Google Updates and SERP Changes - December 2020

[jacobjack]

Though there is not change in SERPs, traffic is down due to holiday season. Looks like in December, it will go down more.

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Previous Monthly Thread [webmasterworld.com]

[edited by: goodroi at 10:55 am (utc) on Dec 1, 2020]
[edit reason] New month, new thread [/edit]

[renatovieira]

On my side, I don't see any major changes... Yesterday I had a small increase in impressions, but today everything has returned to pathetic normality...

[RedBar]

Seeing movements again especially in favour of the traditional G rankers, some are ok / good, some are useless keyword stuffed, plagiarised copy with stolen images ... a definite retrograde step if this sticks in my sector.

Specialised Construction Products

[ichthyous]

Quality backlinks probably still work, but quality content

I am gaining a lot of quality backlinks...it's not making much of a difference at all. I'm not sure about quality, the trajectory of your content is important. Meaning, are you pushing out a steady stream all the time. This is where large companies and sites with user generated content have the advantage...the rest simply cannot keep up with the pace. Pushing youtube makes sense to me, they make huge profits from Youtube...but Pinterest?

After two days of steep declines my traffic looks to be steadying today...and I continue to gain top 3 and top 10 spots even with the decline in traffic.

[edited by: ichthyous at 3:29 pm (utc) on Dec 3, 2020]

[MayankParmar]

The weird movements/shuffling, indexing issues and Semrush/other senors spikes are always reported around the same time. Not sure what Google is testing here, but it's not a core update.

[ViktorN]

happy birthday and good luck to everyone -
"Later today, we are releasing a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year. It is called the December 2020 Core Update. Our guidance about such updates remains as we’ve covered before. "
[twitter.com...]

[seomotionz]

@MayankParmar Your prayers have been answered. A broad core update in December.

[Chickensalami]

After 7 long months... this can’t be real. Super excited 🎉

[Martin Ice Web]

Our guidance about such updates remains as we’ve covered before.

Means: you can do nothing. We have to fill our pockets.

We don´t see much drops or gains but the traffic moved to the non converting section.

And this core update seems in progress till some days now.

[MayankParmar]

@seomotionz Haha! :) I truly hope it's a small core update with little drops and gains for everyone...

Good luck to everyone!

[seomotionz]

@MayankParmar Today I was seeing weird shifting in ranks. And not to mention a lot of bot activity. But never expected a broad core update.

But indeed. Let's hope it will work out for everyone. And good luck to you too & all the other members.

[Slam]

Hello all,

New December Core Update announced [support.google.com...] Cross your fingers. Hope they will fix May 5 bugs and will return my recipe snippets.

[christianz]

December is most lucrative month for advertising, therefore I expect nothing less than total wipeout of my entire traffic for December Core Update. I don't think I deserve those fat Q4 advertising bucks :D

[mzb44]

itshappening.jpg

[twitter.com...]

I expect it will amplify whatever they pushed in May and many people will be disappointed.

[MayankParmar]

starts sweating

[NickMNS]

12pm I was up 37% compared to two weeks ago (last week TG, so not reliable). Yeah!
But wait...
11am I was down 35%.

So maybe I need to wait before drawing any conclusions.

[RedBar]

How can they say "Later today" when it was already starting to be evident yesterday?

[RedBar]

Just checked and so far today USA traffic less then 50% of long-term average, for me another 4 hours to go therefore will see later what has happened.

[topaz]

Had a surge in traffic yesterday afternoon and this morning...and now it's dead again.

[teokolo]

Got hit in May and never recovered. First signals of this new core update are bad: traffic started decreasing 2 days before the announce, -30% right now compared to last week.

[RedBar]

With about 30 minutes to go in my Googleday my US traffic is down just over 36%.

Ebay and Pinterest SERPs rankigs seem unchanged ... Ironical that !

The next few days will be interesting.

[Chickensalami]

Traffic seems to be the same here. No increase or decrease. For me I'm worried that things will either decrease or stay the same.

[JasonBlaze]

Few of my sites that were affected in the previous core update are now fixed. Happy with the results.

[hodl2themoon]

This quick? Don't rush it kind sir, this week should be chaotic and full of surprises.

[westcoast]

Im seeing some positive movement in the SERPs.... major keywords that have irrationally dropped over the last few weeks are suddenly starting to go back to where they belong. It hasn't translated into more traffic yet though.

Hopeful, but early, signs.

[Athedian]

Ads got more conversion yesterday but I suspect it's the filters being turned off before the Core Update. Now the conversions died again this morning. Ranking in GSC also shows big drop again. Nothing special, just another Core Update that impacts the site.

[edited by: Athedian at 2:30 am (utc) on Dec 4, 2020]

[penitentman]

Hello all! Been awhile. Beginning at 6pm EST, started seeing very dramatic movements across many of my sites. Both sharp increases and decreases. Law and government vertical. Going to have some restless nights ahead as the dust settles.. Let's hope the little fish get thrown a bone with this one. Best of lucky boys and girls.

[ichthyous]

It's 9pm EST and my traffic was normal today...USA up 17% so far, Canada up 56%, UK up 5%, Australia down 38%. Overall traffic is even today, after two days of big drops in traffic. My top 3 / top 10 placement is very slowly climbing. Conversions are non-existent. It's not going to be a strong end to the year for sales.

[loliover]

Traffic spike up to about 45% of what it was before may 2019. 15 mins and counting.

I'm not celebrating yet, since they let this bugged update stay live for over half a year and let spam run rampant. I have lost faith. Google needs to be regulated.

[Hfzai]

Ok guys. The day we’ve been all waiting for has happened. Google core update has been released, confirmed by Google Search liaison on Twitter.

Yeah, and again, seeing a huge drop in traffic.

Hit hard in november for no explanation but recovering to normal days later. Traffic returned as if nothing happened.

But now, traffic is again dropping fast.

[loliover]

Traffic started increasing 5h ago to abnormal levels. Traffic seems to continue to rise steadily.

I hope we reach levels of before the may disaster, but I doubt it as the SERPS still look spammy as all hell.

Not seeing any movements on my YouTube rankings.