There’s only so much we know about Google’s algorithm because Google won’t reveal its top ranking factors. In other words, no one’s entirely sure what boxes to tick to secure a first-page ranking. That said, here’s a rundown of the ranking factors we do know about:
Page speed: Google updates with page speed might affect you if your website is slow to load because slow websites offer a poor user experience.
Content relevance: Although you shouldn’t stuff your website with keywords, you should use some relevant keywords and create relevant content around those terms.
Site design: Your website should be user-friendly and easy to navigate.
Link quality: If you want to rank on Google, then ensure you only link to informative, relevant content. Irrelevant links may be affected.
Mobile-friendliness: Google uses the mobile version of your website for ranking and indexing, which means “mobile-friendliness” is a ranking factor.
HTTPS status: Generally, Google prefers secure websites since they’re more trustworthy. HTTPS is more secure than HTTP, so having an SSL certificate can help your ranking.
User engagement: Finally, Google might affect websites with high bounce rates and few return visitors because the pages may be low quality.
How Often Are Google Algorithm Changes Released?
Google makes minor changes to its algorithm on a daily basis. They might even release multiple updates in 24 hours.
These changes are usually small, and you probably won’t notice a drop in search page rankings due to these updates alone.
However, the same can’t be said for the “core” updates. Google makes these larger, more sweeping changes a few times per year, and they can directly impact your page performance.
How Do I Know When Google Releases a New Algorithm Update?
There’s no need to track every single tweak Google makes to its algorithm. However, it’s crucial you track core updates, so you can adapt your SEO strategy accordingly.
First, set up a Google Alert for algorithm changes. With Google Alerts, you’ll receive a notification straight to your inbox whenever algorithm updates are mentioned online so you can start preparing for the changes as soon as possible.
Next, if you’re on Twitter, follow Google Search Liaison. It’s an official account where you’ll see notifications of core algorithm updates. Google Alerts don’t work on social media, so following this account gives you another way to track any mentions of algorithm changes:
From here, you can read the official announcements to learn more about how these algorithm updates affect you. You can also learn more about planned improvements to Google, which may help you improve your SEO strategy more generally.
Thirdly, you can use Google Analytics to help you spot changes to the algorithm. How can Google Analytics help? Well, it can help you identify unusual fluctuations in traffic and conversions, for one thing. You can then take a closer look at your performance to see if you’ve been “affected” in some way by a Google algorithm change.
Finally, try an algorithm analytics tool like MozCast or Grump by Accuranker. These tools track changes to the Google algorithm on a daily basis to help marketers as you stay ahead of any updates.
How to Determine Which Google Algorithm Update Hit Your Website
Have you noticed a steep decline in traffic recently? An algorithm change could be responsible. Here are the two best ways to determine which update just hit your website and how to recover from the penalties:
First, check out Google Search Central (formerly Webmasters). This platform contains multiple resources to help you diagnose common performance problems and identify possible algorithm penalties.
Next, log on to Search Console, a free analytics tool from Google. Whether you want to identify mobile usability problems or monitor your site’s performance, Search Console has the resources you need.
Combined, these tools can help you easily track changes to the Google algorithm.
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