October 2023 Google Search Observations

[Cyril TechWebsites]

---

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)

---

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.

[Conro]

For visits in real time i suggest "histats". Work fine and is free

[RedBar]

This week week will be my lowest-ever, period. With 4.5 days gone I have just achieved 50% of my weekly average page views and with my usual lower Saturday and Sunday traffic levels I'm guesstimating around the 60-65% mark. My rankings are still fine however talking with many of my trade last week in Italy every one of them confirmed their traffic was also down.

So, if I end up 35% down in one week yet my SERPs are unchanged, where to by the end of the year?

Bear in mind this is for my main global bulk B2B site, our hotel venue seems to be holding steady which, I assume, means their localisation plans are "workimg" as planned.

[ins3rt]

Anyone seeing any changes from the core update?

[Helix Online]

One of my posts that stayed #1 in Google even during the HCU, has now disappeared from the results completely! And my competitor who was #2 has now taken my place. I'm not even on page #2, I'm nowhere! But according to Google Search Console, the post is indexed and ranked.

SEMrush still shows I'm losing hundreds of keywords per day while only gaining dozens.

I'm starting to lose motivation to do anything anymore. Maybe better to close the internet and stop working for the rest of the year. And why check rankings when you just find out horrible things day after day?

Edit. Apparently, there was some technical issue with the blog post. Or not with the blog post because it was normal all along. Google Search Console just detected some issues so the post disappeared from the index. I don't know what I'm supposed to do because there is no error and even if there was, I'm not techy and have no idea how to fix stuff like that.

[Bewenched]

This week so far has been the lowest traffic our 20+ year old ecommerce domain. We even doubled our marketing budget with no effect on sales or traffic.
This core "update" has had such dramatic for the first time in 20yrs I'm really considering just giving up, we had better traffic the first week we went live. No joke.

Blood, sweat and tears being laughed at by some AI Google overlord.
I'm praying that this update will roll back some once they realize all their spam has floated to the top.

[Soulofmonk]

@Helix, I am also facing the same problem. Even my competitors' pages are disappearing from the SERPS.

[ichthyous]

Traffic is all over thr place, but basically:

Update #1 late August - traffic skyrocketed across the board. Weird drops in traffic to landing pages vanish. Lots of conversions and sales

Update #2 - late Sept - all conversions stop dead for ten days. Traffic not seemingly affected top badly but definitely more sudden drops and USA and Canada traffic becomes very up and down again

Update #3 - last week? Traffic surges and conversions for two days. Then traffic drops like a stone to important landing pages. Traffic to home page suddenly vanishes too. Higher traffic to low level and arcane topic pages that dont convert. No calls, few inquiries no sales going on almost 2 weeks now

Update #4 - yesterday - No major changes yet, still suppressed USA CA and AU traffic.

So, as predicted last month...the steady traffic didn't last long. 2.5 weeks maybe. This week I have had two inquiries the entire week

[Helix Online]

@Soulofmonk Did you check the disppeared pages with the Google Search Console live test? Did it show any errors? Or pages just disappear without any reason?

I don't even know if the disappearing of my post had anything to do with the "error" because normally Google doesn't instantly remove pages from the index. Even if you delete a page it can still show up on Google search for a while.

[Soulofmonk]

@Helix There are no errors in the console. It says the URL is indexed. But when I check the SERP, I don't see it. These are not even new URLs; these are +1 year-old pages with thousands of comments. I checked on Bing and other search engines, no issue there. It's just Google. My competitor URLs have started to disappear as well.

[mhansen]

I'm praying that this update will roll back some once they realize all their spam has floated to the top.

This likely by design, so users get frustrated and click the ads, or a subpar search result loaded with further Google ads. I honestly can't see it any other way any longer. The results are abysmal, with the only common feature being Google getting itself more page-views on it's own properties, or through its own controlled ad ecosystem.

for the first time in 20yrs I'm really considering just giving up

They already have all your content (with express permission, due to following their rules/guidelines for all this time about schema, sitemaps, etc) in their index and will use in perpetuity to deliver AI generated answers and snippets across every platform they control, forever.

This has been a very disruptive few weeks for any business/website owner. Myself included. The uptick in the US Jobs report is probably from many in the community who had done good business on Google, going out to find work.

[Helix Online]

@Soulofmonk For me Google Search Console also showed the post was indexed. But when I clicked the live test, I saw an error. And when I tested again, there was no error, but in five minutes, the error showed again. Like, every two minutes the error is on and off. Yet the post looks completely normal.

This is also not a new URL, it's been #1 on Google for a while. I don't know if other URLs are disappearing too, maybe better not to know.

Edit. I searched with the target keyword on Bing and DuckDuckGo, and the post showed up on page one. So it's just Google gone crazy.

[edited by: Helix_Online at 7:56 pm (utc) on Oct 6, 2023]

[Soulofmonk]

[support.google.com ]
[twitter.com ]

A few other people with the same problem. I am having a headache now because of all this.

[Helix Online]

Me too! Maximal migraine here because of this. Well, it looks like it's definitely a Google problem then. Since others are experiencing this too.

[alexmoralez]

@Helix_Online, The main page of the site and its French version have just disappeared from the search.

At the same time, the Italian and Spanish versions are in the top 1-2 in Google.

The problem is the same but I think my site got banned? How can the main page disappear from the search, and its versions further ranked in google)

[Helix Online]

@alexmoralez Oh no, home page disappeared? Are some of your other pages still on Google?

[alexmoralez]

@Helix Online, That's the thing, Italian version (/it/) is in the top 1-2 right now and is driving traffic

And the home page just disappeared :(

[Helix Online]

When I search for site:mywebsitename.com the disappeared post shows up. But it no longer ranks for any keywords.

[Helix Online]

@alexmorales Surely your site can't be banned since some pages still rank.

[alexmoralez]

@Helix_Online, That's right, same situation.

[ins3rt]

Guys, are you already seeing any effects from the core update? If not, when do you think that they will take place?

[HUnch]

@Helix
Same issue with my website since HCU.
My site didn’t lost major rankings only 1-2 ups and downs for some pages, but many of my pages just disappeared from google.
In Ahrefs it shows my page lost the keyword.. pages got disappeared without any reason.

[Razorllama]

-25% more. After the HCU and current core fluctuations, my site stands at a -75% traffic drop since mid-September.

I'm throwing in the towel and will re-assess in a month.

[RubicCubed]

Google continues to get worse even after the Oct core update was announced. I've never seen such low and poor quality traffic from Google along with so much redirect spam in Google's SERPs.

[Fluff_Nutz]

Found a little niche on my other platform that I'm hoping kicks off. I find that people enjoy it and there is not much competition. So we will see how it goes. I even get multiple requests for it. It also helps me avoid the disaster that is Google. So I don't have to fully rely on them for everything any more. Which makes for a nice break.

Speaking of Google I decided to keep the site going but I cut down more members of the team. At present my traffic is not too bad. Probably lost around 15-20%, which is not too bad considering other reports that I have read. I can deal with that. It's when you get knocked for even more 50+% is ridiculous. Considering there is two updates running simultaneously right now. I'm really surprised that my site has not taken a bigger hit. But its still early days. Also it took enough of a hit last October. Heh... The joys of blogging.

[mosxu]

100% zombie traffic today

[badctrl]

After August update -15% traffic. In September recovered a bit, not fully. Seems like going down again. Go google, make Al great again.

[Helix Online]

More of my top posts have completely vanished from Google search for no reason.

[alexmoralez]

@Helix_Online, My home page disappeared from google, but traffic is still coming from the rest of the pages!?

[ghostofseo]

Want to see some horrible results. Google "Brand Name Widget Review" They are a pair of widgets. First paid result is the brand.
The other 426 results shown are full blown spam sites. Broken Links, No content, Malware and such.

What is best practice here, tell Google manually all of these are bad results?

Seems any time I search in quotes like this the spam sites are taking over rankings. This does nothing to help users. I tried the At the bottom of every search results page, use the link that says "Give us feedback" - does this actually work?

[edited by: not2easy at 4:41 pm (utc) on Oct 7, 2023]
[edit reason] Please see Charter [webmasterworld.com] [/edit]

[System]

The post about Wired.com update (removal) was spliced on to the Original thread about the Wired.com post here: [webmasterworld.com...]

[edited by: not2easy at 9:08 pm (utc) on Oct 7, 2023]

[Soulofmonk]

More people are reporting their sites' pages disappearing from the search index all of a sudden.

[twitter.com ]

[Razorllama]

^ Since late evening yesterday I've started to see it too. The pages are indexed in GSC, but their impressions are only minimal (some pages with <10 impressions so a 90% reduction) and many keywords have dropped out altogether. I see this in 20% of my pages currently, roughly speaking, but the number is increasing.

[Fluff_Nutz]

Are these pages disappearing because G are trying to add them to Bard? I remember getting hit last October. By far the biggest drop I have ever faced thus far. 70-80%. What I also remember is that a lot of my content had disappeared from the search. I would search for my site and it seemed very empty. This was not normal as before this I had content everywhere. My traffic was great too. Then the same October update arrived and SMACK! Seems very similar to me. Though I may be incorrect in this case. But I remember doing this research on my site and being so surprised to find the SERPs empty. My content disappearing. So it just sounds very similar. Again, I may be mistaken.

Also, since G are a very corrupt and greedy company with no cares about anyone but themselves. I wouldn't put it past them that articles are being ''deindexed'' or removed in someway for Bard. Unfortunately, I still have yet to recover my traffic from that fall neither. All this just adds to the 'what is the point of having a website any more?' We essentially work for G and are treat like slaves with no real reward. They just steal everything from us, content and revenue.

I also, after already decreasing my writing team, just lost my very last writer. Personal issues apparently. Maybe this is a sign to actually give up. I mean what are the positives to all this? I no longer see it. So yes, I need a reason to continue at this point.

At present my traffic has not tumbled. In fact its going steady. Makes me think if those that did not get hit last year are doing so this year instead. Curious. How old are your sites that are being hit this month? And did you get hit last October?

[RubicCubed]

Maybe this is a sign to actually give up. I mean what are the positives to all this? I no longer see it. So yes, I need a reason to continue at this point.

Ultimately AI will consume all information and leave only those who control the distribution of information with the ability to profit. Publishers of information are first on the list of AI's chopping block because we publishers are the ones that produced the content to train the very AI that is destined to replace us.

[EditorialGuy]

Publishers of information are first on the list of AI's chopping block because we publishers are the ones that produced the content to train the very AI that is destined to replace us.

Never mind the past tense, what about the future? The training process is never-ending, and the training sources for AI-based results need to be reasonably up to date.

Even now, Google's generative search results often contain outdated information. IMO, publishers will continue to have a role, if (and that's a big if) they have enough economic incentive to keep publishing.

[RubicCubed]

The training process is never-ending, and the training sources for AI-based results need to be reasonably up to date.

How does anyone stay up to date? Look at the terrible attack in Israel as an example. We look to media with actual reporters who publish factual information. These media outlets are already producing opinion and analysis stories. AI doesn't need to go to an independent website that publishes facts or opinions that are rehashed from a small sampling of the original media sources. Google's recent love of Reddit, Quora, etc. may give us an idea where AI may pull current opinions, suggestions, etc. from. These discussion communities also help to quickly point out inaccuracies of media reporting. Going back to my example of the Israel attack, American media continues to report the terrible attack on Israel as "Israel's 911." Using rounding, America's population is 30 times greater than Israel. Currently 600 dead in the Israel attack would be equivalent to 18,000 Americans or roughly six separate 911 attacks in the USA. Who knows, AI may even pick up this post and determine that American media has grossly underplayed the attack in Israel. If I posted a page on this, Google would likely not rank it for weeks if ever. But major media is trusted and Reddit, Quora, forums are all easily classified/treated as largely opinions and presented to users as such.

We publishers provided the content to teach AI how to crawl, walk and talk. Now AI must listen to learn and stay current. Unless we are reporters, what we post has an original source is often tainted by our desire to profit from adding opinions, speculation, etc. Such opinions are posted in Reddit, Quora, forums, etc. without the profit motivations that may skew the posted data.

[Razorllama]

How old are your sites that are being hit this month? And did you get hit last October?

The one with the biggest decline (altogether 'stablizing' at -60%) is a site that I started 2 years ago. Last October was smooth sailing, as were most of this year's updates - be it helpful content, product review, core updates etc.

What wrecked me is this September's HCU and the current core algo. Just checked my GSC and some of my top traffic pages have freshly flatlined in impressions, too.

[RedBar]

Disastrous Sunday, my lowest day ever for my global site since 1993. On a weekly basis my global traffic this week has been 66.4% of 2023 average and dropping rapidly.

On the other hand my local site's traffic has been 100% of 2023 average and 129% v the same week of October 2022 and, I can't actually believe I'm typing this, it looks as though my local site is going to surpass my global site for traffic however with my global site having lost 70%, yes seventy per cent, of its traffic in the past couple of years this is hardly surprising.

I have now started a full internal decoration of my house, honestly, no joke! It's much more relaxing and predictable :-)

[EditorialGuy]

Disastrous Sunday, my lowest day ever for my global site since 1993.

Could the war in Israel be a factor? (We've been having an unusually bad day, too, and Google isn't the only traffic source that's down.)

[ichthyous]

Disastrous Sunday, my lowest day ever for my global site since 1993

My traffic was normal until about 3pm my time, then just fell off a cliff...it's 8pm and still dropping. I don't think that is due to the news in Israel 100% but perhaps it is a factor,

[MayankParmar]

This is a horrible update. The core update changed SERPs. Everything has changed. The first three links are YouTube, then a bunch of forums owned by Microsoft, then Github issue posts, and finally, actual articles. This update needs to be rolled back immediately. It's a diaster.

[Micha]

@Redbar Same here, but yesterday were elections in Germany and along with what's happening in Israel, I'm not surprised that my traffic from all sources plummeted massively yesterday.

[Soulofmonk]

Spam update seems to be working quite well. I see more spam in SERPs now. Especially the YouTube Spam. More and more YT videos in SERP

[christianz]

AI generated video spam will be big business. And turn YT into spam-only ghost town like blogspot. Right now the technology simply isn't there yet to create convincing AI videos.

I do however find AI generated narration (both the text and voiceover itself) more often. Fully AI generated videos with clips from other videos and still images are possible already.

Promoting video content over (super easy spammable) web text content is not a solution. It may reduce overall spam amounts for the near future however.

Of course - in ideal world search engine would not include ANY YouTube, Ticktock etc content. Only if you do branded search by appending "youtube", "ticktock". Nobody needs Google.com to do YouTube search. I have never gone to Google.com to search YouTube.

[Fluff_Nutz]

Hm. Interesting. I left my traffic over night thinking it would bomb, as per usual. It certainly was not doing very well when I left it. Alas though, overnight something must have happened. My traffic rocketed. Went from being terrible to +32%. I'll admit I'm using YT and Reddit a lot, so since G likes these platforms. Is this helping? Interesting. We shall see if it keeps up or not.

What is also interesting is that according to the GSC my impressions since September has been massive. Been a while since I last checked and yes, a very big impression spike. Especially considering that before September it was very low.

[mosxu]

War in Israel or not we are seeing less and less genuine traffic but G earnings are never affected by war.

Common Man!

[ichthyous]

HUGE drop today by 1pm EST: USA -38%, UK -24%, Canada - 59%, UAE -41%, Australia -68%, West Europe down 34-73%! May be the new hostilities in Middle East and combination of US holiday, but I suspect that it's the actually the latest update in action. Drops like this are rare.

[RedBar]

Much lower than average page views per visitor today at 1.26 and also all of a sudden this afternoon I've been getting mobile FB single page views, most unusual.

[christianz]

World events such as wars have zero negative effect on total amount of Internet traffic.

To suggest that it has anything to do with traffic declines is wishful thinking.

[breeks]

Down about 40%, spam sites with out-of-date info are moving up. Typical Google update. I should be used to it after all these years.