Nope, we aren’t kidding. There has been another major update from Google.
We hate to sound like a broken record, but we’re here to report that there has been another major update announced by Google. According to Google’s log of search ranking updates, the search engine launched a core update on September 12, 2022.
Officially called the September 2022 core update, this latest algorithm shift will take two weeks to complete.
\u201cToday we released the September 2022 core update. We'll update our ranking release history page when the rollout is complete: https://t.co/sQ5COfdNcb\u201d— Google Search Central (@Google Search Central) 1662996384
What Is a Core Update?
According to Google, core updates are significant, broad changes to its algorithm and systems.
These updates happen several times a year, but always make publishers and site owners nervous because they can cause web traffic volatility. Google says that core updates are implemented to increase the overall relevancy of its search results.
To better understand the nature of core updates, Google uses the following example:
“...imagine you made a list of the top 100 movies in 2015. A few years later in 2019, you refresh the list. It's going to naturally change. Some new and wonderful movies that never existed before will now be candidates for inclusion. You might also reassess some films and realize they deserved a higher place on the list than they had before.
The list will change, and films previously higher on the list that move down aren't bad. There are simply more deserving films that are coming before them.”
Historically, the search giant will not divulge details about its core updates, and will only confirm the existence of a core update in anticipation of some sites experiencing changes in traffic patterns.
The best way to make sure that your site is ready to weather a core update is by focusing on your content. Google has site quality guidelines that site owners can reference to make sure their content meets its classifications for high-quality content.
Wait, Didn’t Google Just Release an Update?
Speaking of quality content, the September 2022 core update comes just days after Google’s helpful content update completed its rollout on September 9, 2022.
Google announced the helpful content update — which was a widespread update, but not an official core update — on August 25, 2022. The helpful content update uses machine learning to deprioritize content that isn’t deemed “hepful” by Google’s standards, which includes content that is unoriginal, is low quality, and was created primarily for search engines, not for the benefit of users.
The helpful content update had the SEO community buzzing with speculation about how it may impact traffic all over the web. Click here to read more.
Google Is Busier Than Usual in Recent Weeks
When the September 2022 core update was announced, search experts on Twitter were shocked by Google’s large, back-to-back updates.
\u201cMy jaw actually dropped\u201d— Lily Ray \ud83d\ude0f (@Lily Ray \ud83d\ude0f) 1662996749
\u201cFeeling sorry for all my friends who are known for writing up and documenting effects of Google's major updates. How are they getting anything done recently? Geesh!\u201d— Cindy Krum \ud83d\udcf1 (@Cindy Krum \ud83d\udcf1) 1662998866
This may seem like a chaotic burst of updates from Google, but it isn’t entirely unexpected. Earlier this year, Google’s Search Liaison Danny Sullivan said that the search engine had purposefully amped up communication about algorithm updates.
But even though we’re more aware of what Google is up to than ever before, there are still a lot of little changes to the search algorithm that we won’t ever hear about. Sullivan said that Google’s algorithm is updated thousands of times each year. Many of these incremental updates are so small that users and site owners won’t even know they’re happening. Click here to read more.
Never Stress About Google’s Core Updates
Google is usually sparse on details about core updates, but we’re always keeping an eye on traffic patterns that can serve as clues that help explain the direction of the September 2022 core update.
In the meantime, don’t let Google’s flurry of updates disturb your workflow. RebelMouse is a modern publishing platform that anticipates major changes from Google, like the September 2022 core update, before they even happen. Our holistic search strategy makes sure that the sites within our network consistently rank highly on search and crush industry standards on site performance.
Request a proposal today to get started.
