{"id":266,"date":"2020-12-15T15:03:56","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T15:03:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/?p=266"},"modified":"2023-11-07T09:43:28","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T09:43:28","slug":"google-algorithm-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/google-algorithm-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Core Algorithm Update (December 2020): Some Key Takeaways"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Have you experienced a drop in Google rankings just recently?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>It seems like a lot of websites have either suffered or benefited from a new Google update.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The reason why it has made such a big difference lies in the fact that it\u2019s a <\/em><strong><em>core<\/em><\/strong><em> update. It doesn\u2019t merely add new factors into play, but changes the entire ranking process.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Today we\u2019ll try to explain what happened, how to deal with it, and whether Crowdo has any part to play.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s the Deal with the New Algorithm Update?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/image2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-761\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The update officially took place on December 3rd and has already triggered a wave of concerns among website owners and SEO professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As expected, Google keeps its lips sealed and doesn\u2019t reveal a lot of specifics of the new update. Although the technicalities remain a mystery for now, there\u2019s still enough room to speculate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most SEO experts, including Crowdo assume that the major breakthrough of a new update is tied up with E-A-T, so let\u2019s take a look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">E-A-T: The New Standard?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness. Previously specialists from Google mentioned that there\u2019s no definitive E-A-T score, and your website is mostly assessed by human raters. We\u2019re not sure whether this has changed, but let&#8217;s discuss what you can do to make your website more reputable in the eyes of Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/image4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-763\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Google wants to show content, written by trustworthy people with vast knowledge in their respective fields.&nbsp; Your reputation on the web always mattered, but now it\u2019s more important than ever to establish thought leadership in your field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are relatively easy steps that you can take to enhance your E-A-T:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Always leave your name, bio and contact details in every blog post that you write<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build high-quality backlinks from popular websites in your niche<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Get more reviews. Start with websites like Facebook and TrustPilot.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Establish relationships and get mentioned by influencers of experts in your field<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Share some testimonials\/ endorsements of your clientele or partners right on your landing page. Preferably, the testimonials should also come from reliable sources\/ individuals.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cite when you write. If you work with facts and figures, that aren\u2019t plain obvious &#8211; reference them. And make sure that you link to trustworthy sources, such as Wikipedia<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Update Timing: They\u2019ve Got to be Kidding Us<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Barry Schwartz has done a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seroundtable.com\/google-core-dec-update-timing-30551.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">small Twitter survey<\/a> that revealed that 42% of users are unhappy about the timing of the update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is unsurprising, given that holiday season is about to kick in. A lot of businesses are about to start running Christmas and New Year Promos, and losing your visibility on search means losing a lot of sales.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is particularly devastating for small businesses that are trying to survive during the pandemic, as nowadays they rely heavily on e-commerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some have even suggested that the update did not do any good for user experience at this stage, and the timing of the update was aimed at increasing Google Ads spending.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although there are quite a few conspiracy theories popping up, I have to agree that rolling out an update just before the holiday season is not the nicest move from Google.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Side Effects of the Update: Winners and Losers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people have already witnessed the effects of the update, but as we know from previous years &#8211; it may take Google a few weeks to reassess the rankings. In other words, if your position on search hasn\u2019t changed so far &#8211; it\u2019s not necessarily time to celebrate, as the side effects of the update may kick in at a later point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/image3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-762\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/blog\/google-december-2020-core-update-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Research from Semrush<\/a> shows that the most volatile niches on desktop search were Travel and Finance, whereas Pets &amp; Animals, as well as the Jobs sector have suffered the most on mobile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet on average, it seems like certain industries like Business, Entertainment and Fitness have largely benefited from the update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Should I Do to Recover My Website\u2019s Position?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As always, Google\u2019s advice on how to regain your lost ranking is ambiguous and self-explanatory. They mention that you should focus on creating high-class content, doing regular SEO audits and trying to maximize the user experience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks Google, that helped a lot \ud83d\ude42&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your rankings have dropped significantly, at Crowdo we would advise you to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Focus on E-A-T (read above)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Update your existing content<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check your backlinks. Disavow anything that\u2019s toxic and start building links from high-authority websites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Publish in-depth original content and do your best to promote it<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review your website layout and user experience. Remove distracting elements, make sure the website runs fast, don\u2019t bombard your users with tons of ads. Ensure that it\u2019s easy for your audience to navigate through your site<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Although more data is needed to come up with a more pronounced recovery plan, the tips mentioned above are evergreen, so there\u2019s definitely no harm in applying them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Crowdo Links: Still a Thing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes! Luckily, this update hasn\u2019t diminished the value of our service. In fact, it might have improved it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned, authority in your field and link building always go hand in hand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Crowdo, we strive for niche-relevant backlinks from high-authority forums and blogs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Links from spammy and toxic websites have been further devalued by Google, and that\u2019s a good thing, because we don\u2019t work with those.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our Clients: The Update Went OK?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Although, some of our clients have reported a drop in rankings, most of them are doing just as fine as before. Let\u2019s look at a few examples.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Note: the domain names were hidden for privacy purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1415\" height=\"733\" src=\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/image5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-764\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1405\" height=\"670\" src=\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/image6.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-765\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see most of our clients from various niches continue to see positive SERP movement despite the update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Google hit hard this time, but link building hasn\u2019t lost its value. If you want to boost your website with top-notch <a href=\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/crowdo-links\">crowd marketing links<\/a>, as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/outreach\">guest post links<\/a> &#8211; Crowdo should be your go-to choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/crowdo-links\">Make an order now<\/a> and you won\u2019t regret it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you recently faced a drop in Google rankings? This has a lot to do with the new Google Core Update. Prepare to work on your E-A-T&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1751,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=266"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1758,"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266\/revisions\/1758"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}