Google ranking factors with corrections and SEO correction
Here we will discuss on Google ranking factor correction, SEO correction, SERP correction for any website who is impacted by any violation of Google’s policies or by any new update. The main reference article for different Google search updates.
Google Rank Correction Solutions (Updated for 2025):
- Qualifying Links and Link Spam Policy – Quality backlinks from relevant, trusted sites boost rankings; spammy or paid links trigger penalties.
- Page Experience Update – Core Web Vitals (speed, interactivity, stability) enhance user experience and influence rankings.
- Product Reviews Update – Detailed, original reviews with expertise outrank thin or generic ones.
- Google’s Product Reviews Updates (Expanded Through 2023) – Rewards firsthand insights, comparisons, and user-focused review content.
- Old Domains Benefit and Myth – Age alone doesn’t boost rankings; content quality and authority matter more.
- Keyword in Domain Lost Its Edge with the Exact-Match Domains Update – EMDs need strong content to compete, not just keywords.
- Subdomains with Keywords Don’t Carry Significant Weight Anymore – Site-wide authority trumps subdomain keyword tricks.
- The Domain History Is Still Significant for Penalized Sites – Past penalties linger until trust is restored.
- EMD or Exact Match Domain – Thin EMDs risk demotion; valuable content makes them viable.
- Public Domain Registration vs. Private Domain Registration Doesn’t Directly Affect Rankings – WHOIS privacy is irrelevant to SEO.
- One Person/Business with One Penalized Site Won’t Transfer Impact to Other Sites Unless Spammy Links Exchanged – Penalties stay site-specific.
- Country-Based TLD Can Boost Local Relevance in That Region – ccTLDs help when targeting specific locales.
- Title with Keyword Is Still a Strong Signal for Relevance – Natural keyword placement in titles lifts visibility.
- The Description Doesn’t Directly Influence Rankings, but Impacts Click-Through Rates (CTR) – Higher CTR indirectly aids rankings.
- Keyword Appears in H1 Tag Signals Page Topic and Improves Relevance as a Minor Factor – One clear H1 helps, but don’t overdo it.
- Excessive Use of Keywords or Keyword Stuffing Is a Relic Google Actively Demotes – Overuse hurts readability and rankings.
- Longer Content Often Ranks Better Because It Covers Topics Deeply, but There’s No Magic Word Count – Depth beats fluff.
- Google Doesn’t Use LSI Keywords, Instead Favors Related Terms and Concepts to Understand Context – Semantic richness matters.
- Page Loading Speed Is a Confirmed Factor via Core Web Vitals for Better Search Rankings – Fast pages win user trust.
- Content Duplicity Confuses Google and Dilutes Authority – Unique content shines; use rel=canonical for duplicates.
- Rel=Canonical Use for Duplicate Pages Is Still a Lifesaver for Retail Sites or Blogs with Similar Pages – Avoids ranking splits.
- The Date of Content Update Matters When It’s First Written, doesn’t – Freshness trumps initial publication for timely topics.
- Historical Updates Signal a Page Is Maintained and Kept Relevant, a Positive Google Ranking Factor – Regular value-adds help.
- Image Optimization Enhances User Experience and Accessibility, Indirectly Aiding Rankings – Alt text and compression count.
- Content Update and Its Update Date Matters Less Than the Content Quality of the Change – Meaningful updates outrank timestamp tweaks.
- Mobile-First Indexing Is the Default – Google ranks based on your mobile site’s performance.
- HTTPS Security Is a Must – Non-secure sites lose ranking edge and user trust.
- User Intent Alignment Drives Success – Match content to what searchers want (info, purchase, navigation).
- E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) – Vital for credibility, especially in YMYL niches (News and current events).
- Structured Data Enhances Visibility – Schema markup improves rich results, not core rankings.
- Internal Links Boost Crawlability – Link key pages to guide Google and users.
- High Bounce Rate Isn’t Direct, but Signals Matter – Quick exits may hint at poor relevance.
- Dwell Time Reflects Engagement – Longer stays suggest content satisfies users.
- Voice Search Optimization Gains Traction – Answer questions naturally for voice queries.
- Featured Snippets Reward Clarity – Concise, structured answers snag position zero.
- Google Business Profile Fuels Local SEO – Optimized profiles dominate local results.
- Consistent Citations Build Local Trust – Uniform NAP (Name, Address, Phone) helps locally.
- Content Depth Beats Shallow Pages – Thorough coverage wins over thin content.
- Freshness Is important for Trending Topics – Recent posts rank higher for time-sensitive queries.
- Site Structure Aids Crawling – Logical layouts help Google index effectively.
- 404 Errors Damage UX – Too many broken links hurt rankings.
- 301 Redirects Pass Authority – Proper redirects preserve link juice.
- XML Sitemaps Speed Discovery – Updated sitemaps highlight new content.
- Robots.txt Focuses Crawl Budget – Block low-value pages to prioritize key ones.
- Anchor Text Should Be Relevant – Descriptive anchors improve link context.
- Disavow Toxic Backlinks – Remove or reject spammy links to stay clean.
- Social Shares Amplify Reach – Indirectly boost visibility and linking potential.
- Video Increases Engagement – Relevant video’s extent dwell time.
- Alt Text Boosts Image Indexing – Keyword-rich alt text aids visuals’ rankability.
- Mobile Speed Is Non-Negotiable – Slow mobile pages lose out significantly.
- Readable Content Keeps Users – Clear, scannable text improves UX.
- Above-the-Fold Info Grabs Attention – Key content upfront boosts satisfaction.
- Orphan Pages Get Ignored – Unlinked pages struggle to rank.
- Keyword Cannibalization Splits Authority – Competing pages for one term weaken each other.
- Hreflang Tags Target Globally – Proper tags improve multi-language rankings.
- Server Speed Affects Vitals – Slow TTFB (Time to First Byte) drags performance.
- Content Pruning Lifts Quality – Cut outdated or weak pages to strengthen the site.
- User Reviews Build E-E-A-T – Authentic feedback signals trust.
- AI Content Needs Human Touch – Unedited AI output risks demotion.
- Unique Titles Prevent Confusion – Duplicate titles hurt page distinction.
- Outbound Links Add Context – Linking to reputable sites boosts credibility.
- Thin Content Rarely Ranks – Sub-300-word pages need razor focus to compete.
- Uptime Signals Reliability – Frequent downtime erodes trust.
- Query Deserves Freshness (QDF) – Trending searches favor new content.
- Click Depth Prioritizes Pages – Keep key pages close to the homepage.
- Clean URLs Outrank Messy Ones – Simple, keyword-friendly URLs win.
- Breadcrumbs Improve Navigation – They aid UX and site hierarchy clarity.
- Content Clusters Show Expertise – Topic hubs build niche authority.
- No-index Saves Crawl Budget – Tag irrelevant pages to focus Google elsewhere.
- JavaScript Must Render Properly – Poor JS blocks content from Googlebot.
- AMP Fades in Importance – Core Web Vitals overshadow AMP benefits.
- Intrusive Ads Hurt Rankings – Pop-ups annoy users and trigger penalties.
- Security Flags Tank Sites – Malware or phishing kills rankings fast.
- UGC Adds Freshness – Quality user comments enhance pages.
- Keyword Proximity Enhances Context – Related terms near keywords help.
- Intent Mismatch Kills Rankings – Irrelevant content flops for target queries.
- Formatting Aids Scalability – Headings and lists keep users engaged.
- Geotargeting Boosts Local – Region-specific content ranks higher locally.
- Backlink Variety Looks Natural – Diverse sources avoid spam flags.
- Domain Authority Lifts All Pages – Strong site trust elevates weaker content.
- Content Gaps Lose to Rivals – Missing info hands rankings to competitors.
- Over-Optimization Risks Filters – Too much SEO tweaking backfires.
- Mobile Usability Is Essential – Broken mobile layouts drop rankings.
- Query Relevance Is King – Off-topic pages get buried.
- Engagement Metrics Guide Rankings – High clicks and time signal quality.
- Broken External Links Hurt – Dead outbound links frustrate users.
- Authority Needs Evidence – Citations or expertise prove E-E-A-T.
- Pagination Tags Clarify Series – Rel=next/prev helps index multipage content.
- Internal Search Improves UX – Site search helps users on big sites.
- Semantic HTML Helps Bots – Clean code (e.g., <header>) aids crawling.
- Evergreen Refresh Still Works – Timeless content benefits from updates.
- Unique Descriptions Avoid Overlap – Duplicate meta descriptions confuse Google.
- Image Compression Speeds Pages – Large files slow load times, hurting rank.
- Trust Signals Build Credibility – Contact info and policies reassure users.
- Trending Keywords Shift Focus – Emerging terms keep content relevant.
- Crawl Budget Needs Management – Large sites must optimize for key pages.
- Authenticity Beats Generic – Unique insights outrank cookie-cutter content.
- Site Depth Signals Mastery – More quality pages show expertise.
- HTTPS Is Mandatory – Unencrypted sites lose rank and trust.
- Feedback Refines Content – User data tweaks align with audience needs.
Detailed discussion on how you can correct your lost rank, focusing on different Google Update or Important ranking signals.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: January 2025 Product Reviews Update
Date: 15-Jan-25 | Status: Ongoing (as of Feb 25, 2025)
Google kicked off 2025 with a Product Reviews Update, hammering home the need for authentic, firsthand reviews over AI summaries or shallow lists.
Suggested Solutions:
- Step 1: Go Hands-On
Rewrite a review with your own photos and real use-case details—ditch the stock images and vague “it’s great” vibes. - Step 2: Show Your Work
Link to your LinkedIn or portfolio in the author bio and cite a reputable source (e.g., a study or manufacturer spec) to back your claims. - Step 3: Ditch the Templates
Scrap generic “Pros & Cons” lists—explain why something works or doesn’t with a quick anecdote or comparison. - Step 4: Boost On-Site Trust
Add a clear “Contact” page and a customer testimonial—small trust signals add up for Google. - Step 5: Mix Up Formats
Embed a short video or infographic showing the product in action—engagement matters as much as text now.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: December 2024 Spam Update
Date: 10-Dec-24 | Status: Ongoing (as of Feb 25, 2025)
This spam update doubled down on wiping out low-quality AI content and manipulative link tactics, pushing for authentic, user-first sites as we head into 2025.
Suggested Solutions:
- Step 1: Scrub AI-Generated Junk
Review your site for thin or repetitive content—replace it with original, detailed stuff packed with real examples or expert input. - Step 2: Audit Your Backlinks
Run a backlink check (e.g., with Ahrefs) and use Google’s Disavow Tool to ditch anything spammy—focus on earning natural links from solid sites. - Step 3: Naturalize Keywords
Keep keyword density under 2% and weave in synonyms or long-tail phrases—make it read like a human wrote it, not a bot. - Step 4: Add Credibility Markers
Beef up your “About Us” and author pages with clear, trustworthy details—think LinkedIn profiles or published work links. - Step 5: Test User Engagement
Add a case study or interactive element (like a quick video) to a key page and see if bounce rates drop—Google’s watching how people stick around.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: November 2024 Core Update
Date: 11-Nov-24 | Status: Completed (assumed by Feb 25, 2025)
The core update extended with November 2024 Core Update. It refined the quality of the search result, focused on the relevance of the content, checked the user experience and trustworthiness and a tilt towards those sites who adapted to the update.
Suggested Solutions:
- Step 1: Audit Your Content Relevance
Check your pages against current user search intent—use Google Search Console to see which queries are dropping and update content to better match what people want now. - Step 2: Polish User Experience
Speed up your site (aim for Largest Contentful Paint under 2.5 seconds) and fix any layout shifts that mess with navigation—think clean, no-jump scrolling. - Step 3: Boost Trust Signals
Add or update author bios with real credentials and link to verifiable sources—Google’s still obsessed with E-A-T, so don’t skimp here. - Step 4: Refresh Stale Pages
Dig into your older content (6+ months) and sprinkle in fresh stats or insights to keep it relevant—Google loves a living site. - Step 5: Monitor Performance
Keep an eye on rankings with tools like Search Console and tweak pages that dip—don’t overhaul everything, just refine what’s slipping.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: August 2024 Core Update
Date: 22-Aug-24 | Status: Ongoing
This core update targets overall search quality and relevance, affecting key factors like content quality, user experience, and E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
Suggested Solutions:
- Enhance E-A-T: Make sure your content reflects expertise, authority, and trustworthiness by citing reliable sources and showcasing author credentials.
- Content Refresh: Update underperforming pages with fresh, relevant information that aligns with current search intent.
- User Experience: Focus on improving loading speed, mobile-friendliness, and site navigation, as these factors can boost your rankings.
- Internal Linking: Ensure logical internal linking that benefits users and search engines alike.
- Diverse Content Formats: Include videos, infographics, and other engaging formats to enhance user interaction.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: July 2024 Product Reviews Update
Date: 12-Jul-24 | Duration: 12 days
This update focuses on ranking product reviews that offer insightful, in-depth analysis over generic overviews. Google rewards content with original research and meaningful insights.
Suggested Solutions:
- In-Depth Reviews: Provide detailed comparisons, performance metrics, and hands-on analysis.
- User Experience: Organize your reviews with clear headings, pros-and-cons sections, and data-backed insights.
- Visuals & Evidence: Use original images, videos, and proof of use to back up your claims.
- Expert Opinions: Bring in expert viewpoints to build credibility and authority.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: February 2024 Core Update
Date: 26-Feb-24 | Duration: 14 days
This update impacted content relevance, search intent, and overall algorithm adjustments.
Suggested Solutions:
- Content Audits: Remove low-quality or outdated content, and merge similar pages to avoid duplication.
- Search Intent Matching: Ensure your content answers user queries directly, keeping up with evolving search intent.
- Content Structure: Organize articles with headers, bullet points, and rich media for better readability.
- Backlink Audit: Eliminate toxic or irrelevant backlinks and focus on earning high-quality links from authoritative sites.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: January 2024 Product Reviews Update
Date: 18-Jan-24 | Duration: 13 days, 5 hours
This update reinforced the emphasis on detailed product reviews over thin content with little value.
Suggested Solutions:
- First-Hand Experience: Clearly demonstrate that you’ve used or tested the product, sharing personal insights.
- Comparisons with Alternatives: Offer comparisons with similar products to help readers make informed decisions.
- Show Your Expertise: Build trust by showcasing your expertise in the industry or niche.
- Structured Data Markup: Use review schema to help Google understand your content and display rich snippets.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: December 2023 Helpful Content Update
Date: 11-Dec-23 | Duration: 12 days
This update aimed to prioritize content created for users over content overly focused on SEO tactics.
Suggested Solutions:
- User-First Content: Focus on creating content that directly meets user needs, rather than prioritizing SEO tricks.
- Content Quality Over Quantity: Shift from producing a high volume of shallow content to creating fewer, more in-depth articles.
- Engagement Optimization: Add interactive elements like FAQs or user comments to increase engagement.
- Reduce AI-Generated Content: Limit automated content generation and focus on creating unique, human-reviewed material that provides true value.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: October 2023 core update
Corrective steps:
Core updates are broad updates to Google’s search algorithm that aim to improve the quality of search results for users. There is no specific set of corrective steps that you can take to recover from a core update, as the impact of the update will vary from website to website. However, there are some general things that you can do to improve your website’s chances of ranking well in Google search results, including:
- Create high-quality, informative content that is helpful to your target audience. This is the most important thing you can do to improve your website’s ranking in Google search results.
- Follow Google’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) guidelines. This includes things like using relevant keywords throughout your content, optimizing your title tags and meta descriptions, and building high-quality backlinks to your website.
- Make sure your website is technically sound. This includes things like having a fast loading time, a mobile-friendly design, and a secure connection.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: October 2023 spam update
Corrective steps:
- Review your website for any spammy content. This could include content that is keyword-stuffed, thin, or misleading.
- Remove any spammy content from your website. If you have any content that you are unsure about, it is best to remove it.
- Disavow any spammy backlinks to your website. You can do this using Google Search Console.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: September 2023 helpful content update
Corrective steps:
- Focus on creating content that is helpful and informative to your target audience. This means writing content that answers their questions, solves their problems, and provides them with valuable information.
- Avoid writing content that is primarily promotional or self-serving. This includes content that is designed to sell products or services, or to build links to your website.
- Make sure your content is well-written and edited. This means proofreading your content carefully for errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: August 2023 core update
Corrective steps:
- Create high-quality, relevant content that is helpful to your target audience. This is the most important thing you can do to improve your website’s ranking in Google search results.
- Follow Google’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) guidelines. This includes things like using relevant keywords throughout your content, optimizing your title tags and meta descriptions, and building high-quality backlinks to your website.
- Make sure your website is technically sound. This includes things like having a fast loading time, a mobile-friendly design, and a secure connection.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: April 2023 reviews update
Corrective steps:
- Ensure that your reviews are high-quality, informative, and in-depth. Your reviews should provide readers with all the information they need to make an informed purchase decision.
- Focus on the user experience. Your reviews should be easy to read and navigate, and they should be supported by relevant images, videos, and other media.
- Be transparent and honest. Disclose any conflicts of interest, such as if you were given the product for free.
- Keep your reviews up-to-date. Update your reviews as needed to reflect any changes to the product or its features.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: March 2023 core update
Corrective steps:
- Create high-quality, relevant content that is helpful to your target audience. This is the most important thing you can do to improve your website’s ranking in Google search results.
- Follow Google’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) guidelines. This includes things like using relevant keywords throughout your content, optimizing your title tags and meta descriptions, and building high-quality backlinks to your website.
- Make sure your website is technically sound. This includes things like having a fast loading time, a mobile-friendly design, and a secure connection.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: February 2023 product reviews update
Corrective steps:
- Write high-quality, informative, and in-depth product reviews. Your reviews should be original and unbiased, and they should provide readers with all the information they need to make an informed purchase decision.
- Focus on the user experience. Your reviews should be easy to read and navigate, and they should be supported by relevant images, videos, and other media.
- Include various content in your reviews. Discuss the product’s pros and cons, compare it to similar products, and share your own personal experience with the product.
- Be transparent and honest. If you have any conflicts of interest, such as if you were given the product for free, be sure to disclose this in your review.
- Keep your reviews up-to-date. Make sure to update your reviews as needed to reflect any changes to the product or its features.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: December 2022 link spam update. This update is global and affects all languages. The rollout was complete as of January 12, 2023.
- “Here are some best practices to help protect your website from link spam and negative effects of Google’s search algorithm updates:
- Focus on creating high-quality, original content: The best way to protect your website from the negative effects of algorithm updates is to create content that is both useful and valuable to your audience.
- Avoid link schemes: Link schemes, such as buying or exchanging links, can harm your website’s ranking and potentially lead to a penalty from Google.
- Use “”nofollow”” for sponsored links: If you have sponsored links on your website, use the “”nofollow”” attribute to signal to search engines that these links should not be followed or counted as an endorsement.
- Monitor your backlinks: Regularly monitor the backlinks to your website to ensure that you are not linking to any spammy or low-quality websites.
- Keep an eye on your website’s statistics: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor the traffic to your website and track any changes that might be related to algorithm updates.”
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: December 2022 helpful content update, which improves our classifier and works across content globally in all languages. The rollout was complete as of January 12, 2023.
- “It’s important to note that Google’s “”Helpful Content Update”” is not a specific update, but rather a general emphasis on providing helpful and relevant content to users. Here are some best practices that can help protect your website from any negative effects of this emphasis:
- Focus on user experience: Make sure that your website provides a positive and useful experience for users, with easy navigation and high-quality content.
- Provide original and informative content: Offer original and informative content that is relevant to your target audience and provides value to them.
- Improve website speed and functionality: A slow or poorly functioning website can negatively impact user experience and harm your search rankings. Optimize your website for speed and usability to provide a positive user experience.
- Utilize structured data: Utilize structured data, such as schema.org markup, to help search engines understand the content on your website and improve its relevance for specific search queries.
- Monitor your website’s performance: Regularly monitor your website’s performance using tools such as Google Search Console and Google Analytics to detect any changes that might be related to algorithm updates.
By focusing on user experience and providing high-quality, original content, you can help protect your website from any negative effects of Google’s emphasis on helpful and relevant content.”
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: October 2022 spam update. This update is global and affects all languages. The rollout was complete as of October 21, 2022.
- “Here are some best practices for protecting your website from negative effects of Google’s spam updates:
- Prioritize the development of high-quality, first-of-its-kind content to safeguard your site from algorithm changes.
- Second, stay away from link schemes like purchasing and exchanging links, which can hurt your website’s search engine rankings and even get you penalised by Google.
- Third, designate sponsored links with “”nofollow”” to let search engines know they shouldn’t be followed or considered an endorsement.
- Always check the websites that link back to yours to make sure you aren’t promoting any spam or low-quality content.
- Fifth, don’t overuse keywords; doing so will get your site penalized for spam by Google if you don’t stop. The quality of your content will increase if you use keywords in a natural and contextual way.
- Use canonical URLs to tell search engines which version of material you want indexed if you have numerous pages with similar content. By following these best practices and creating high-quality, original content, you can help protect your website from negative effects of Google’s spam updates and maintain a strong online presence.”
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: September 2022 product reviews update. This update applies to English-language product reviews. The rollout was complete as of September 26, 2022.
- “Here are some tips for protecting your website from any updates related to product reviews:
- Focus on high-quality, accurate product reviews: Encourage customers to leave honest and accurate reviews of your products, and avoid using fake or misleading reviews.
- Make it easy for customers to leave reviews: Provide an easy and straightforward process for customers to leave product reviews on your website.
- Respond to customer reviews: Regularly monitor customer reviews and respond promptly to any negative reviews, addressing any concerns and offering solutions where possible.
- Utilize structured data: Utilize structured data, such as schema.org markup, to help search engines understand the content on your website and improve its relevance for specific search queries.
- Monitor your website’s performance: Regularly monitor your website’s performance using tools such as Google Search Console and Google Analytics to detect any changes that might be related to algorithm updates.
By focusing on high-quality, accurate product reviews and providing a positive customer experience, you can help protect your website from negative effects of any updates related to product reviews and maintain a strong online presence.”
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: September 2022 core update. The rollout was complete as of September 26, 2022.
- “Here are some best practices for retaining your website’s search rankings in the face of Google’s 2022 Core Update or any other algorithm updates:
- Provide high-quality, relevant content: The most important factor for retaining your website’s search rankings is to provide high-quality, relevant content that is valuable to your target audience.
- Improve website speed and functionality: A slow or poorly functioning website can negatively impact user experience and harm your search rankings. Optimize your website for speed and usability to provide a positive user experience.
- Utilize structured data: Utilize structured data, such as schema.org markup, to help search engines understand the content on your website and improve its relevance for specific search queries.
- Monitor your backlinks: Regularly monitor the backlinks to your website to ensure that you are not linking to any spammy or low-quality websites.
- Avoid manipulative tactics: Manipulative tactics, such as keyword stuffing, link schemes, and cloaking, can harm your search rankings and potentially lead to a penalty from Google.
- Monitor your website’s performance: Regularly monitor your website’s performance using tools such as Google Search Console and Google Analytics to detect any changes that might be related to algorithm updates.
By following these best practices and focusing on high-quality, relevant content, you can help retain your website’s search rankings in the face of Google’s 2022 Core Update or any other algorithm updates.”
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Google is rewriting SERP title tags, Launched in August 2021:
- Google launched this update to provide the best description based on user’s search intent or search behaviour.
- But for all page listed in Google it is not applied as sometimes the meta description itself is the best one.
- With this update, Google is not asking users to remove meta description from the website, this may be a good fit for content pages with different search intent connection.
A recent study by MOZ showed that, on average, Google is rewriting SERP title tags by around 12 words. This means that, if you want your site to rank highly, you need to make sure that your title tag accurately reflects the content of your page.
You can use the free SERP title tag tool by SEO MOZ or others to see how your title tag compares to those of your competitors. If it’s shorter than the majority of other titles, you may want to consider lengthening it.
Keep in mind that the title tag is just one part of your overall SEO strategy, and you should also make sure that your site is properly optimized for other factors such as keyword density, inbound links, and page speed.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Google Update on qualifying links and link spam policy, Launched on July 26, 2021:
What are the things you should do to build backlinks after qualifying links and link spam policy update?
You should ensure that following tagging conventions are used when applicable:
Affiliate links: “rel=sponsored”
Sponsored links: “rel=sponsored”
Guest posting: “rel=nofollow”
Never pay for the backlinks and specially for low-value websites backlinks. Low value can be less DA, PA or high negative linked sites.
Never join any link building or link exchange programme. In most of the sites involved in these cases are risky.
Don’t ask for or join any agreement or contract to share backlinks or get backlinks.
Always avoid black hat link building or link generator tools that only bring thousands of backlinks of no value.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Page Experience Update, Launched in May 2021:
Google updated the page experience parameters to make it more user-friendly and intuitive. Here are few guidelines on page experience update that will help you optimize your website better and achieve good page experience score.
A. Core Web Vitals (CWV) are a set of webpage performance metrics developed by Google. It helps measure and then improve the qualitative user experience. The metrics used under this are:
a. Largest Contentful Paint(LCP) related to page loading speed.
b. First input delay (FID) relates to the delay in initial rendering of the large size content in a webpage. It tries to improve interactivity.
c. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) relates to visual stability of web page content.
B. Mobile usability: This confirms the requirement of a webpage to be mobile-friendly in all screen sizes.
C. Security Issues: Security issues such as presence of malicious content, malware, non HTTPS URL’s or any other things that create a threat for the users degrade and gradually remove a website from Google.
D. HTTPS usage: The use of SSL is now a compulsion for any website who envision to optimize and gain good search rank in Google.
E. Ad Experience: No more a website owner can host distracting, interrupting or non-conductive to user experience advertising as that will reduce the SEO score of a webpage.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: In April 2021 Google launched Product Reviews Update. Google recommended content creators to follow a few guidelines in creating product reviews. They are:
1. Provide appropriate and expert knowledge about any product, don’t just leave small information about the product.
2. Proper display through images and videos to show how the product actually looks physically. How it can be used with detailed user guidance to use the product beyond what manufacturer has given.
3. Clear and concise quantitative measurements about the product’s performance in different use conditions.
4. Give proper explanation why the reviewed product stands apart from other similar products.
5. Compare other products feature by feature to provide detailed understanding about the product.
6. Cover the growth and changes that happened with the product like previous models, releases and how that improved it and what issues are resolved with the updates. This should help a buyer decide to buy the item.
7. Explain the decision-making factors for the products category and explain them for the product you are reviewing.
8. Explain the dangers and user safety that your product brings, among other benefits.
9. Engage users to discuss on the user experience and share their experience.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Old Domain’s benefit and Myth:
The myth was an old domain is considered to be more trustworthy than to a new one, but in recent times the importance of age count is less in SEO. Now still why I am discussing it because of few following reasons:
- If the site is Old, so site owner must have long-term plans with it.
- Spamming sites or spammers buy and leave domains, and Old sites assure on that point.
- But Age that we are discussing which is available at domain registration and renewal date are not viewed by Google.
- Domains purchased for extended years like ten years gives the same sense of stability and reliability, but Google gives the least importance to it.
- Unused domains can also indicate it to be a parked domain, which is a negative factor.
- If the old domain kept with a 301 redirection, then it is taken as a negative indication.
- The Domain farming companies buy holds and then sell domains showing age as a value, in reality, it holds no value.
- The only factor that hold’s value is content updated and presented at the time of purchase. Google, want to check the contents since its inception, and if that comes good, then you can take the age as a real factor
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Keyword in Domain:
Keywords used in the Domain to define the ranking back in time, but with Google’s EMD (Exact Match Domain) update it lost its glory. Although, it doesn’t mean at all that keyword should be neglected. Hence, it will be better not just to depend on a keyword phrase. You can see many interesting case studies on EMD domains such as cheapflights.com, lowestairfares.com they have lost the ranking due to EMD update and had to do a lot to bring back the ranking. But I can tell you it still holds some value or importance. In Bing, though any such EMD update is not visible and on Yahoo also we don’t see it, and as they hold good market share, you can keep other domains with your company’s primary Domain as a support line to get few free optimization.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Domain Name starts with keyword:
Here you benefit if you keep some other no keyword term followed by keyword term in the Domain, your SERP will help. But do remember that the beginning of a domain with keyword doesn’t do all the work. You will still need to work on its SEO as a regular website. It will just add to your job.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Subdomains with keyword:
Here comes your opportunity to build more keyword dependent subdomain under your brand name holding domain. It’s a separate entity than your domain, so they can be ranked. While optimization improves subdomains rank, we can understand the presence of keywords in URL helps this process. It helps you to add additional information on your domain name such as place name, items name, person’s name, etc. Overall, keyword-based subdomains help in overall SEO strategy.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: The Domain History:
www.arichive.org will give you the history of a site if you see a domain used for a porn site or an illegal business, then do you think it can benefit you? Search engines are continuously checking numerous web pages with all their content and inbound and outbound links on the internet to improve their search results. If they find bad links and bad quality content with bad historical data, the rank of sites can fall. These adverse effects can get corrected with further good work, and back link disavows process.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: EMD of Exact Match Domain:
Google’s EMD update is no less than a nightmare for niche marketers who used exact keyword matching domain as a tool to win over better sites. The only way to keeps a new and content rich site if you ever purchased such a domain, and now you can’t leave it. Read the Point (1) for detail discussion on EMD and keyword-based domains.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Public domain registration VS Private domain registration:
Probably the most controversial topic on SEO rankings factor. Hidden Domain data is not right in my view, as only illegal business owners will do it. Even google’s own domain’s ownership is also easily visible on WHOIS. So, there is no such difference or effect due to this on your SEO.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: If you are a penalized site owner or optimizer, will your sites face any penalty:
If you are an identified spammer, then stay alerted for all your domains to face the penalty. We are here to make money by business, and Google is also doing the same. If you are a spammer, Google won’t keep you or any of your presence on its site. So, stay safe and play well.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Country-based TLD:
Yes .in domains are more preferred in India than us and likewise .uk domains are more preferred in the UK. So, it’s obvious that Google will give preference to country-based TLD for local and region-specific businesses.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Title with Keyword:
Title holds a critical place in SEO because it is clearly visible in any search engine’s result. From that location, search engines pull up relevant terms as keywords. Here a factor called keyword manipulation also done, so be careful of stuffing keywords in it than maintaining a proper and healthy sentence.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Description carries keyword in it:
Description is that place where you can keep 165 characters, and in that, you can mention keywords and a little description of the page as well. Here you can also place phone number or contact details if needed. A search engine gives importance to this place, and that’s why placing keywords in it benefits the website
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Keyword Appears in H1 Tag:
Although the importance of header tag, i.e. H1-H6 are reducing, and they no longer provide the same value to a page as it used to do before. As per latest Google crawling behaviour, the usage of the tag scene in 60% of sites for ranking the URLs. Most sites don’t even use keywords in title tags. Now search engines check the content and then analysing the same ranks the sites. For ON-Page SEO it is going to stay but don’t have much impact as before.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Use of Keyword in the Body of a Web Page, How Google tackle keyword spamming or stuffing?
- Tf-if stands for term frequency-inverse document frequency, have you ever heard of it? Used in retrieving information and mining text.
- Formulae:
I. TF(t) = (Number of times term t appears in a document) / (Total number of words in the text).
II. IDF(t) = log_e(Total number of documents / Number of documents with term t in it). - Content with 100 words with three repetitions of the cat name. The term frequency (tf) for cat is 3/100 = 0.003. Now in 10 Million documents, cat word appeared for 1000 times. Then its inverse document frequency (IDF) is calculated by 10000000/1000 = 4. And now the Tf-IDF weight is the product of these quantities: 0.03*4=0.12.
- Now this formula gives a measurement of importance by comparison of the frequency of keyword appearance compared to expected rate of appearance.
- Case Study: When comparing “SEO company in Kolkata” and “SEO company” we found “SEO company” mentioned in many places and “SEO company in Kolkata” present in only one or two times. We can conclude “SEO company in Kolkata” qualifies as “SEO company’s” presence threshold is much higher.
- Final Output: So, in SEO, the measurement of TF-IDF’s correlates with more top rankings when it performs only moderately better than individual keyword usage.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Content-Length:
Here we will start our discussion with a few studies done by other leading web search and analytics companies.
- “In 2012, SERPIQ analysed the top ten results for some keywords in Google. From the data, it concluded that the average content length for these results was at least 2,000+ words.” SERPIQ.
- “MOZ did a similar analysis of the top content on its site. After studying over 3,800 blog posts, it concluded that the best performing posts had a length of over 1,500 words.” MOZ
“Another study by MOZ found that there is a strong correlation between the length of the content and the number of backlinks it gets.” MOZ - “Medium.com agrees – digging through its data, it found that content that takes around 7 minutes to read gets the most attention. Making it 1400 to 2100 word content help.” Medium.com
- Reaching a point where we can tell that shorter than 1500 words will not give you lot of search traffic and longer than 2500 words may lose audience interest.
- Understand, then write, why more extended contents favoured because they offer information that needs such words to explain. Now if you are just pumping words to increase length with no depth or real quality, then it will not benefit you. So, you must use few following things:
You must use these factors to strengthen your point:
i) Bullet points and numbered lists
ii) Short paragraphs 2-3 sentences
iii) Use images and videos
iv) Use headings and subheadings
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Latent Semantic Indexing Keywords in Content (LSI) Keyword:
LSI looks for synonyms of the title of your page. It’s not worded by word synonym, dear. For example, if the title of a page is “top 100 SEO companies in India” the page should have companies names as well, such as “Extensive Ideas, ranking by SEO or others.”
- Add value to it by adding italicized, bolded, and H1 tagged words while keeping a live connection to subjects relevant to your title.
- It doesn’t affect squeeze page due to its intention of not optimizing or minimalistic content.
- It keeps content relevant and productive with quality reference.
- Don’t overuse keywords in the content body.
- You can even check google webmaster to see which keywords your pages are ranking and then add LSI factor to it in accordance of the ranked keywords
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Page Loading Speed:
Google and Bing both use this factor to rate web pages. Google long back indicated that site’s speed is a ranking factor. Every single page has different loading time, and that depends on the content. As SEO now done on page level than domain level, fast loading pages are essential for their good performance. Now how to achieve it:
- A fast loading server.
- A CDN in use like maxcdn or use of a cloud like an Amazon.
- Use Gzip compression to compress CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.
- Minify or optimize the CSS, HTML and JavaScript removing space, commas and random characters and sometimes even line breakups. Use YUI Compressor code comments, formatting, and unused code.
- Check your speed at http://www.webpagetest.org/ or https://tools.pingdom.com
- Maximize HTML reduces others, this aspect applied on AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) the new search technology adaptation where you see only HTML pages and CSS; JS not kept in those pages. So, if you can keep the least amount of CSS, js, and other heavy scripts, avoid bootstrap and large images they’re increasing page speed will never be a matter of worry.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Content Duplicity, a fight against content piracy:
Now with 7 Trillion pages and single language to support the battle for original content, the only hope how creative you are as a writer, thinker, and adapter. Adapting and knowing latest technological or trade or choice wise changes help you to build unique content as a pioneer. Now what are the content duplicity issues most discussed are:
- The e-Commerce websites have duplicate products, solve this with enough unique content per page. Just make different options available like discount percentage, date required to deliver, site scheme and choice of alternative products. Keep proper canonical with updated and least matching HTML. Now overuse of canonical is also not liked by Bing, so if you have product pages which are sold out, it’s better to remove them from the live list of products but don’t delete them forever as the seller might need to return with products. But that’s difficult to achieve, as you then would be removing a live ranked page. Now considering this you can keep these pages with the statement such as post requirements for future delivery. Try it and inform us about the changes it’s causing on your site.
- Content in your WordPress site can duplicate in this way:
A. http: // www . extensiveideas- test . com / SEO -optimization
B. HTTP : // extensiveideas-test . com/SEO-optimization
C. HTTP : // extensiveideas-test . com/tag/SEO
D. http : // www. extensiveideas-test . com/tag/SEO
E. HTTP : // extensiveideas-test . com/category/SEO
F. http : // www. extensiveideas-test . com/Category/SEO
G. HTTP : // extensiveideas-test123.com/SEO-post (External website)
The parts of any WordPress website that should not index in search engines are Tags, Categories, Author, Archive, etc. Even question tag and categories should not also get indexed. You can easily prevent them in your SEO plugin by making them “no-index.” Like the one, we are showing for the Yoast SEO plugin below. - If you have a Question and Answer sites where people tend to copy and paste answer from other’s sites there you can do these following things:
A. Add “no index or no follow” tag to stop duplicate contents.
B. Another way is to point the ownership of the content to the original owner or site by rel=canonical. But be careful while giving ownership to any other site and do it not always.
C. Keep maximum original answer. If you keep a maximum number of original content or answer, then few duplicates will not harm.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Rel=Canonical:
It defines the ownership of content. In the process, you can mention the ownership of content in your site to any author or even to any website as well. For e-commerce sites where one product sold on multiple sites, then it comes as a help. So if you have a large amount of same data on your website, you can canonicalize them to inform Google about their originality.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Date of Content Updates and its latest year status importance:
If you see a content written one or two years ago, then you may not be interested in getting information from it if you have the latest article with you. Google also like updated contents or updated pages.
- It’s the reason that suggests not deleting the old pages on your site but updates them with fresh and up-to-date content. It will not only provide a correlation to the old subject with the latest technology, but also help the user understand the matter in a better way.
- For the same, Google has moved from Caffeine to Hummingbird update. And now Penguin 4.0 (Although it bites differently) but the previous two updates used to check the latest status of the updated contents.
- In a way, helping users to get only those content which is periodically updated to provide the most up-to-date information. So, new pages and links, the rate of document change, inception dates and some other small factors like comments, date/time tags, etc. These are considered necessary. So, a new website is more preferred than to an old one.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Historical Updates Page Updates:
A site owner must be super active to provide rich and accurate information to viewers. So with the frequency of page content update with proper chronological update track record provides useful information to users. If you can properly use data markup in your subsequent data markup with appropriate schema, then getting highlighted in top Google searches with Snippets is not an impossible task to achieve.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Image Optimization:
Images play a vital role in bringing an understanding of your website, business and personality. It is perhaps the only reason social media gained such popularity. Now today’s age needs you to be Image Savvy so best of your capacity can be expressed to your readers and followers. If you want to build a healthy and active image-based personality, then the necessary things that are needed as follows:
- Place images on your server, don’t upload a picture or use URL images from other sites.
- Use a clear and proper ALT tag for every image.
- Upload images in multiple image sharing sites and social media separately and with the page URL which has the image.
- Use image URL like this (HTTP s: // www. arzcellent.com/whatis/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/google-search-ranking-factor.jpg) from your domain and share it across other sites to improve the visibility of the picture under your domain.
- These process will bring your image in Google Images and Other image searches with a point server as your website in most of the cases.
UPDATE AND SOLUTION: Content Update and its Update Date, How much importance it holds while looking for any content or clicking on any URL in Google search result: Whenever we see the time of update of the content, the first thing that strikes us it’s too old to follow or yeah, it’s the latest write lets read it. As a human, we go through this process every time we search for content. Following this rule, Search Engines also work accordingly, So, what they look forward from you regarding it:
- The date of the content must be updated. It showcases that we are working on our content and not just dumping the site with content which is left forever as it is.
- Try to understand Google now has 130 Trillion Pages to crawl and update its search data if you don’t refresh the pages it will have someone doing it or someone posting new content on the same topic, their content will get preference over your content. Don’t let this to happen and keep the contents updated.
- Now it’s not any more those days when you can post 100 contents with different keywords in your site, and the site will rank in all of them. Google has started its humanization of the search results. It will look for real answers from your content. Which means, build content that speaks about the solution, not about a hint. Only if your content provides a real solution to any problem with detail data, Google will prefer it, and even users will also enjoy reading it.
A few more queries related to the same question are commonly asked by many as we found in Google Search, we have tried to answer a few of them here.
How do you rank No 1 on Google?
The most important thing to do is focus on your website niche. For example, if you are a plumber, make sure you only blog about plumbing. Don’t blog about plumbing and real estate. This will make it hard for your website to rank because Google will think your website is about real estate.To get started, make sure you create great content that is at least 1,000 words long. This will make it easier for Google to find your website and give it a higher ranking.
In addition, make sure you use relevant keywords throughout your website. This will help Google understand what your website is about and give it a higher ranking.Finally, make sure you promote your website on social media and other websites. This will help Google find your website and give it a higher ranking.
How do you appear higher on Google?
There is no guarantee that any specific action will result in a higher position in Google’s search results. However, there are several things you can do to improve your chances of appearing higher in search results. Some general tips include: — Making sure your website is well-designed and easy to use — Creating high-quality, original content that is relevant to your target audience — Building links from other websites to yours — Using relevant keywords throughout your website and in your titles and descriptions.
How can I rank up faster on Google?
There is no one definitive answer to this question. Some general tips that may help include creating high-quality content, optimizing your website for search engines, and building links to your website.
What should you not do in SEO?
There are many things you should not do in SEO, but some of the most important things to avoid are: — Keyword stuffing — Copy/pasting content from other sources — Building links from low-quality sources — Publishing duplicate or thin content — Using excessive amounts of anchor text — Not mobile friendly — Slow loading website — Bad user experience
What is toxic score in SEO?
There is no such thing as a toxic score in SEO. However, there are several metrics that can be used to gauge the health of a website, including its organic traffic, backlink profile, and keyword rankings.
What are ranking factors?
Ranking factors are the factors that search engines consider when determining the ranking of a website in search engine results pages (SERPs).
How can I recover my SEO?
If you have lost your SEO, there are a few things you can do to try to recover it. First, check your Google Analytics to see if you can identify any patterns in the drop in traffic. If you see a significant drop in traffic from a specific country or region, it is likely that your SEO has been affected by a Google penalty. If you are not sure what caused the drop in traffic, you can try contacting Google for more information. You can also try reaching out to other websites in your industry to see if they have experienced a similar drop in traffic. Finally, you can try using some tips in this article to improve your SEO.
What affects Google’s ranking?
There are many factors that can affect Google’s ranking, such as the quality of the content, the number of links, the loading speed of the page, and the user experience.
What really influences a Google ranking of the top 15 factors?
There is no definitive answer to this question, as Google’s algorithms are constantly evolving and becoming more complex. However, some of the factors that are believed to influence a Google ranking include the quality and quantity of inbound links, the relevancy of the content on the page, the use of keywords, and the overall user experience.
Does Google disclose its ranking factors?
No. Google does not disclose its ranking factors.
Why does my Google ranking keep changing?
There are many potential reasons why your Google ranking might be changing. It could be due to an algorithm update from Google, a change in your website’s content, or even something as simple as increased competition in your industry. If you’re noticing a sudden drop in your ranking, it’s important to investigate the cause, so you can take steps to improve your ranking.
Why did my site’s Google ranking drop?
There could be several reasons why your site’s Google ranking has dropped. It could be due to a change in Google’s algorithms, a negative SEO attack, or simply because your site is not as strong as it used to be. If you’re not certain why your ranking has dropped, you can use Google’s Webmaster Tools to get additional information.
What are the 3 key ranking factors that Google uses in their algorithm?
1. The quality and quantity of inbound links to a website.
2. The relevancy and quality of the website’s content.
3. The website’s PageRank.
How can I improve my Google ranking in 2022?
There is no easy answer when it comes to improving your Google ranking. However, there are a few things you can do to help your website rank higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs). Some things you can do to improve your ranking include: 1. Optimize your website for search engines. 2. Create quality content that is relevant to your niche. 3. Promote your website through social media and other online channels. 4. Build links to your website from high-quality websites. 5. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. 6. Use Google My Business to optimize your local SEO. 7. Monitor your website’s technical aspects, such as its load time and using SSL certificates. 8. Regularly update your website’s content. 9. Keep an eye on your website’s backlink profile. 10. Use tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics to monitor your website’s performance.
What kind of links harm your rankings?
Links from low-quality websites, links from sites with a lot of spam, and links from sites that are not relevant to your site can all harm your rankings.
Does direct traffic affect SEO?
Direct traffic can impact SEO if the traffic is coming from a source that is not optimized for search engines. This can happen if the website is not using proper keyword targeting or if the website is not optimized for mobile devices.
Does Google penalize paid links?
Many say, Google does not penalize paid links, but you will find many documentations where it says it’s strictly prohibited. I would say for the postings that is not possible without any payment like a PR doesn’t bring the negative effect but pure buying of backlink will definitely cause problem.
How do backlinks impact my rankings?
Backlinks impact your rankings by helping your website become more visible to search engines. The more backlinks you have, the more likely your website is to appear in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Is .com Domain good for SEO?
Yes, .com domains are good for SEO. They are the most popular top-level domain (TLD), so they tend to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Additionally, .com domains are often seen as more credible and trustworthy than other TLDs.
Can I rank a website with any other TLD than .com?
Yes, you can rank a website with any other TLD than .com. However, .com domains are typically seen as more credible and trustworthy than other TLDs, so they may have an advantage in SERPs. Additionally, .com domains are the most popular TLD, so they tend to have more search engine traffic than other TLDs.
How can I recover my SEO traffic?
There is no one size fits all answer to this question, as the best way to recover SEO traffic will vary depending on the specific situation. However, some common methods for recovering SEO traffic include: — Identifying and resolving any technical issues on your website that may be causing your traffic to drop. — Improving the quality of your website content to make it more relevant and engaging for your target audience. — Promoting your website through social media and other online channels. — Building backlinks to your website from high-quality websites. — Working with a professional SEO company to develop and implement an effective SEO strategy.
How do I get my traffic back after Google ranks drop?
There is no sure-fire answer, but some basic steps include improving site content, increasing social media engagement, and building more backlinks.
How often does Google change their algorithm?
Google’s algorithms are constantly changing and being updated.
How does Google ranking algorithm work?
Google’s ranking algorithm is based on several factors, including the quality and quantity of a website’s backlinks, the relevance of the website’s content, and the speed at which the website loads.
What is considered good website traffic?
There is no definitive answer to this question, since it can vary depending on the individual goals and objectives of a website. However, in general, website traffic is considered to be good if it is high in quantity and quality.
How much can SEO increase traffic?
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on several factors, including the quality of the SEO work, the competitiveness of the niche, and the amount of traffic the site is currently receiving. However, a well-executed SEO campaign can potentially increase traffic by hundreds or even thousands of visitors per month.
Why is direct traffic so high?
There are a few possible explanations:
1. The site is new and people are still finding it.
2. The site is being promoted heavily through advertising or other channels.
3. The site is being linked to from other sites.
4. People are typing the URL directly into their browser.
Does domain migration increase SEO traffic?
As the effect of domain migration on SEO traffic will vary depending on the individual website and the quality of the migration process. However, in general, domain migration should not have a negative impact on SEO traffic, and may even result in a small increase in traffic levels.
How can I migrate my website without losing SEO?
There are a few steps you can take to migrate your website without losing SEO: 1. Use a 301 redirect: A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect from one URL to another. This tells search engines that the page has moved permanently, and they should update their index to reflect the new URL. 2. Use a rel=”canonical” tag: A rel=”canonical” tag is an HTML tag that tells search engines which version of a page is the canonical (official) version. This is useful if you have multiple versions of a page (for example, if you have both www and non-www versions of your site). 3. Use a sitemap: A sitemap is an XML file that contains a list of all the pages on your website. This helps search engines find and index all of your pages. 4. Use Google Search Console: Google Search Console is a free tool that helps you monitor and troubleshoot your website’s SEO. It also allows you to submit your sitemap to Google.
Why do search engines adjust their algorithms?
Search engines adjust their algorithms to try to provide the best possible search results for their users.
How does Google spider work?
Google spider is a program that Google uses to collect information about websites. It follows links on websites and reads the content of the pages it visits. Google uses the information it collects to index websites and provide relevant search results.
What are the 10 blue links?
The 10 blue links are a set of results on a Google search page that are typically shown above the organic results. The 10 blue links are also known as the “universal” or “standard” search results.
What is crawling in SEO?
Crawling is the process by which search engines discover and index new content on the web. When a web page is first published, it is submitted to a search engine’s indexing bots, which crawl the page and follow all the links on it. The search engine then adds the page to its index, making it discoverable to users who search for relevant keywords.
What factors might affect a site’s search ranking?
There are several factors that could affect a site’s search ranking, including the quality of the site’s content, the number of inbound links to the site, the site’s age, and the site’s popularity. We have discussed many factors here.
What are off-page factors?
Off-page factors are the aspects of a website that are not directly controlled by the website owner. These include things like inbound links, social media activity, and brand mentions.
Does the number of pages affect SEO?
No, the number of pages on a website does not affect SEO. While more pages may give your website more opportunities to rank in search engines, it is the quality of your content that will ultimately determine your website’s success.
What is white-hat SEO techniques?
White-hat SEO techniques are those that aim to improve the search engine rankings of a website while adhering to the search engine’s terms of service. These techniques include things like optimizing titles and keywords, improving site architecture, and creating quality content.
How long does it take Google to index?
It can take Google weeks or even months to index a new website.
What is the difference between crawling and indexing?
Crawling is the process of going through websites and adding their pages to the index. Indexing is the process of taking those pages and adding them to the database.
Who is the best search engine?
The best search engine is the one that meets your needs the best. Some popular search engines are Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
How many types of SEO are there?
There are three types of SEO: on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO.
What is domain authority (DA) and page authority (PA)?
Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) are metrics used by Moz to predict how well a website will rank on search engine results pages (SERPs). DA is a metric that measures the overall strength of a website’s backlink profile, while PA measures the strength of a specific page on a website.
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Google Search Ranking Updates and suggested solutions that can be used by any website
Reference for the content taken from Google Search Status Dashboard
Year | Update Name | Date | Duration | Focus Area | Impact | Corrective Actions -1 | Corrective Actions – 2 | Corrective Actions – 3 | Corrective Actions – 4 |
2025 | February 2025 Search Ranking Volatility | 4-Feb-25 | 2 days | Unusual ranking fluctuations due to an unconfirmed update. | Websites experienced sudden and unpredictable ranking changes. | Monitor search rankings without making impulsive changes. | Follow SEO best practices. | Await official confirmation from Google. | Optimize Google My Business (GMB) profiles. |
2025 | January 2025 Local Ranking Update | 6-Jan-25 | Ongoing | Local search rankings adjustment, possibly due to a bug. | Businesses saw unexpected local ranking changes. | Optimize Google My Business (GMB) profiles. | Encourage customer reviews. | Report inconsistencies to Google. | |
2024 | December 2024 Spam Update | 20-Dec-24 | 6 days | Crackdown on deceptive SEO tactics like cloaking and misleading redirects. | Sites using black-hat SEO practices were penalized or de-indexed. | Remove cloaking and spammy redirects. | Follow Google’s transparency guidelines. | Regularly monitor Google Search Console for manual actions. | |
2024 | November 2024 Core Update | 12-Nov-24 | 24 days | Focus on E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). | Websites lacking author credibility or trust signals were negatively affected. | Highlight author expertise. | Secure site with HTTPS. | Improve backlink profile with authoritative sources. | Update and improve content quality. |
2024 | August 2024 Core Update | 22-Aug-24 | Ongoing | Quality and relevance of content. | Thin or outdated content was devalued, rewarding in-depth, authoritative pages. | Update and improve content quality. | Focus on user intent. | Optimize on-page SEO. | |
2024 | July 2024 Product Reviews Update | 12-Jul-24 | 12 days | Evaluation of product reviews for authenticity and quality. | Low-quality or AI-generated reviews lost rankings. | Ensure product reviews provide unique insights and original analysis. | Avoid keyword stuffing in review content. | ||
2024 | June 2024 Spam Update | 20-Jun-24 | 7 days | Targeted spam crackdown. | Manipulative SEO tactics led to ranking drops. | Audit and remove spammy backlinks and duplicate content. | Follow Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. | Improve content quality and depth. | |
2024 | February 2024 Core Update | 26-Feb-24 | 14 days | Overall ranking adjustments for quality content. | Thin or low-value content suffered ranking losses. | Improve content quality and depth. | Enhance E-A-T factors. | ||
2024 | January 2024 Product Reviews Update | 18-Jan-24 | 13 days, 5 hours | Product review authenticity evaluation. | AI-generated and low-quality reviews were devalued. | Provide unique insights in product reviews. | Use original research and user experience details. | ||
2023 | December 2023 Helpful Content Update | 11-Dec-23 | 12 days | Improved ranking for genuinely useful content. | Thin or AI-generated content saw ranking declines. | Write high-quality, user-focused content. | Ensure content provides unique value. | ||
2023 | October 2023 Core Update | 5-Oct-23 | 14 days | Major content quality refinement. | Sites with outdated or duplicate content saw ranking drops. | Improve content accuracy and user value. | Ensure website expertise and trustworthiness. | ||
2023 | October 2023 Spam Update | 4-Oct-23 | 15 days, 12 hours | Devalued spammy and low-quality websites. | Aggressive SEO tactics resulted in penalties. | Remove low-quality content and spammy links. | Ensure compliance with Google’s policies. | ||
2023 | September 2023 Helpful Content Update | 14-Sep-23 | 13 days, 11 hours | Refined how helpful content is ranked. | Thin content was penalized, while in-depth content was rewarded. | Increase depth and originality in content. | Improve user experience. | ||
2023 | August 2023 Core Update | 22-Aug-23 | 16 days, 3 hours | Enhanced ranking signals for high-quality content. | Many websites saw ranking fluctuations. | Improve keyword strategy. | Ensure high engagement content. | ||
2023 | April 2023 Reviews Update | 12-Apr-23 | 13 days, 2 hours | Improved ranking for genuine, detailed reviews. | Thin, generic reviews saw reduced visibility. | Provide first-hand experience in reviews. | Avoid repetitive content. | ||
2023 | March 2023 Core Update | 15-Mar-23 | 13 days, 7 hours | Content quality and link-building improvements. | Poorly linked and thin content dropped in rankings. | Strengthen backlink profile. | Improve page authority and credibility. | ||
2023 | February 2023 Product Reviews Update | 21-Feb-23 | 14 days | Enhanced evaluation of product reviews. | AI-generated and low-value reviews suffered losses. | Write expert-driven reviews. | Use unique insights and analysis. | ||
2022 | December 2022 Link Spam Update | 14-Dec-22 | 38 days | Penalized spammy backlinks. | Sites using paid/spammy backlinks were hit hard. | Audit and remove toxic backlinks. | Focus on organic link-building. | ||
2022 | October 2022 Spam Update | 19-Oct-22 | 2 days | Further efforts to remove spam content. | Spam-heavy sites saw sudden ranking losses. | Improve content originality and remove spammy elements. | |||
2022 | September 2022 Core Update | 12-Sep-22 | 14 days | Ranking adjustments for overall content quality. | Low-quality and thin sites dropped in rankings. | Enhance content depth and E-A-T signals. | |||
2022 | August 2022 Helpful Content Update | 25-Aug-22 | 15 days | Improved ranking of user-first content. | AI-generated content lost rankings. | Focus on original and informative content. | |||
2021 | December 2021 Product Reviews Update | 1-Dec-21 | 20 days | Better ranking for detailed reviews. | Generic and duplicate reviews suffered. | Add detailed insights and user experience in reviews. | |||
2021 | November 2021 Core Update | 17-Nov-21 | 13 days | General quality adjustments. | Some sectors saw major ranking changes. | Strengthen on-page and off-page SEO efforts. | |||
2021 | July 2021 Core Update | 1-Jul-21 | 11 days | Improved evaluation of content and links. | Sites with poor linking strategies lost rankings. | Focus on quality backlinks and informative content. | |||
2021 | July 2021 Link Spam Update | 26-Jul-21 | 29 days | Targeted spammy links and unnatural linking practices. | Websites with excessive, low-quality backlinks were penalized. | Conduct a backlink audit and disavow spammy links. | Focus on earning organic, authoritative backlinks. | ||
2021 | June 2021 Core Update | 2-Jun-21 | 10 days | General ranking improvements to reward high-quality content. | Websites with outdated or poorly optimized content suffered losses. | Refresh content regularly. | Improve user experience and on-page SEO elements. | ||
2021 | Page Experience Update for Mobile | 15-Jun-21 | 79 days | Emphasized Core Web Vitals and mobile experience for rankings. | Sites with slow load times and poor UX dropped in rankings. | Optimize mobile responsiveness. | Improve site speed and interactivity. | Focus on mobile-friendly navigation. | |
2021 | June 2021 Spam Update (Part 2) | 28-Jun-21 | 23 hours, 59 minutes | Second phase of spam targeting misleading and manipulative SEO tactics. | Black-hat SEO tactics were penalized. | Audit SEO strategy to remove spammy practices. | Focus on ethical link-building and content creation. | ||
2021 | June 2021 Spam Update (Part 1) | 23-Jun-21 | 23 hours, 59 minutes | First phase of spam reduction targeting low-quality sites. | Many spam-heavy sites were removed from search results. | Remove spammy elements from content. | Ensure adherence to Google’s quality guidelines. | ||
2021 | April 2021 Product Reviews Update | 8-Apr-21 | 14 days | Boosted rankings for in-depth, user-first product reviews. | Low-quality or AI-generated product reviews lost visibility. | Include detailed insights, comparisons, and first-hand experience in reviews. | Avoid keyword-stuffed, generic review content. | ||
2020 | December 2020 Core Update | 3-Dec-20 | 13 days | Major adjustments to content ranking criteria. | Some industries saw massive ranking fluctuations. | Improve page authority and trustworthiness. | Focus on high-value, informative content. | ||
2020 | May 2020 Core Update | 4-May-20 | 14 days | Shifted ranking priorities toward user experience and engagement. | Websites with poor engagement metrics were affected. | Improve dwell time and user engagement. | Optimize for search intent. | Enhance site structure for better UX. | |
2020 | January 2020 Core Update | 13-Jan-20 | 3 days | Strengthened importance of high-quality, original content. | Thin and duplicate content saw ranking drops. | Conduct content audits and remove outdated pages. | Increase originality and comprehensiveness in content. | ||
2019 | September 2019 Core Update | 24-Sep-19 | 14 days | Broad core update impacting content ranking. | Sites with low-quality or outdated content lost rankings. | Improve E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). | Update content regularly. | ||
2019 | June 2019 Core Update | 3-Jun-19 | 10 days | Focus on quality signals and trustworthiness. | Some health and finance websites saw major fluctuations. | Strengthen content authority and ensure accuracy. | Improve technical SEO and page experience. | ||
2019 | March 2019 Core Update | 12-Mar-19 | 10 days | Reversal of some previous ranking adjustments. | Sites impacted by prior updates saw changes in visibility. | Continue improving content quality and backlink profile. | |||
2018 | Medic Update (August 2018 Core Update) | 1-Aug-18 | 14 days | Prioritized E-A-T for health and finance sites. | Health, wellness, and YMYL (Your Money Your Life) websites were hit hardest. | Strengthen author credibility. | Provide fact-based, authoritative content. | Improve site security and usability. | |
2018 | Speed Update | 9-Jul-18 | 7 days | Mobile page speed became a ranking factor. | Slow-loading mobile sites lost rankings. | Optimize for Core Web Vitals. | Improve page speed with better caching and compression. | ||
2018 | March 2018 Core Update | 7-Mar-18 | 12 days | Focus on content relevance and trust. | Websites with misleading or thin content lost rankings. | Improve trustworthiness with authoritative sources. | Provide in-depth content. | ||
2017 | Fred Update | 8-Mar-17 | 14 days | Targeted ad-heavy, low-value content. | Many sites relying on aggressive monetization strategies lost rankings. | Reduce aggressive ads and pop-ups. | Improve content quality and user experience. | ||
2016 | Possum Update | 1-Sep-16 | 12 days | Improved local search ranking filtering. | Some businesses saw ranking changes in Google Maps and local search. | Ensure consistency in business listings. | Optimize Google My Business profile. | ||
2016 | Mobile-Friendly 2 Update | 12-May-16 | 10 days | Strengthened mobile-friendly ranking signals. | Non-mobile-friendly sites lost visibility in mobile search. | Ensure responsive design. | Optimize for mobile-first indexing. | ||
2015 | RankBrain Algorithm Launch | 26-Oct-15 | Ongoing | AI-powered algorithm for search ranking. | Search rankings began adapting based on user intent. | Optimize for semantic search and user intent. | Improve natural language content. | ||
2015 | Mobilegeddon (Mobile-Friendly Update) | 21-Apr-15 | 14 days | Mobile usability became a ranking factor. | Non-mobile-friendly sites dropped in rankings. | Adopt responsive design. | Improve mobile page speed and usability. | ||
2014 | Pigeon Update | 24-Jul-14 | 15 days | Improved local search ranking factors. | Local businesses saw changes in visibility. | Optimize local SEO. | Ensure accurate business listings and customer reviews. | ||
2014 | HTTPS Update | 6-Aug-14 | Ongoing | Secure sites (HTTPS) gained a small ranking boost. | Non-HTTPS sites saw minor ranking losses. | Migrate to HTTPS. | Ensure SSL certification and site security. | ||
2014 | Panda 4.0 Update | 20-May-14 | 10 days | Strengthened content quality ranking signals. | Thin, low-quality content was penalized. | Remove duplicate content. | Improve originality and depth in content. | ||
2014 | Panda 4.1 Update | 23-Sep-14 | 9 days | Further refinement of Panda to filter out thin content. | Sites with thin or duplicate content lost rankings. | Improve content comprehensiveness. | Avoid auto-generated or spun content. |
Author: Omkar Nath Nandi,
MBA, PMP®, CBAP®, SFMC®, MCAP®, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, 14 Years in SEO, PPC, Digital Marketing
Certified from Harvardx, MITx, Stanford Online
I am a Digital Marketing Professional, Trainer & Author
Currently managing global digital paid advertisement for a Fortune 5000 company
15 years experience in Digital Marketing
Specialized in areas such as PPC, SEO, Social Media, and Digital Marketing Strategy
12 Years experience as a Digital Marketing Trainer
90,000 students on Udemy & Alison
Guest Faculty at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur; Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta; Coimbatore Institute of Technology; Army Institute of Management, etc.
Served 500+ Businesses
Through my Digital Marketing Agency Startup from 2009 to 2018
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Omkar Nath Nandi – Digital Marketing Expert
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