Following a significant October update, Google’s November Core Update has now rolled out.
Here’s What You Need To Know:
- The November Core Update was announced on November 2, 2023
- This is the 4th core update of 2023, and the 3rd in the space of 72 days
- The latest adjustment furthers Google’s commitment to showcasing the most relevant and helpful content
- Google has updated their core guidance tips and provided an FAQ document to assist websites that have been impacted by these changes
- Google also rolled out an update to their reviews system the following week
Why Does Google Carry Out Core Updates?
Core updates are pivotal in Google’s mission to refine and evolve its search algorithm. Each update is designed to improve the overall search experience by ensuring the most accurate, relevant, and highest-quality content rises to the top of search engine rankings. These updates typically occur 3-4 times each year, and hence, two updates in as many as two months have come as a shock.
However, Google tends to keep things consistent around major events such as Black Friday and the Holiday period, so it’s reasonable to assume that this will be the final core update of 2023. But why another so soon after the October 2023 core update?
Speculatively, we can consider it a stabiliser. Google’s October Core update was perhaps the most influential of the previous two years, and hence, the November update may be viewed as reactionary and an effort to reverse over-corrections that the prior update may have caused.
Google’s Advice On What You Should Do If There Is A Core Update
To accompany its core updates, Google offers clear advice for all website operators to follow. And regardless of the nature of any update, this advice always centres around the idea of consistently delivering helpful, informative, and user-centric content that is highly relevant to their needs. If your website does this on a regular basis, it’s likely that you’ll remain largely unaffected by this algorithm update.
However, if you have observed a noticeable change in your search traffic following the November Core update, you should consult the specific guidelines that Google has provided. This information can be accessed through the Google Search Status Dashboard.
This dashboard offers insights and actionable steps to help you navigate these changes. By aligning your content strategy with Google’s evolving standards, you can ensure that your website remains resilient and relevant in the face of these changes.
Wrapping Up The November Core Update
Google’s November Core update, likely the last for a number of months, spelled the third change to their algorithm in a matter of 4 months. As the fourth and almost certainly final update of 2023 (following updates in March, August, and October), Google has affirmed its commitment to delivering a quality user experience
For the most part, we believe that website users can expect to encounter minimal changes over the coming weeks as Google searches for seasonal stability before moving into 2024.
