Google algorithm updates are essential for marketers and businesses because they can impact how your site performs in search results. Any positive or negative ranking changes from a core update can impact your organic traffic, conversions and revenue.
Following the tradition, Google once again revealed a wave of SEO changes with its October 2023 Broad Core Update. This is Google’s third core update this year, which promises to have a significant impact on search rankings and user experience.
If you see a sudden drop or hike in your search rankings, that’s probably due to the impact of this new Google algorithm update.
In this blog, the best digital marketing agency in Melbourne shares deeper insights on Google’s broad core update 2023 and how businesses can deal with or recover from it.
What are Google’s Broad Core Updates About?
Typically, these are Google updates that significantly impact search rankings. Google announces broad core updates at the beginning and end of their rollout, as these are expected to influence your search rankings heavily.
These updates are simply Google’s way to modify and refresh their SEO algorithms, enabling “under-rated” content to improve their search rankings.
Now, let’s quickly summarise the two other Broad Core Google SEO updates of this year.
Google SEO Update 2023 - A Quick Recap
2023 seemed to be a tumultuous year for Google SEO updates as the search engine giant rolled out numerous changes affecting the sites for various criteria. Here’s a rundown of the two other Google algorithm updates released this year:
- Released on March 15, 2023.
- Intended to improve how Google’s system evaluates content overall.
- This Google algorithm update affected all content types within all regions and languages.
- Compelled site owners to create high-quality and high-value webpages with helpful content, strong E-E-A-T signals (experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness), and good user experiences.
- Released on August 22, 2023.
- Rolled out over 16 days, marking its completion on September 7, 2023.
- This update caused a continuous, increased level of rank volatility before, during, and after the update.
- Intended to improve rankings and was all about content relevance.
What is Google’s October 2023 Broad Core Update?
Released on October 5, 2023, this algorithm aims to improve search quality and reduce the appearance of low-quality, spammy content in search results.
This recent Google SEO update runs parallel to Google’s October 2023 Spam Update, which focuses on combating spam content across multiple languages. This will ultimately enhance the search result quality by reducing the prevalence of spammy content.
The October broad core update has triggered shifts in website rankings. Some websites have substantially seen ranking changes, while others experienced no change.
Key Facts To Know
- Name: Google October 2023 Broad Core Update
- Launch Date: October 5, 2023.
- Rollout Duration: Up to two weeks
- Scope: A comprehensive update that evaluates all content types
- Effect: Not a penalty. Instead, rewards high-quality web pages
- Reach: Affects all regions and languages globally
- Impact: While the exact figures aren’t yet disclosed, the impact seems wide-reaching.
- Wide Influence: Extends its impact to Google Discover, featured snippets, and more
- Ongoing Evolution: Google will periodically refresh this algorithm, with potential future updates unannounced.
How to determine if the October 2023 Broad Core Update has hit your site?
If you aren’t aware of whether the October core update 2023 has affected your rankings, check on your keywords and website metrics and see if there are any noticeable fluctuations in your traffic and rankings.
There are two signs by which you can determine if a core update has affected you:
- Change in organic website traffic.
Use tools like Ahrefs, Search Console, and Semrush and check for the number of impressions and clicks you receive from Google organic search.
- Shift in search rankings
The positions of webpages are rearranged when the broad core updates are released. This changes the search rankings of websites, repositioning them to higher or lower SERPs.
How to recover from the October 2023 Broad Core Update?
One key thing for site owners to remember is that a dip in your search performance after the launch of a core update does not mean Google has penalised your site. Instead, it simply indicates you need to rework your content strategies.
So, to recover from a broad core update, here’s what you can do to readjust your SEO content strategy and regain your lost position in SERPs.
- Audit your search rankings and analyse your competitors
The first thing you should do when hit by a broad core update is to review your rankings thoroughly. Seek answers to questions like:
- How has the rollout impacted your search rankings?
- What keywords have dropped in rank?
- Have webpages lost visibility for specific search queries?
- Are you ranking for any new keywords now?
Also, check your competitors’ rankings and examine the factors that contributed to their higher or lower ranking compared to yours. Note down these changes and use them to readjust your content strategy.
- Comply with quality content guidelines and recreate your content strategy using best practices.
The best thing you can do is to keep up with the Google guidelines and create content around it. Since the search engine Giant wants the best content to show up on search results, it has published resources to guide content creators and site owners on what it expects from their content.
Some of the help documents that you can use to align your content to Google standards are quality content guidelines and search rater guidelines.
The most important aspect of any Google help document is its E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
Did you know?
Site owners or content creators who regularly assess their search results and follow E-E-A-T guidelines to create quality content are employed as “Quality raters” by Google.
- Focus on user intent
Another way to get over Google’s Broad core update is by knowing what or who to focus on the most: USERS. Since Google's core updates enhance the way it delivers relevant information, you should emphasise the importance of creating content with relevance.
Site owners should create content and analyze it to be user-centric:
- Will the users find your content useful?
- Do you have a clear purpose for your website?
- Does your content demonstrate expertise and firsthand experience?
- Does your content offer a satisfying learning experience to your users?
For content to be user-centric, it should be navigational, informational, and transactional and allow users to make an informed decision.
- Refresh your website content
When it comes to recovering from Google’s core updates, you should also consider giving a facelift to your website. Go through all the content, check what needs to be changed and accordingly make adjustments so your site isn’t a target of Google Search volatility.
- Get high-quality links from authoritative websites
Although Google updates change ranking signals, getting links from high-authority websites make you look trustworthy and credible.
Remember not to fill your backlink profile with irrelevant or low-quality sources to prevent your site from Google’s Spam update.
Elevate your SEO & stay ahead with Digiwhiz
With the constantly changing Google SEO updates, it’s challenging for businesses to sustain their SERP rankings. That is why it is recommended to connect with local SEO experts in Melbourne, like Digiwhiz.
As a renowned digital marketing agency, we can help you navigate the never-ending changes and updates, like the October Broad Core Update 2023. We are well aware of Google’s content and SEO guidelines and ensure to create strategies for you around them. We use the best content practices and comply with all the Google guidelines to ensure you do not lag in any of its ranking factors.
So, if you are hit by the Broad Core Update lately, don’t worry! Contact us, and our team will help you regain your lost position and traffic!
