October 2023 Google Search Observations

[Cyril TechWebsites]

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System: The following 3 messages were cut out of thread at: https://www.webmasterworld.com/google/5093320.htm [webmasterworld.com] by not2easy - 11:10 am on Oct 1, 2023 (atl -4)

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Seeing further drastical drop on Saturday. I stopped producing new content and updating the old content. There is no sense anymore for me, feeling awful to say that, but my website was fully destroyed with the "helpful" update.

[ghostofseo]

first post:

the Sept update was crushing for my site, (not due to use having bad content) but instead what I see as a Google error. Happy to say the traffic as of the 1st is now back to where we were pre Sept 14th and trending up.

If I have learned anything with animal updates and month updates it's to be patient. Sometimes the algo's get it wrong. I'm taking the fields of dreams approach to my site. If I build it they will come.

I wouldn't be wasting my time, energy and breath to create content that wasn't 1000% for the user. Google should be smart enough to figure this out too.

I am seeing lots of really really bad results in search (tons of spam/malware sites) are ranking. I will talk about that in another thread.

[mhansen]

According to SEMrush, I'm still losing far more keywords per day than gaining.

Keep in mind that SEMRush is many days behind in its data. I still see queries that show ranked positions, but the date of their SERP is showing before HCU rolled out, so it's just the fact that it hasn't updated yet, and hasn't registered a drop or increase in positioning. Typically, I find there data trailing quite a bit on the lower volume queries since they don't refresh their own index that often.

[christianz]

Traffic drops further. Core/HCU keeps going.

[puckparches]

Unfortunately, the traffic is still on the decline. I had hoped that the decrease would halt last week, but it seems to be worsening.

[Conro]

My traffic drop again. I don't know the reason. All sites except forum and brand sites have a decline of position in serp.

[Soulofmonk]

More YouTube videos
Reddit threads
Quora threads
People also ask for
More questions
Ads at the top.
CTR has dropped drastically

[System]

The following message was cut out to new thread by engine. New thread at: google/5094672.htm [webmasterworld.com]
9:41 am on Oct 4, 2023 (utc +1)

[renatovieira]

Here the decline continues. One day worse than the other...

[RubicCubed]

From the trial we learn Google alters search queries not to help users but to make Google more profits. This makes it impossible for us to build targeted pages that attract the type of users our pages and topics would appeal to. Maybe Google altering queries also contributes to the very bad conversion rates we see just with Google? Search in Google for an apple and Google returns results for an orange - both fruits but not precisely what we search for. Below is a snippet from a story from someone in the courtroom of Google's trial.

This onscreen Google slide had to do with a “semantic matching” overhaul to its SERP algorithm. When you enter a query, you might expect a search engine to incorporate synonyms into the algorithm as well as text phrase pairings in natural language processing. But this overhaul went further, actually altering queries to generate more commercial results.

<snipped to fair use - ToS #10>

It’s also a guaranteed way to harm everyone except Google. This system reduces search engine quality for users and drives up advertiser expenses. Google can get away with it because these manipulations are imperceptible to the user and advertiser, and the company has effectively captured more than 90 percent market share.

Full story: [wired.com...]

[edited by: not2easy at 12:59 pm (utc) on Oct 11, 2023]
[edit reason] Please see TOS [webmasterworld.com] [/edit]

[BigKat]

Maybe Google altering queries also contributes to the very bad conversion rates we see just with Google?

This certainly would explain the reason why Google traffic, both paid and organic, have worsened over the years and why Google now has the worst converting (buyer) traffic of any search engines. Google really lost their way, in matching websites to user searches, and I honestly doubt they can find their way back. Due to Google's antics, we've been on the sidelines for a while and plan on staying put.

[renatovieira]

Today the drop will be big. Has anyone else noticed extreme low traffic?

[christianz]

Has anyone else noticed extreme low traffic?

Yes, the drop happened yesterday on 12:00 PDT. This is just latest drop after a series of drops since mid September.

[Sodero18]

Yes, huge drop today. No reason for it.

[Fluff_Nutz]

HULK SMASH!

Yes. I too have felt the drop. Quite a big one this time around. It was steady these past few days despite the negligence. But nope Hulk arrived today and smashed the traffic to bits.

[Paco275]

Automatic websites with AI are having a great boom after the update.

<snip>

It only took a few days to reach the top places and have more than 1.4 million views according to semrush.

I am a webmaster from Mexico.

My websites have had a big fall, none of them have been benefited.

[edited by: not2easy at 7:19 pm (utc) on Oct 4, 2023]
[edit reason] Please see TOS [webmasterworld.com] [/edit]

[Soulofmonk]

For some queries, it's like I am searching on YouTube. Every single result YouTube YouTube YouTube.

[System]

The new October 2023 Google Spam Update thread was split off here: [webmasterworld.com...]

[edited by: not2easy at 5:54 pm (utc) on Oct 4, 2023]
[edit reason] split off new update [/edit]

[superclown2]

Why would Google want to do this? First, the generated results to the latter query are more likely to be shopping-oriented, triggering your subsequent behavior much like the candy display at a grocery store’s checkout. Second, that latter query will automatically generate the keyword ads placed on the search engine results page by stores like TJ Maxx, which pay Google every time you click on them. In short, it's a guaranteed way to line Google’s pockets.

Where is the line between unethical actions and deliberate fraud? Just asking.

[edited by: not2easy at 6:10 pm (utc) on Oct 4, 2023]
[edit reason] post returned to monthly thread [/edit]

[RedBar]

Has anyone else noticed extreme low traffic?

I always expect a drop in traffic after a major trade fair and this time is no different therefore I decided to check this period 2022 and, surprisingly, it's pretty much the same at about 77% of average however way down on a couple of years ago.

The hotel venue? This is turning into the jewel in my crown, G seems to love it, I did an update on Saturday for a local / regional promotion and it's already on the first page and ranking above the actual event's page!

[Shepherd]

The band, playing as the water rushes in.
[twitter.com...]

[superclown2]

The band, playing as the water rushes in.

If the allegations were false they should sue, if correct they should face penalties. Simple. Either way they should be investigated but I won't hold my breath.

[tom_010101]

Here's a small excerpt from a German website that deals with recipes. This Google garbage is just beyond words... My website is experiencing something similar. Since August 25, 2023, easily 50% fewer visitors and no one knows why.

<snip>

[edited by: not2easy at 2:44 pm (utc) on Oct 5, 2023]
[edit reason] Please see TOS [webmasterworld.com] [/edit]

[BigKat]

If the allegations were false they should sue, if correct they should face penalties.

I see in some places webmasters/SEOs are calling on the DOJ to subpoena Danny Sullivan to make his statements under oath instead of on a social media site. I personally think this would be an excellent idea. I wouldn't be surprised if he plead the 5th.

[RedBar]

Global site traffic on / off / on again ... UK 20.00 Wednesday traffic off, Thursday 07.00 back on again.

Completely normal traffic, not!

[ichthyous]

I see in some places webmasters/SEOs are calling on the DOJ to subpoena Danny Sullivan to make his statements under oath instead of on a social media site. I personally think this would be an excellent idea. I wouldn't be surprised if he plead the 5th.

Wishful thinking...Danny Sullivan may not even be privy to these manipulations. Companies build knowledge firewalls exactly for this reason. They will never get anything done without the testimony of whistleblowers. Expert witness testimony only goes so far, it needs smoking guns. Google is a trillion dollar behemoth and the Congress is much more feeble now than it was back in the days of real anti-trust regulation. After 40+ years of laissez-faire vodoo Reaganomics and deregulation we have exactly the toothless, inept government that the corporations always wanted. The party in the majority can't even agree on who should be the speaker in the House, let alone deal with new legislation to tackle monopolies like Google. It's divide and conquer.

[BigKat]

Danny Sullivan may not even be privy to these manipulations.

Unfortunately I do agree with you and because of that I can't believe what he or anyone from Google is saying. My guess is some executive wrote a memo, who cleared it with their legal department, and sent it to Danny to post. I doubt he even wrote one word of that post. It's probably just more smoke and mirrors from Google. Regardless, bring him to the stand and let him be questioned or take the 5th under oath. I'd like to see how he, in his limited capacity and in a different department, came to the conclusion Google does not change a user's query.

[Micha]

And the next core update has just been announced by Google

[twitter.com ]

[Atomic]

And the next core update has just been announced by Google

Woohoo! How exciting!

[ins3rt]

I guess more negative news for those who lost traffic... I can´t see anything positive coming from a Core Update from those who last weeks were considered "unhelpful".

[BigKat]

I can´t see anything positive coming from a Core Update from those who last weeks were considered "unhelpful".

The last time any Google update helped us was when Matt Cutts was still there. I expect this October Core Update, like the many before, will help Google increase their revenue at our expense.