Google’s August 2023 Core Update

What Are Core Updates?

Google is constantly providing updates to its systems and search algorithms. The smaller updates aren’t announced because they’re usually not noticeably impactful. However, a few times a year, more sweeping changes come through. These are called core updates. Each time a core update is about to happen, Google gives notice ahead of time. This is because core updates can have pretty significant effects in the digital marketing and SEO world. In short, these core updates are known to cause changes in page rankings (where your pages fall in a Google search).

How Can Core Updates Affect Websites?

These broad core updates can feel like digital earthquakes coming along and shaking everything up. Your website may be built properly and be filled with quality content, but a core update can knock it down in the rankings on a search engine results page (SERP). Conversely, it may help your website rank better. On the other hand, it might not affect your website at all, which could be good or bad, depending on what you’ve been trying to do (it’s not cool when you’ve been working hard to boost those SEO juices, only to see no change). It’s a mixed bag and those of us in digital marketing and SEO get a little nervous each time a core update is on the way.

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Recovery Tips

If your website has been negatively impacted by a core update, there are some things you can do to attempt a speedier recovery. A few steps Google recommends include:

Researching which pages are performing well vs. those that aren’t and reacting as needed
Understanding the search terms site visitors are using to find you and naturally include them in your content

Results Not Guaranteed

Like anything in the SEO world, there’s never a guarantee that taking any of the recommended steps to recover after an update will work. Also, there’s never a guaranteed way to rank in a certain way on a SERP. However, it doesn’t hurt to try (as long as you’re keeping everything above board).

Recovery Time

It can take months to recover from a core update. Unfortunately, it may even take another core update to come along before your recovery can really start to take hold.

August 2023 Core Update Launch

The core update for August 2023 has already gotten underway but it will likely take a few weeks to be completed. As with most core updates, we won’t know the bigger picture of the update and its results until it’s finished. Per Google, this is yet another update aimed at improving search results, with the goal of helping searchers get the most helpful and reliable information from their queries.

Your Site May Not Be the Problem

It’s important to keep in mind that if your website is negatively impacted by this or any other core update in the future, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your content is lacking. Try not to panic if you see your pages drop in rank. I’ve seen this happen so many times with clients over the years because of an update. We take a breath, look at the facts, pivot where necessary, and watch the ship right itself while bracing for that next wave of updates.