1?

[bawordtrey]

I saw a client in the Health space, multi-locations, plus a single corporate entity, take a big hit in the last week. I'm still diving into the data but, anecdotes:
--Mobile saw a larger decline than desktop.
--Blog section saw largest decline, across all devices.
--Location/geo pages saw a smaller decline, across all devices.
--Biggest volatility was outside of page 1 rankings, at least for the ~100 keywords I track in SEM Rush, vs. the rest in search console.
--Most competitors I actively track also were hit with similar rankings decreases, at least for the ~100 keywords I track in SEM Rush.

I'm waiting a few days to see how the data shakes out before I start making site changes.

[Jori]

What Google is aiming is very clear to me : long tail. That's why we don't see huge changes with the few keywords we monitor, but huge changes in global traffic. G is giving long tail to someone else, not us, "small" webmasters.

My kingdom to see webstats from amazon. Semrush seems to confirm what we all think : Amazon is improving since last december. Each improvment of this giant it's a lost for other players : us.

[skynet84]

I already said here I have lost -50% of organic traffic in September. Always played correctly also less ads also good quality content for write article I take 5 hours a day everyday. I’m feel really sadness. My traffic lost on 8th September 2017 and now 28 September is worst and worst. -55% incredible too see spam website at the top and my good quality self made content magical disappeared from top page.

[NicJamCo]

@RedBar Actually not so much, eBay recovered a bit since Panda 4.0 but not for there major keyword terms, so if you search for example "rolex submariner" which they were in 3rd/4th position for prior to April/May 2014 they are still (since 2014) on the second page 12th to 15th position. If however you search for the lessor competitive terms such as "BM70 phone" you will see a handful of Ebay (and Amazon) results on the first page.

[Samsam1978]

Why do we do this to ourselves? Spending hours in SEMrush checking here, there, google console, getting stressed, not producing or improving our sites, it is really really stressful.

I think one day after downturn its all over then bang traffic increases and hey more money. Then bang traffic decreases and I think well that is it then again.

This job is lonely but the prospect of 9-5 again haunts me, especially the fact of being your own boss changes you.

I hope for all of you out there, who play by the rules and produces quality content that deserves to be number one that we do get there as a collective.

Remember: We will always have to compete with the sites that have heavy investment but keep going and never give up. You are giving the world something worth-while and chin up.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." Art of War

[seoskunk]

That site is so censored most people give up on it. That's not to say the quotes aren't worthwhile but I guarantee 100% the same people will be moaning while the same person will claim their traffic is UP (that idiot has been saying that for about 10 years now, he should be a multi millionaire not have a website that looks like it was written in Frontpage circa 1999).

Quote from seroundtable

I have had the same experience when you analyse the serps you get shouted down or told its disinformation, and then get EG chiming in with fantasy stuff. This forum has become about people moaning and not being proactive.

[seoskunk]

Hey to whoever wrote that on seroundtable I am looking for somewhere I can discuss algo changes without some misinformed moderator accusing me of disinformation or a google ass kisser saying its fantasy, if your on here pm me. Thanks