Google Updates and SERP Changes - August 2018

[yollo03]

System: The following 2 messages were cut out of thread at: https://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4909313.htm [webmasterworld.com] by robert_charlton - 3:47 am on Aug 1, 2018 (PDT -8)

-----

HERE WE GO! Get your sit belts on:

Google Search Algorithm August 1st Update Rolling Out Now; Might Be A Big One
Aug 1, 2018
https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-algorithm-update-26141.html [seroundtable.com]




[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 11:57 am (utc) on Aug 1, 2018]

[yollo03]

I am serious. I am obviously under your money or your life while all my competitors in my nich arent. The only difference I discovered excluding content is the topic they chose for their website. I am willing to try this. Do you know how to change it?

[Halaspike]

But now, it all seems so unfair. The websites that now rank better, they look like sh*t. What does Google want me to do, redesign my site to also look like sh*t? I can't see anything from those sites, that makes me want to do the same and be able to fix this.

This is exactly what many very good bloggers have been going through.

Either those very low quality sites are using new blackhat methods, or there is really something wrong with Google's so called algorithm.

[thinktwice]

There is really something wrong with this new algorithm. Offcourse I know that how good your site looks is not a factor. But trust me, these competitors are not the ones you want on top of the results.

[Halaspike]

I'm starting to feel like @yollo03 is a social media troll.

[Milchan]

Either those very low quality sites are using new blackhat methods, or there is really something wrong with Google's so called algorithm.

In my case it is both of these . I have been battling against competition that has been using blackhat methods that has risen them to the top across the board and they are absolutely winning because it. There content is crappy but because of all the dodgy techniques they use (have built their own PBN that is providing them with 1000s of incoming links, lots of paid for backlinks from elsewhere and "Review" articles from bloggers linking to them . All the things that google tells you will get you banned but simply doesnt and they reward it and put bad content to the top. Ive been battling that all year and now since this update, the big brand with no content have come along and took over. Im left with scraps.

[Cralamarre]

The only difference I discovered excluding content is the topic they chose for their website. I am willing to try this. Do you know how to change it?

I think this thread has officially hit rock bottom.

[HammerDown]

I think this thread has officially hit rock bottom.

Has anyone blamed Tom Brady yet?

[yollo03]

I will very honest, this algorithm makes no sense and the only sense I found is the topic (value). I can only confirm this in a way if anyone can check the topics of those that rebounded in your niche and write if you see the same. I suspect this is why google said it cant be fixed because you cant change the topic you chose. Its a theory so if you have a spare moment please check.

If you have a better take on this algorithm update do share. From my analysis its not related to back links or ratings.

Just to be clear, the algo probably introduced your money or your life or whatever its called. Those that had their topics as health for example got hit but those that had a different topic, lets saw adult were not hit by the algorithm although they wrote health articles. Its just a quick check to verify it.

[Cralamarre]

Just to be clear, the algo probably introduced your money or your life or whatever its called. Those that had their topics as health for example got hit but those that had a different topic, lets saw adult were not hit by the algorithm although they wrote health articles.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Don't you hate it when you visit an adult site and it's nothing but health articles?

For the record, my traffic has been up nearly 20% since the update last week, and my site has nothing whatsoever to do with health.

[edited by: Cralamarre at 8:08 pm (utc) on Aug 8, 2018]

[Halaspike]

Hahahaha, @yollo03 was probably sent by Google to make this thread so unbearable but laughable.

[yollo03]

I didnt mean just health, it was an example. I meant if your content is not about the topic that you chose for the website when linking it to google.

Halaspike, it might seem funny to you but this is the only link I found between the websites that benefited from this. If you have a better theory on this do share.

In my niche those that climbed up used adult/world, computer, software, business etc. and it has nothing to do with the content they wrote. So this core update targeted topics. If you for example had a health website but your topic was computer or world then you probably werent affected (yet). Thats my theory but I need confirmations for it it.

[edited by: yollo03 at 8:14 pm (utc) on Aug 8, 2018]

[RedBar]

Let's try and get some sense back into the thread!

The problem is that many of us have known for years that the algo is warped in many different ways and Google's implementation of its own declared intentions, as in localisation, has not been applied evenly across all its SERPs otherwise why would my global B2B original manufacturer sites be hammered in the USA SERPs yet, at the same time, see Google rewarding US companies in the G.co.uk SERPs when none of them, literally not one of them, are able to supply to the UK market since they are actually US importers of MY products!

I see totally pointless websites ranking in high positions solely with a couple of keywords and an image stolen from my sites, it's pathetic.

Fortunately blackhat sites are rare in my niche however keyword spamming is rife, no they have still not got a grip on this and completely contrary to what they say.

If anyone wants to keep checking their positions every few hours and post about it, you're wasting mine and everyone else's time, we don't even bother with what you are saying since everyone with a modicum of experience with SEO knows that you're chasing ghost results, you'll never know when and where they're going to appear until after the shuffle has settled down and even then ... what are you going to chase?

Google does not have any of your interests at heart, Google wants you to pay to play, just look at how accurate their ads usually are and how poor the results can be that follow them, a better policy for many would be to inform and persuade all your friends and relations to try alternative search engines, you'd probably be amazed at how much better they usually are, not all the time however in general for me, more accurate and sooooo much a cleaner interface.

[Atomic]

Gwyneth Paltrow's "health" site is doing fine after this update which puts the lie to improving health SERPs.

[Milchan]

Another snippet of info people might be interested in [mariehaynes.com ] - Marie Haynes saying that alot of sites moved over to mobile first indexing around yesterday (so i assume ongoing) and John Mueller stating that you will get the message telling you that you have been moved a couple of days after.

Im half hoping I get the message in the coming days as that would at least explain why after some recovery things went bad for me yesterday and today - it would at least give me a path to follow (although my site seems good and fast on mobile but maybe just the update causes drops.)

[thinktwice]

My mobile-indexing message was on 27 May, so it has nothing to do with this.

[samwest]

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting top listing in Google's search results” - Burt Einstein

[jmorgan]

That checkpagerank page doesn't look very EAT. lol

So some people are discussing what their next "strategy" is, which is fair enough.

However, perhaps you should ask yourself, are you creating a website for Google (the corollary being to make money), or a website that users (including yourself) are actually going to find useful? Because if it's the former, it's probably not going to succeed long-term.

My site got hit with a few updates in December and April which I completely understand is demoralizing and stressful. However depressing the situation was, I told myself, "Screw Google. I'm just going to create the best website I can that I can be proud of regardless of what happens." And I ploughed on with working as hard as I could to improve the site, FOR USERS, NOT GOOGLE!

Luckily, so far, I've managed to get through this update unscathed.

[thinktwice]

We have a webshop, of course we want to make money... Just like all of our competitors.

[skynet84]

Please guys take a look here: [webmasterworld.com...]

[arunpalsingh]

It comes again after a lull. SERPs volatilty up again across all categories.

[Sumeet]

Hi i just join this and may i know this update also effect on Google Ads, if yes then how please tell me actually from last 2 days paid traffic are down

Thanks

[sk7411]

It comes again after a lull. SERPs volatilty up again across all categories.

True .. It has hit again Lol!

[yollo03]

Where do you see 9 August volatility? Mine is still showing 8 August.

[whoa182]

I understand the mods on here don't want us sharing our positions on google every 5 minutes, but I just want to give a bit of hope...

Things have really improved today. It's not at the same level as before 1st August, but I'm noticing that 90% of the keywords I'm tracking are starting to move back up the rankings again. Even getting back on the featured snippets. I've also had the best day with conversions since this mess began.

I also noticed a few surprises in that I'm starting to rank for keywords with 1000+ searches per month (I normally only target long tail under 500). A complete surprise to me as I wasn't intentionally targeting the keyword. It looks like I've gained some and lost some, but in the end, I might actually end up better with my earnings even with a little less traffic.

Of course, I might just be speaking way too soon and things will fall down at any moment. But traffic is nice and steady, no dramatic falls and peaks every hour as I was seeing over the last few days. So I'm starting to feel slightly relieved.

Wait it out...

[Dimitri]

Recent Google update also effect on Google Ads, if yes then how please tell me actually from last 2 days paid traffic are down

Decrease of traffic for the same amount of impressions ?

If the paid traffic is only from Google's SERP, explanation from decrease can be :
- more advertisers in your niche, (if publishers are loosing organic traffic, they might buy more ads)
- other advertisers paying more than you, (same reason as above, less organic trafifc, can push publishers to spend more in paid listing)
- SERP being of better quality in your niche, so visitors might click on organic results, instead of paid listing

If the paid traffic is from across Adsense / Doublelick network to, then :
- adsense / doubleclick publishers loosing traffic from the last update, is causing less views of your ads at these sites, and so less clicks
- profile of visitors of these publishers might have changed, an less quality traffic at publishers, is causing lower performances of ads.

Just random thoughts,

[yollo03]

I am also seeing a rebound in a few countries but my main keywords were mutilated by google. As a result traffic and conversions are down sharply. My guess is that google is trying to compensate by ranking me for new keywords higher but its not enough. Lets see if this update gets rolled back in a few weeks.

[Sumeet]

Hi @Dimitri

You means to say Ads performance is low that's why traffic low

[HammerDown]

Must-read, just posted: [gsqi.com...]

[MayankParmar]

My dropped yesterday and it's still bad :/

[Milchan]

Danny Sullivan from google has said that the update has competed rolling out.