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What Google’s latest search engine algorithm update means for the future of marketing

13 August 2018
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Google released another “Global Broad Core” search algorithm update this month, and many search engine optimization specialists are not stoked about it.  The lack of SEO excitement comes from the mysterious nature of Google’s smaller search algorithm updates. Most updates aren’t the huge named algorithm fixes, like Pigeon and Penguin, etc (Hopefully, SEO nerds got my Penguin algo update pun in the last blog post).  In the big algorithm updates, it’s clear which components of the algorithm Google is fixing. For example, “Panda” reduced low-quality, written-for-the-sole-purpose-of-tricking-the-algorithm type content; “Penguin” targeted those sketchy, spammy back-linkers.  While these big updates have clearly identifiable purposes, the smaller updates aren’t usually as clearcut. Two other Broad Core Algo updates were released earlier this year in March and in April.

This update has been coined by SEOs the “Medic Update.”  SearchEngineLand reported that recent ranking data shows that the update targeted medical and health niche sites, as well as “Your Money Your Life” sites, which are sites that solicit information or give advice on personal information about, well, money and your life.  The Search Engine Round Table concluded via a report that included over 300 sites seemingly impacted by the Medic Update that 42% were health/fitness/medical related.  The Search Engine Round Table also stated that many of the YMYL sites in the survey were also within the health niche.

42% of reportedly impacted sites concluded to be within the medical/fitness/health niche

Google has said that this recent update doesn’t hurt pages that have seemingly fallen in the ranks, but it instead helps previously undervalued pages.  Google went on to say that there’s no ‘fix’ for pages that may perform less well other than to remain focused on building great content, which seems to fall in line with Google’s mission to help the User.  Helping the User usually means making sure top sites are providing relevant content, and this update seems to be another push by Google for sites to provide more of that.

Google: there’s no ‘fix’ for pages that may perform less well other than to remain focused on building great content,

While, a clearly structured website, strategic tags and other more technical components of a good SEO practice will get you a long way in the ranks, focusing on generating important, relevant, helpful, readable and interesting content is going to carry many sites across the search engine finish line.  In fact, amid the most recent changes, it may be the biggest way to compete within search engine ranks. Google disclaims often that many updates are released daily, but there’s something bigger about these recent “Broad Core” updates and the correlation with the present and future of marketing and the lean towards content creation.  Sorry, Bernie from IT, you’re going to have to create an infographic or two.

 

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What Google's latest search engine algorithm update means for the future of marketing
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What Google's latest search engine algorithm update means for the future of marketing
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Information about Google's latest Global Broad Core search engine update, what sites may have been impacted and what it means for your future SEO strategy
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SISDigital

About Tiffany Odem-Rodriquez

ABOUT TIFFANY ODOM-RODRIQUEZ Ole Miss graduate and friend of all dogs. Tiffany is an avid marketing blogger and part-time yogi. When she's not blogging about marketing or on her yoga mat, you can probably find her at the dog park, a local wine bar or somewhere outside on a patio living her best life in Wilmington.

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