Recent updates have caused worrying volatility in Google’s search results, affecting many corporate websites. These unexpected changes can significantly impact businesses, especially those that rely on organic traffic for their operations.
Here, we look at recent developments in these changes, how they affect online businesses, and what companies should be aware of when dealing with these changes.
What's going on with Google?
The volatility in Google rankings has increased in recent days, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the recent Google Core updates. Many SEOs and website administrators have noticed a significant drop in traffic , especially after the March 2024 Core Update. The effect has been even more profound for those who were already impacted by the September 2023 Core Content Update.
SEO expert Glenn Gabe highlighted in a recent social media post that linkedin data volatility remains high , even 44 days after the March core update went live. The volatility has sparked backlash from various parts of the SEO community, with some site owners reporting sharp drops in traffic and conversions. Some of these reports highlight that even sites that were already penalized have been hit even harder in recent days.
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Business Impact
For businesses unfamiliar with the digital world, these fluctuations can be alarming. A drop in organic traffic can mean fewer prospects, fewer leads, and a reduction in online sales. When the volatility reaches significant levels, businesses may need to reevaluate their digital marketing strategies to adapt to these changes.
Automated tracking tools like SimilarWeb , Semrush , and Moz have been showing fluctuations in volatility. However, some of these tools have yet to detect the full extent of the changes, indicating that there may be a lag between what the SEO community observes and what the tools show. As such, business owners should keep a close eye on their site’s performance metrics to take proactive action before the changes become more damaging.
What should companies do?
Given this volatility, it’s crucial for businesses to stay informed and seek advice from trusted digital marketing professionals to navigate these changes. Strategies such as improving content quality , optimizing user experience, and maintaining an ethical approach to SEO can help mitigate negative impacts. Additionally, being flexible and adapting quickly to changes in Google’s algorithm can be key to maintaining a robust and sustainable online presence.