Google Core Update March 2023

Once again, Google is ready to roll out the next core algorithm update. If you are a business that relies on, or tracks, the amount of organic traffic coming to your website, then knowing when these updates hit is important.

Google’s core algorithm is comprised of multiple systems that affect how your website will rank on search. If you don’t hit their metrics, then chances are you won’t be showing up in front of search queries like you want. To learn more about Google’s core algorithm and the previous updates, be sure to read:

• Google Core Update: September 2022
• Google Core Update: May 2022

Changes Made & Volatility Strikes

Unfortunately, we don’t know the specifics. Although, we can tell you that the core update is designed to refine their ranking systems across the board, not just a specific system or two. The goal of the update is to give users more accurate and high-quality results for their search queries by improving Google’s ability to understand and rank content properly.

Furthermore, Google’s March 2023 Core Update caused a lot of chatter on Search Engine Roundtable and in other SEO spaces. From what we can tell, the volatility spiked even higher than the previous update in September. What does this mean exactly? Well, volatility refers to rank changes that can be followed. High volatility means that fluctuations are fairly prominent, and low means that minor changes can be seen. High volatility suggests that this core update saw some major updates to the system that will have more widespread impacts.

How to Cope

Taking a hit on ranks and website traffic can be a hard pill to swallow. However, having that impact coincide with an update can at least guide you making some changes. The high volatility that coincided with the March 2023 core update serves as a warning to all SEO professionals and website owners that they must remain vigilant in order to stay ahead of their competition.

So, let’s go over some essential advice:

1. Watch Your Data: If you see an impact, go through your data, and see where you were impacted. You won’t know what to fix if you don’t know what is broken.
2. Stay on Top of Updates: If you know when updates are occurring, then you won’t be in complete darkness about changes in rank. Keep in mind that changes may not be noticeable until after the update is complete.
3. Focus on Quality Content: This is something you should be doing all the time and for all of your content. Don’t wait until you see changes in rank to put more effort into your content. Stay ahead, don’t fall behind. Keep it authentic, keep it real, and keep it geared towards users.
4. Good User Experience is a Must: Rank is determined by more than just content. Think of page load speed, mobile-friendliness, and even easy site navigation.
5. Up Your SEO Game: Stay away from black hat SEO and other techniques than can get you into hot water. It’s not worth the risk.
6. Seek Out Professionals: Listen, it’s not just one thing or another. There are a host of factors to take into consideration to rank well, and sometimes going to an expert is what you have to do. Cyberlicious® can guide and help you adapt your SEO strategies to the latest updates. All you have to do is ask!