Google Updates and SERP Changes - February 2018

[samwest]

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System: The following 2 messages were cut out of thread at: https://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4880306.htm [webmasterworld.com] by robert_charlton - 2:13 pm on Feb 3, 2018 (PDT -8)

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I've pretty much thrown in the towel on presenting my content alone in hopes of making a sale these days. Now, like many sites I am seeing lately, I've succumbed to Amazon affiliate links. They convert well, add value and Google does it so why shouldn't I? I am however noticing a slip of one of two positions soon after placing the ad blocks. Figures. It's OK for them, but nobody else.

Recent trend: Traffic slow during what was always the busiest time of year for us. Conversions scarce and quotas appear to be holding tight. Exact same conversion totals (+/- 1) the last 6 weeks. Almost magical how that can happen.

[Lorel]

I have a auto client that got a boost after 19th/20th when rank rose (about 800 more per day than last 2 weeks). But that might be due to a recent change to https.

[rustybrick]

I do not only cite from here. I do quote some things from here. But I often cite tweets and other threads in other forums. Also, I include information from tracking tools. The post is NOT just quotes from this thread, although my favorite part is quoting WebmasterWorld members.

[EditorialGuy]

You need to use the disavow links tool because if Google is still providing this tool in this age, there is a reason.

I seem to recall that the reason was to let site owners wash their hands of tainted links that they were responsible for (as opposed to disavowing perfectly legitimate links from so-so sites and losing "link juice" as a result).

[Jhurwith]

@rustbrick Hear anything that this recent update was a reverse of something from Feb 13-15 update? It seems a few other people saw the same I did - A drop from Feb 14-19 and Feb 20/21, it was a reversal.

Thank you for the excellent reporting.

[Kelowna]

Someone here mentions a possible update, SERoundtable uses it to post an article about a possible update, and then someone here refers to the article on SERoundtable as evidence of the update

Pretty bad state of affairs if the BS on here is the best they can do for news, another version of a fake news source?

Anyways, here in Canada I am seeing bouncing around on various sites/niches so there is a little something going on, the most affected sites have fresh links pointing to them so that is a clear sign to us that a change was made and usually rolled out using old data... and new data/links get added later kind of thing. Call it the 2/10 update.

[mosxu]

What is rankbrain doing?

One hour only mobile traffic and next hour only desktop traffic.

Amazing! Obviously no orders.

Good Job AI

[AboveTheClouds]

I have a friend I'm doing PPC for and his site was effected in a HUGE way so maybe I'm in a position to provide some useful info? Hopefully. My first post - so, first and foremost, hello everyone!

My buddy's site had been around spot 4 for a fairly competitive geo specific search term related to motivated home sellers that need to sell fast for various reasons (foreclosure, divorce, etc etc). We are in a (smaller) major metro area and his site plummeted on Tuesday from spot 2, where he had been moving from spot 2-3 for the past few months. Tuesday he was removed from the top 100 results.

No sketchy backlinks. In fact, and what I assume may be the problem, he has ONE backlink. He had 3 initially which had dropped down to 1 over the past month to 2 months. How he actually maintained his position for so long is more of a mystery than why he isn't showing up. However, the fact that he isn't even on page 4 or anything is interesting.

I don't know if any information I just provided is helpful in any way. Likely not. But his site was hit super hard so if anyone has any questions, maybe his site can give a little bit of insight in some way.

I also noticed his AdWords campaign seemed to be effected. It could be something unrelated but over the last month to month and a half, it seems almost like Google is being harsher on his adwords account. Less impressions... Bid exceeding first page and top of first page bids but still not showing up like he should. Not sure if that's related but one other strange thing going on.

Hope that helps someone. Any feedback or questions, please let me know! Thanks guys.

[mosxu]

@abovetheclouds

It sounds like the harassment phase started, once rankings are gone only option left is to bid in adwards but it doesn’t matter how much you will bid it will go back bellow first page bid.

AI is only intrestead in collecting money from 3-4 long enstablished big spenders

[Maximum44]

Nice recovery going on here (recovering from lost traffic in January) and we do not need convert any of our traffic to sales. We're happy.

[mosxu]

Basically when advertising one url and also it ranks sometimes the organic one does not show until refreshing 2 or 3 times.

It looks like the algorithm is slow, cannot figure out quick enough if I have visited the website before or not.

This is eighter to influence clicks on the ads although it is happening when ads are not on or they would not send any new visitors who may end up converting with us and upsetting the dogs...

[Unshiny]

Hi @abovetheclouds thanks for the info. Is your buddy's site responsive? Is it https?

Thanks!

[samwest]

One hour only mobile traffic and next hour only desktop traffic.

I am currently seeing the very same thing.
The Google troll can quit screwing with traffic anytime now.
(yeah, right)

[Martin Ice Web]

@abovetheCloud, could you please look for site errors? 404, missing image tags, internal link errors?

[engine]

This weekend has been a struggle with Google SERPs showing non-country-specific results.
It's been pretty awful.
If Google's going to force people to their own country, please give an option to select global or country-specific. Come on Google, fix it!

[samwest]

Total switcharoo again, all desk top and conversions on top of each other. Stay!

[ionguy]

@sam good! on my end a total switchaoff instead. AGAIN!

[KaseyM]

@engine this is the patterns I've been seeing too for shops, news etc even when it is generic search terms with the exception of those top stories/Google news boxes.

[AboveTheClouds]

Sorry for the delay guys. Following up now:

@unshiny - His site is responsive. It was NOT https when it dropped but in the meantime the people who he purchases his site from finally got https going. So in the meantime, it has become https. (He is now on second page for what its worth..)

@Martin_ice_web - The only thing I'm seeing are about 9 errors which are related to some particular site maps. I'm an amateur and don't really do much SEO so I'm not 100% sure what these errors are related to...

[engine]

@kaseym i'd like to think it's just a simple filtering problem. For example, if i'm in the UK I don't want to see sites from Australia: Especially if I add UK as part of the search term.

I'm now wondering if the mobile SERPs are the only way to find country-specific results. I'm off to run some tests...

[Martin Ice Web]

@abouve theClouds, i don´t mean errors in webmasterconsole ( you can forget about that, it shows only a few errors ..
Don´t you have something like screaming frog?

Meanwhile we have the biggest hit since years. We have been replaced with some big brands ( multiple entries in a row ) and very bad sites with no content, no sublimental content but with manufacturer descriptions and pictures.

Meanwhile our amazon and ebay sales go through the roof. So we could cut off our adwords spending.

[RedBar]

I'm now wondering if the mobile SERPs are the only way to find country-specific results. I'm off to run some tests...

I have found the following works with Chrome.

Login to google.com/ncr, do NOT login using your own country tld.

ncr = no country redirect

At this point your url should be [google.com...] (If you click this it will go your country Google)

Then go to bottom right and settings > Search Settings > Region Settings > Show more

Select the country you require and save

This should now give you your desired country.

Sometimes when you close Chrome it does not save these setting and you have to do it again, I have a Chrome browser set-up like this on one specific machine so that I don't have to keep re-setting it, I also supposedly have the same set-up on another machine yet it forgets it every time ... I have absolutely no idea why.

[Unshiny]

@Redbar thanks for that helpful tip re: the NCR! Thanks @Above the clouds re: HTTPS. We are going to have to bite the bullet and make the switch.

[Sandra45]

Well, you’re searching for information but from each domain only a few sites can be found. Maybe a kind of domains limitation.

[Sandra45]

My small vacation website is after 5 months still nowhere to find at Google. I don't understand SEO or all this stuff.
To be honest, it's isn't fun anymore to have a website on the Internet today.

[mosxu]

@sandra

Everything you do will not work. Prepare high budgets for adwards and let’s talk 3 Years later.

[mosxu]

@jambam

Every website is a supplemental result to ecom enquiries except the 3-4 spenders who are entitled to convert first.

Trust me, take your time to research different devices and from different Ips and you will be amazed what you will see in the results....

[System]

The following 7 messages were cut out to new thread by robert_charlton. New thread at: google/4889357.htm [webmasterworld.com]
1:35 pm on Mar 1, 2018 (PDT -8)