As a marketer or website owner, you are aware that the algorithms used by Google have a significant impact on your website’s success and rank. The algorithms are used to “read” the content on your site and rank your site appropriately. The rank your site receives is based on elements like keyword use, ease of navigation, and clarity.
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With SEO – search engine optimization – it is possible to learn how to navigate the algorithms in place, keep up with changes, and build a website that ranks well in SERPs (search engine results pages). It’s been reported that Google makes two updates to its algorithms every day. That means more than 600 changes each year. The purpose of updates is to help users find the most helpful and relevant content while eliminating spam sites. Because of this, the changes can impact your search ranking and visibility and your revenue.
For example, if you have a site that offers access to a free paystub calculator and Google changes how it ranks this content, your site may fall in rankings. All you must do to avoid this is to know what changes are being made and update your site to reflect the changes and keep your site SEO-optimized. However, Google doesn’t always let everyone know when an update will happen. Because of this, it is up to you to figure out how to track them if you want to ensure your website maintains its position in SERPs.
Follow Leading SEO Experts
When constant updates come from Google, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the information. That’s why a good first step is not to follow all the updates yourself. There are countless SEO websites and blogs that keep up with these changes for you. Like modern reality shows, algorithms used by Google have a “fan base” that will spend time tracking, analyzing, and explaining the updates when they occur. These are considered the SEO “gurus” who take time to research the main updates and tell you what you should do to ensure your site continues to meet Google’s needs and standards.
One of the fastest ways to remain updated on SEO news is by checking the top SEO blogs and websites regularly. You can even sync stories to your RSS feed. You will find some websites that provide a newsletter that you can sign up and receive in your email. Just remember to investigate the site’s credibility before trusting what they have published.
Ensure the Update Is Credible
You don’t believe all the hottest celebrity gossip without first verifying its credibility, right? This rule also applies to the latest Google updates. While SEO gurus are tracking changes and updates as they happen, they also spend time figuring out what’s coming next. Sometimes, you may encounter rumors of a coming update in the SEO industry. In the past, this has led to panic for many content creators, especially if they did not verify the sources before making changes to their website.
If you want to keep this from happening, take some time to confirm the rumors on your own. In some situations, this won’t be an issue. For example, if you follow credible sources. Even though this may be the case, it is still a good idea to verify the information with authorities when you can.
One authority you can rely on is The Google Webmaster Central Blog. Google manages this blog. While it does not always have information about major updates that are coming, it may be able to provide some insight. Here you can find a lot of information related to where Google is going and what’s coming next. You can also find updates about changes on social media through Twitter. Several Google executives will make update announcements a day before or after they take place. Once you are positive an update is coming; the next step is to figure out how it will impact your site.
Monitor SEO Data On Your Website
After an algorithm change has been confirmed, it is still a good idea to wait before you change your website. Take a few days or even a few weeks to monitor the SEO data to see how your website is affected. While it is important to stay on top of SEO data, comparing the results from before and after the update will tell you what needs to be changed. This is a crucial step because, sometimes, no changes are needed. Search rankings aren’t always impacted, or they could improve thanks to the update.
In many situations, Google algorithm changes seem to occur overnight. While this may be the case, it doesn’t mean that website changes should follow suit. If you take this approach, it is going to keep you from making the required changes. Also, it will give you time to develop a strategy to make the required changes. Once you are ready to make website changes, you can move on to your strategy.
Make One Change At a Time
When trying to update your SEO strategy, even a small modification can have a huge impact. Because of this, it’s smart to make website content adjustments over time. Like a science experiment, it is a good idea to avoid changing excessive variables simultaneously. If you do this, it becomes impossible to figure out what changes are effective and which ones aren’t. The same applies to implementing new SEO tactics.
Keeping Up With Google Algorithm Changes
As you can see, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to Google and changes to the search engine’s algorithm. With the tips above, you have a good idea of what to do and keep up with the changes being made. Be sure to keep this information in mind, which will help ensure your site remains updated and that it meets the requirements of the latest updates that Google has implemented. In the long run, having the latest information will pay off and help ensure you maintain your rank in SERPs now and in the future.