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]

[cheegum]

There seems to be another update now rolling out.

[mosxu]

@Milchan

You put it very well,

It is a process of small businesses suffocation process for the sake of CPC value. AI has access to your bank account and will allow fat accounts to access quality traffic while the rest of us are competing for whatever is left.

Nobody knows what is being displayed and to whom!

We need laws to make the algo public and authorities to be allowed to inspect it.

[whoa182]

Sure, that's true.

So you build trust by having good content and positive signals to Google. These include things like 'time on page' and whether or not the user returns to the SERPs to find the answer. Many of my articles have a 20-25% conversion after they arrive on Amazon, so people are finding the articles helpful.

I don't know what are good metrics, but the average 'time on page' is around 6 minutes for my site (it contains about 70% info and 30% affiliate content).

I feel fortunate to not have experienced the same drop as many people, but the future in this niche does scare me a little. I'm seeing some recovery for some articles now, but things still haven't settled.

The grammatical errors in those are obvious. I must admit, my older articles that I wrote on Blogspot (I went over to self-hosted in 2014) were poorly written. They were migrated to my WordPress site, so I wonder if I should go back and improve the quality of the 100 + posts that I had written from 2006-2014.

They don't really get any traffic (they are embarrassing anyway!) because I didn't know about SEO at the time and I wasn't a very good writer. Maybe I should go back and improve all of these posts and delete ones with very thin content? I hear they can affect the whole site and how other pages rank?

All that being said, I still rank above WebMD, Healthline, Dr Axe, Livestrong etc for many keywords... So it can't be that bad (yet). I try to just go for long tail keywords and stay within a specific sub-niche within health.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm sure that some people want to hear personal stories, information from the little guy, and how they recovered from their condition and so on. Soon almost every small and big keyword is going to be taken by these big brands.

It just seems that Google is going to make it almost impossible for anyone to break through. And I'm not talking about someone is talking nonsense and quackery. But someone with well-researched and good information.

[EditorialGuy]

Re metrics: Ezoic, a company that does multivariate ad and layout testing (not unlike what the big kahunas like Google and Facebook do), has interesting blog post on the difference between "engagement time" and older, simpler metrics such as "session time" that might be interesting:

[blog.ezoic.com...]

[Addendum: Instead of using "interesting," I tried to use the word "i-luminating" (substitute an "l" for the hyphen), but Webmaster World thought I was using an expletive. Strange.]

[yollo03]

The update didnt affect just health sites, it affected everything. I am not in health at all, far from it. The odd part is that out of most of my competitors only me and and another site got hit, all my competitors are flourishing with this update. The diagnosis is going to be easier for me, the first thing that comes up in my niche is shorter content (around 800 - 900 words) with precise info. Thats why I wrote 'less is more.' Remember that google said there is no fix for it so i wouldnt waste time trying to fix it, it is what it is unless they revise the update. Get a new strategy for content and pray.

My rank for the the major key words is continuing to deteriorate, I am no longer in the top 100 pages, just noticed now. It means something might be happening again.

[edited by: yollo03 at 3:07 pm (utc) on Aug 8, 2018]

[HammerDown]

Maybe it's because I'm a newb but I see no way to quote a post.

In response to @whoa182 - I feel like I could have written your post. Agreed on all fronts. The advice I'm getting from experienced people is just sit tight right now and don't do anything. Marie Haynes keeps saying that recovery "may be difficult" if you're in health and can't prove E-A-T.

Interestingly, there are multiple reports around about fluctuation up and down in the last 24-36 hours. I'm saw a 37% increase on the 7th compared to the 3rd (when I dropped 73%).

[thinktwice]

We sell products for elderly and people with a disability. For many years now. Always good rankings, unique content, good reviews, good code, etc. etc. We put a lot of effort in our site to serve these type of clients.
Now with this new update, we lost rankings everywhere. It’s insane. Cheap sites are now ranking higher than ours. And they don’t show any signs of E-A-T.
Really don’t know what to do at this point. Sales have stopped completely. What to do? This seems like a big mistake from Google.
Just sitting tight and don't do anything does not seem like something I'm comfortable by, because I'm losing business every day now.

[yollo03]

I also have ecommerce website. Lucky for me I have affiliates so I am still getting some traffic from them. Google has literally butchered my website and its not over, it got worse in the past several hours. I checked for manual penalties and I have none. If you got hit the worst is not over.

[Cralamarre]

Maybe it's because I'm a newb but I see no way to quote a post.

@HammerDown Highlight the text you want to quote, then click the Post Reply button below the Quick Reply box. Click the Quote button above the text box, and then paste the text between the opening and closing quote tags. Or you can just paste the text into the Quick Reply box and add the opening and closing quote tags manually. Either way works. Hope that helps.

[HammerDown]

@HammerDown Highlight the text you want to quote, then click the Post Reply button below the Quick Reply box. Click the Quote button above the text box, then paste the text. It will appear between opening and closing quote tags. Or you can just paste the text into the Quick Reply box and add the opening and closing quote tags manually. Either way works. Hope that helps.

Good grief, what is this 1996? Anyway, thanks for the help.

[Milchan]

#thinktwice - im the same - just "sitting tight" is not easy when youve lost all sales and have various staff and other expenses to pay. After all the google related issues in the last months ive experienced Im now in debt and simply cannot afford to be accumulating more debt at the current rate. It looked like things had started to recover for a few days and I had a glimmer of hope. But yesterday was bad again and today its worse. Im just lost now and don't know what to do anymore. It seems pointless trying to do anything. It shouldn't be like this. Im meant to be going out tonight for a meal for my anniversary, the first time ive actually done anything but work for about 8 months now , yet right now i just feel like hanging myself and being done with it all.

[HammerDown]

#thinktwice - im the same - just "sitting tight" is not easy when youve lost all sales and have various staff and other expenses to pay. After all the google related issues in the last months ive experienced Im now in debt and simply cannot afford to be accumulating more debt at the current rate. It looked like things had started to recover for a few days and I had a glimmer of hope. But yesterday was bad again and today its worse. Im just lost now and don't know what to do anymore. It seems pointless trying to do anything. It shouldn't be like this. Im meant to be going out tonight for a meal for my anniversary, the first time ive actually done anything but work for about 8 months now , yet right now i just feel like hanging myself and being done with it all.

So sorry, my friend. The good news it that you've hit bottom. Now you can only go up. Keep scouring for something actionable and try not to worry too much. Worrying about what you can't control won't help. You'll have something to "do" about it soon enough. I'm down 73% and in the past would have worried myself sick but now I'm looking at a silver lining in this that I WILL recover and take a big part of all those who don't. Try diligently to think positively and enjoy yourself tonight. Make the most of it.

[Cralamarre]

right now i just feel like hanging myself and being done with it all

I felt like that a year ago when Google took away 50% of my traffic, for reasons I have yet to understand. Thought I was finished for good. But somehow, I'm still here and still going. Things were bad but didn't get any worse, and this latest update has suddenly increased my traffic by nearly 20%. As long as you stick with it and don't give up, there's always hope.

[HammerDown]

The handwriting has been on the wall since April, 2012 for me when I got nailed 60% overnight on an ecommerce term I was #1 for. Since that time I went from averaging $340/day on AdSense on 565 niche sites to averaging less than $10/day. About 6 weeks ago I bought a health content site for a considerable sum and now this. I'm going to try to recover but either way, it's way past time to admit that Google will only continue to arbitrarily decide to send traffic to the big guys. My advice since 2012 has been to exit cleanly but I'm so smart I thought it'd be a good idea to get back in the game and stand to lose considerably.

[thinktwice]

I can deal with it if it's fair. If all of my competitors have a better website, better product descriptions, etc, then yes, let them rank higher. Then the deserve it and I need to do a better job.

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.

I would have never thought that Google could break a business like this.

[samwest]

@TT - of course it's not just looks. It's back link profile, domain age, reputation, trust, meta use, keywords, readability and dozens of other shadowy factors. (sorry, preaching to the choir)

Provide real takeaway value. I found over the years that while my own work looked great in my eyes, it wasn't providing what users were looking for in their search. I've since changed my view, revised my work and have seen positive results....granted G's algo is still missing the target with a lot of spammy garbage. It also takes time for you to rise above that garbage. Not gonna happen overnite.

From what I see in these forums, it looks like a lot of the pain is in the informational areas where every author is the self proclaimed expert. In unique brands and product related areas, it's better, but still some sketchy areas. It's probably always going to be that way.

When I see dead verticals these days, I don't waste time there, I look for new opportunities because they are always moving your cheese.

[edited by: samwest at 4:37 pm (utc) on Aug 8, 2018]

[yollo03]

I have a theory why my competitors are up and I am down, they chose a different category for their website so if they are about health they chose adult or product / software, thus getting away with this update. Does it may sense to anyone?

[samwest]

^ [youtu.be...] ;)

[yollo03]

I am actually serious, search the topic of the websites that suddenly ranked higher, the spammy or the trashy ones and you will see they chose a different topic than you like business, society etc. If this is the case this is how the algorithm is penalizing those that chose the correct topic while those that chose a different topic weren't hit by the algorithm. I am not saying this is the case for all websites but for most of them.

Please check this in your niche and tell me if you see a pattern? I use this to get the topic <snipped out link to junk tool>. If im right then we are all permanently screwed. This is a penalty for the new quality guidelines.

Can someone tell me how to change the website topic? I will do this right now and tell you the results.

If it cant be changed the only way around if (if im right) is to start a new website. THANK GOD I didnt launch my second website yet. I will implement those changes there but if anyone knows how to change the topic please help.

[edited by: yollo03 at 5:10 pm (utc) on Aug 8, 2018]

Mod's note: New users do not have linking privileges. Additionally, discussion of specific SEO tools it not allowed except under special circumstances. Specifics are not allowed.

[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 12:34 pm (utc) on Aug 10, 2018]
[edit reason] Removed link to tool of very dubious quality. [/edit]

[SnowMan68]

Can someone tell me how to change the website topic? I will do this right now and tell you the results.

For real? I hope this is a joke.

[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.