Google’s core updates always spark curiosity and mostly, anxiety among digital marketing professionals and website owners. The latest August 2024 Core Update is no exception, with significant factors that can impact website rankings, traffic, and overall search visibility.
As with any major update, the primary focus of the August 2024 Core Update is improving the quality of users’ search results.
Want to know more about the August 2024 Core Update, how it can impact your business rankings, and what steps you need to take to mitigate the risk of impact, make sure to read this article in detail!
What is a Google Core Update?
Before we dive into the specifics of the August 2024 update, we must understand what a core update is. Google rolls out several updates to its search algorithms throughout the year. Most of them are minor, while others, called core updates, lead to substantial changes in how Google evaluates and ranks websites.
The aim of rolling out core updates is to improve the overall quality of search results, depending on factors like content relevance, user experience, and website authority. These changes are often subtle, but they can lead to significant shifts in rankings for certain websites, depending on the nature of the content and how well it aligns with Google’s new evaluation criteria.
Key Changes in the August 2024 Core Update
The August 2024 Core Update is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to make search results more user-friendly, accurate, and helpful. Just in a few days, we have seen many major websites getting impacted by this core update, and understanding these changes can help website owners adjust their SEO strategies accordingly.
1. Greater Focus on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Google has been emphasising the importance of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) for several years now, but the August 2024 update has further elevated its significance. According to this update, websites that includes authoritative content – written by experienced professionals or subject matter experts will see a positive impact in rankings.
Moreover, trustworthiness is now scrutinized even more rigorously. Websites that lack transparency in terms of who is providing the information, or have questionable business practices, may experience ranking drops. This is particularly important for industries like health, finance, and law, where trustworthy information is paramount.
2. User Intent Alignment
The core part of Google’s ranking criteria is to meet user intent, but the August 2024 2024 update has taken this concept further. Google can decipher nuanced search queries in a better way and deliver results that align more precisely with the user’s expectations.
For example, if a user searches for “best Android smartphone under $500,” Google can now better understand the intent behind the query and display pages that feature detailed comparisons, expert reviews, and user testimonials. Pages that offer thin content or lack in-depth analysis will likely be pushed down in rankings.
3. Enhanced Core Web Vitals Metrics
Core Web Vitals— These are metrics that measure the user experience of a website. These metrics include Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), which measure how quickly your website loads, how fast users can interact with it, and how stable the layout is while loading.
The latest August 2024 update has fine-tuned all the metrics and offers priority to the websites that offer a smooth, fast, and user-friendly experience. Websites struggling with slow load times, delayed interactivity, or shifting layouts may see a drop in their rankings.
4. Content Depth and Comprehensiveness
The August 2024 Core Update also rewards websites that provide in-depth, valuable, and comprehensive content. Whereas the rankings of websites will drop those sharing content that merely scratches the surface of a topic.
For instance, a website offering a 200-word answer to a complex question like “How to build an app like Zomato” may struggle to rank as highly as a website, offering a step-by-step guide, including stats, tutorials, external resources, and user FAQs. Google wants to ensure that users find the most valuable and informative content at the top of search results.
5. Mobile-First Indexing Refinements
Mobile-friendly websites have been a top-most priority for digital marketing experts to rank higher in search engine results. But the August Core update has taken this refinement to the next level.
So, the sites with seamless, fast, and intuitive mobile experience will be rewarded with high rankings, whereas, sites that offer a poor mobile experience—whether due to slow loading times, unresponsive designs, or difficult-to-read text—are likely to see a decline in rankings.
6. Greater Emphasis on Visual Content
The 2024 August Core Update is emphasising more on visual content like images and videos. As the web becomes more multimedia-rich, websites that effectively use high-quality visuals to enhance their content will perform better in search results. This change aligns with Google’s broader focus on providing a more engaging and diverse user experience.
It’s important to note that visuals should not just be used for the sake of aesthetics. They need to add real value to the content, whether through diagrams, infographics, or instructional videos..
How to Adjust Your SEO Strategy Post-August 2024?
Once you’re aware of the changes introduced in August 2024 Core Updates, it’s time to find what all actions are needed to be taken to mitigate the risk of getting impacted or stay ahead of the curve.
- Enhance Your E-E-A-T: Focus on building credibility. Ensure that your content is authored by subject matter experts, include author bios, and offer transparent information about your website’s purpose and business practices.
- Align Content with User Intent: Reevaluate your content to make sure it directly addresses the intent behind common search queries. You can use tools like Google Search Console or keyword research platforms to analyse which queries your content is ranking for, and adjust accordingly.
- Improve Core Web Vitals: Run regular checks on your website’s speed and performance, particularly on mobile devices. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse to identify areas for improvement, and fix all the issues on regular basis.
- Create In-Depth Content: Focus on generating comprehensive, high-quality content that fully addresses the needs of your audience. This might mean creating longer-form content or supplementing your articles with additional resources.
- Optimise for Mobile: Ensure that your site is fully optimised for mobile users. This includes responsive design, fast load times, and easy navigation on smaller screens.
- Incorporate More Visuals: Add value to your content with well-placed, high-quality images, videos, and infographics. Make sure they are optimised for quick loading and offer meaningful insights to the user.
How Meister IT Systems Can Help You?
At Meister IT Systems, our SEO professionals understand the SEO complexities and the ever-evolving nature of Google’s algorithms. If you’re still not sure what steps you need to take to mitigate the risk of impact, get in touch with us today!
With our expertise, you can ensure your website remains resilient to Google’s updates and continues to thrive in search rankings.
Contact us today for Search Engine Optimisation services and let’s future-proof your website together.
Conclusion
The August 2024 Core Update brings significant changes that focus on improving user experience, refining content quality, and enhancing search accuracy. By staying ahead of these changes and adjusting your SEO strategy accordingly, you can maintain and even improve your website’s rankings in Google’s search results.
