What is Google Algorithm for SEO?
Google algorithms are a complicated method for retrieving data from its search index and delivering the best possible results for a query in real-time. The search engine ranks web pages based on their relevance using a mix of algorithms and various ranking variables. Earlier, there were only a handful of algorithm changes, but now, Google undergoes thousands of modifications each year.
How Often Does Google Update Its Algorithm?
Google updates its algorithms regularly. They may issue numerous updates within 24 hours.
These changes are often minor, and you are unlikely to notice a reduction in search page ranks resulting from these modifications. The same cannot be accurate, however, for the ‘core’ upgrades. Google makes the core upgrades and broad adjustments a few times a year, and they can directly influence the performance of your page. It is prudent to keep a watch on at least one or two core updates every year.
What is the Latest Google Algorithm Update?
Until July 2021, here is the list of Google updates –
Google SEO Updates 2021
- Link Spam Update – July 2021
- Core Update – June-July, 2021
- Core Web Vitals – Page Experience Update
- Product Review Update – April 2021
- Passage Indexing (US/English) – February 2021
Link Spam Update – July 2021
Google has begun a two-week process of implementing a new algorithm upgrade called the link spam update. Google stated that this upgrade would target spammy links ‘broader’ and ‘across several languages.’ It is a worldwide upgrade that affects all languages and appears to target manipulative and unnatural connections.
If you thought Google was through with algorithm adjustments, you were mistaken. Google has released another algorithm change targeted at ‘eliminating’ link spam. Therefore, if you or your clients have been engaging in spammy link building and noticing a decline in ranks over the next couple of weeks, it might be due to this new algorithm update.
Core Update – June-July 2021
Google promised a summer update in two parts. Google’s first Core Update for 2021 is on its way, but due to the engineers’ inability to complete it in one go, it will be published in two parts. The first part of the update began on June 2, with the second part scheduled for July 2021. As always, Google’s Core Updates to its ranking algorithm apply to all markets and search indexes.
Here is an overview of the core updates announced:
June 2021 Core Update
As with any major upgrade, rankings will fluctuate, and the entire impact of the change will not be apparent until the rollout is complete. According to Google, this process generally takes one to two weeks.
Google stated that they had planned changes, but some were not yet available, necessitating the separation of the upgrades. There aren’t many specifics regarding the change, except that it generally improves how Google evaluates material and responds to user search intent. Google did caution, though, that some of the June version’s modifications might be reversed in the July release.
July 2021 Core Update
The June 2021 and the July 2021 Core Update are the two parts of the Google Core Update. Google initially stated that portions of the updates were not ready for distribution and release and, therefore, opted to divide the upgrade in half, releasing a part in June and the remainder in July.
One critical aspect surrounding the release – Google stated that some of the June version’s modifications might be reversed in the July update. We anticipated irregularities throughout the deployment and believed that they would subside after the upgrade was complete. If you witness any decline in the rankings, it is not the result of technical errors, unanticipated changes, or any other issue. It is due to the update process.
Core Web Vitals – Page Experience Update
Finally, Google scheduled the update to the page experience for mid-June 2021, which was predicted to conclude with a gradual deployment by August. This is a long-awaited upgrade, with the original May 2021 deployment date being postponed.
The updated page experience ranking factors will combine Core Web Vitals and current User Experience ranking factors — such as Mobile Friendliness, Safe Browsing, and HTTPS into a new ranking factor category named ‘Search signals for page experience.
Product Review Update: April 2021
According to Google, the objective of the updated product reviews is to emphasize the following:
“While this is different from our regular core updates, the advice we provide regarding the creation of high-quality content for those is also applicable here. The main goal is to give readers information that is insightful and original, and is produced by experts or enthusiasts who are knowledgeable about the subject.”
It is more website-focused rather than URL-focused. That is, it may be more likely to harm an entire website or portions of a website. Google states that the algorithm modifications are intended to affect a more extensive range of ‘sections of web pages, or the entire site.’
Since this algorithm is not a core algorithm upgrade, it implies that the promotion will only affect rankings for specific material categories in their search index, which means that non-reviewing companies and businesses who do not post ‘product reviews’ will remain unaffected.
Passage Indexing (US/English) – February 2021
On February 10, Google announced a new ranking signal called Passage Ranking for English-language searches conducted in the US. Passage Ranking is Google’s new technique to identify and rank relevant passages inside web pages in search.
One of the most noticeable changes by webmasters on Google Search was that the algorithms began filtering through lengthy pieces of material and returning various excerpts within them based on the query. It means that the same piece of content will now rank differently depending on which paragraph is relevant to the user’s query. This does not mean that the passages are indexed independently. Instead, they are rated differently. Unsurprisingly, this change has had little effect on SEO optimized websites. You cannot check passage ranking in the SERP since it seems identical to previous search result snippets.
How to Recover from Google Algorithm Update?
We hope this Google Algorithm blog helped you understand Google updates and how these constant algorithm tweaks and adjustments have transformed SEO. With these insights, marketers and businesses will learn what they can do to stay on the better side of the Google algorithm.
Here at Voxturr, we go by the book and follow all the algorithm updates. Schedule an appointment today and see how Voxturr – a growth hacking agency, can help you bring growth to your business.