Google has released the big March Core Algorithm Update. It aims to fight large, AI-scaled content that threatens to make Google search a joke. The March Core Algorithm Update has left website owners wondering. They wonder which websites have survived. Who emerges as the victor? And who suffers losses following this Google Core Update?
What Is Google Core Algorithm Update?
A Core Algorithm Update is a big change by Google. It changes its basic ranking systems. These systems determine the placement of websites in search results. The updates aim to improve search results. They do this by favoring helpful and original content. They also penalize low-quality or irrelevant content. These updates can affect website rankings. They also affect visibility in Google's search results (SERPs).
Key Takeaways
Understanding Google's March Core Algorithm Update
1. Reducing low-quality, unoriginal results
Google's March 2024 Core Update is revolutionizing the web. It targets and reduces low-quality, unoriginal content that started in 2022. This update refines Google's algorithms. It highlights webpages that benefit users. Google pushes aside those designed only to rank high in searches. It's a bold move to ensure the internet is a treasure trove of valuable, relevant content, enriching our digital exploration.
Google states:
“We’ll take action on more types of these manipulative behaviors starting today. While our ranking systems keep many types of low-quality content from ranking highly on Search, these updates allow us to take more targeted action under our spam policies.”
2. Keeping more spam out of your results
Google's March 2024 Core Update is a game-changer in its battle against spam. It boosts its tools to scrub bad content from search results. With this update, Google sharpens its spam-fighting strategies. It also refines its policies to outsmart changing, manipulative tactics. Google is now better at spotting and dealing with unoriginal content. Google ensures that your search experience is cleaner and more reliable. It's free from the clutter of spammy, low-value pages.
Google states:
"We’ll take action on more types of these manipulative behaviors starting today. While our ranking systems keep many types of low-quality content from ranking highly on Search, these updates allow us to take more targeted action under our spam policies."
2.1 Scaled content abuse
Google enhanced spam policies under its March 2024 Core Update. They now target scaled content abuse. This abuse is the mass production of low-quality or unoriginal content. It manipulates search rankings. This update broadens the policy. It now covers not only auto-generated content but also human-made or mixed content. This content aims to boost search results. The goal is to remove valueless and bulk-produced content. It ensures users find helpful and relevant information in their search results.
Google states:
“This will allow us to take action on more types of content with little to no value created at scale, like pages that pretend to have answers to popular searches but fail to deliver helpful content.”
2.2 Site reputation abuse
Google's March 2024 Core Update is cracking down on the mass production of bad content. It targets content made by bots, people, or both. The expanded policies now target content created to manipulate search rankings. The aim? It will sweep away clutter. The clutter is valueless, bulk-produced material. It will make sure that, when you search, you find helpful, relevant information.
Google provides the following example of site reputation abuse:
“For example, a third party might publish payday loan reviews on a trusted educational website to gain ranking benefits from the site. Such content ranking highly in Search can confuse or mislead visitors who may have vastly different expectations for the content on a given website.”
2.3 Expired domain abuse
Google is zeroing in on the misuse of expired domains. Site owners snatch up old domains and fill them with low-quality content to game search rankings. This sneaky strategy, now labeled as spam by Google, misguides users. By facing this issue, Google boosts trust and authenticity in search results. This ensures a more honest and reliable online experience.
Google states:
"We’ll continue to work hard at keeping low-quality content on Search to low levels, and showing more information created to help people."
Winning Websites: Who Wins After The Google's March Core Algorithm Update?
The websites that won after Google’s March Core Algorithm Update have focused on unique and well-researched content. These sites have insights from top experts and powerful sources. They will soar in Google's rankings. The experience doesn’t stop there. Imagine a website that's as smooth and fast as a high-end sports car. It has all the bells and whistles of mobile-friendliness and easy navigation.
And let's not forget the cherry on top: quality backlinks are like VIP passes. They signal to the world that your site is the place to be. In this new digital era, it's not about being good. It's about being the best, the most trusted, and the most user-friendly website.
Reddit is one winner from Google's March Core Algorithm Update, according to Julian Goldie SEO. Reddit continued to show robust traffic numbers with no signs of decline. It receives organic traffic of 366,364,645 on February 23, 2024 and got over 400M search traffic before March 23, 2024.
Reddit's success after Google's 2024 update is because of its large, original, user-created content and high user engagement. It aligns with Google's focus on unique content and community-driven authority. Also, users like it. It has many backlinks from reputable sources. These boost its visibility and search ranking.
Forbes is riding high on the wave of success following Google's 2024 update, with its traffic jumping from over 57 million to a whopping 63 million. Forbes' unwavering commitment to top-notch, authoritative content is the reason for this surge. Forbes is known for its sterling journalism and expert analysis. It embodies what Google values. Those are expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-A-T).
The secret sauce? Their content is not any run-of-the-mill articles. It's a trove of deep research and insights from industry leaders. This makes it not only valuable to readers. It is also a darling in the eyes of Google's refined search algorithms. Forbes is a shining example of how quality content and Google's evolving search landscape go hand in hand.
Sistrix recently published a list of domains that have shown improvement since the beginning of the update. Below, you will find the domains that experienced gains following the Google March 2024 Core and Spam update. The record is from March 5th to March 15th.
Losing Websites: Who Loses After The Google's March Core Algorithm Update?
The losing websites after the Google’s March Core Algorithm Update are those who thrived on mass-produced, thin, or copied content. But, Google's bold move aims to slash such content by 40%. Now, those sites are watching their search visibility plummet. And for those who used scaled content abuse. They made masses of low-value content to manipulate rankings. Well, they're facing Google's new penalty playbook head-on.
But wait, there's more. Those sly foxes use expired domains to boost unrelated content. Additionally, those host low-quality articles on reputable sites for a quick SEO win. But, Google's tighter spam policies are putting them on the naughty list. And let's not forget about user experience. Websites stuck in the slow lane with clunky navigation and non-mobile-friendly designs? They're learning the hard way that Google's Core Web Vitals are the new sheriffs in town.
LinkedIn's traffic dropped 42% after Google's March 2024 updates. It fell from 45 million to 26,756,181 million, as Julian Goldie highlighted. This big drop is because Google punished LinkedIn's parasite SEO practices. It was under Google's strict new policies. It shows how much the SEO landscape has changed and how vulnerable even the biggest digital platforms are.
Taleb Kabbara also tweeted specific figures about LinkedIn Pulse. Taleb included that 460,955 articles were de-indexed and 213,288 had a drop in traffic.
Freshestlive.com felt the full force of Google's Update. Its once busy traffic of around 6.4 million visitors per month took a steep dive. This blow wasn't only a dent in numbers. It led to the site being de-indexed from Google and vanishing from search results. Speculations swirl about a re-indexing. But, Julian Goldie confirms that, as far as they have seen, Freshestlive.com remains off Google's radar.
This is a stark example of the big impact of Google's updates on websites. It shows the importance of following Google's changing search guidelines.
5 Major SEO Tips Based on Google’s March Core Algorithm Update
1. Prioritize Quality and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness)
Prioritizing quality and E-E-A-T means crafting content that shines in originality and insight. It also reflects the author's deep knowledge and credible authority in their field. Picture yourself as a trusted sage in your field. You offer not only info, but a treasure of wisdom that users can rely on. By doing so. You're not only boosting your website's credibility, but you're raising its rank in the search engine hierarchy.
Gael Breton of Authority Hacker shows how to climb Google's rankings with high-quality E-E-A-T in his YouTube video, "E-A-T (Just F****ing Do This)". He says you must be clear about your content creators. You need to highlight your knowledge and real-world experience. Gael says that presenting your website well and organize can boost your Google search visibility.
2. Review and Improve Existing Content
Roll up your sleeves. Transform your website's content to match Google's core update! Think of it as a content renovation project. Revamp the AI-generated articles with unique insights and expert knowledge. It's out with the old and in with the new – say goodbye to fluffy, outdated content that's just taking up space.
Google's March Core Algorithm Update is serious. It targets a 40% cut in low-quality, unoriginal content. Remember, it's not just about filling space. It's about enriching your users' experience. And, rising to the top of Google's search results!
Neil Patel shines a spotlight on a game-changing SEO strategy. It's the power of regularly updating your existing content. He's not just talking about making new material. Neil's approach is about refining the gold you have. Dive into your current articles with tools like Google Search Console. Tailor them to fit emerging traffic trends. Updating content can work better than making new content. Neil's experience and practices at successful sites like Forbes show this.
3. Enhance User Experience and Technical Aspects
For Google's March 2024 Core Update, focus on user experience. Boost your website's speed, mobile-friendliness, and ease of navigation. Audit and fix technical issues to improve content visibility for search engines. Remember, websites with bad user experiences or low-value content may get sidelined from search results. So, keeping your site user-friendly is key for maintaining its search relevance.
GoDaddy made a YouTube video called "SEO Ranking Factors in 2024: Page Speed & User Experience." It shows the importance of using Google PageSpeed Insights to make websites fast. It focuses on mobile-friendliness and easy navigation. The video also recommends using Google Analytics to study user behavior. This can cut bounce rates and raise search rankings. It highlights the key role of a seamless, user-engaging website for SEO success.
4. Build a Diverse and Authoritative Backlink Profile
Getting a high search ranking requires good backlinks. They must come from respected sources in your industry. Having a diverse set of backlinks is key. It signals trustworthiness to Google. The March 2024 update, noted by Search Engine Land, shows Google's advanced methods in assessing backlink quality.
The Backlink Guy on Twitter suggests a tactical approach. You should avoid having more referring domains than your competitors to keep your ranking. If you lack as many links, focus on adding internal links. Also, work on the pages linking to your main page. This will improve your SEO.
5. Adapt to New Spam Policies
Google has new spam policies. They target practices like expired domain abuse, scaled content abuse, and site reputation abuse. Familiarize yourself with these policies to avoid penalties. This includes avoiding the use of expired domains for hosting bad content. Also, refrain from publishing lots of unoriginal content just to boost rankings.
Optimist Hub reports that Google's March 2024 Core Update deindexed hundreds of websites. This major update focuses on removing AI-generated spam. It also promotes high-quality content created by humans.
What the Experts Say About Google March 2024 Core Update?
Barry Schwartz is an expert in search engines. He is the Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land. He is the CEO of RustyBrick and the founder of Search Engine Roundtable. These roles bring him over two decades of industry experience. His advisory roles with major tech firms like Google, Yahoo! Search, and Microsoft's Bing have made him a sought-after expert in the SEO field.
Barry Schwartz highlights a key insight. The September 2023 Google update hasn't led to recoveries for hurt sites. With the March 2024 core update unfolding, rankings are falling more. This trend shows the ongoing impact of Google's updates on website rankings. It presents a big challenge for digital strategists. They must keep adapting in this fast-changing SEO landscape.
Olga Zarr, with a decade of expertise, stands out as an SEO Consultant & CEO of SEOSLY. Olga is renowned for her high-level strategic consulting and daily SEO tips. She is selective with her clients. Olga prefers partnerships that match her values and the real impact of SEO. She doesn't just sell the idea of SEO, but focuses on solving specific SEO problems. She also maximizes her clients' websites for SEO.
After Google's March 2024 Core, and Spam Updates, Olga noticed a big trend. There has been a surge in manual penalties labeled as "pure spam" by Google. Interestingly, Zarr notes that these penalized sites are not always overtly spammy. This observation shows a nuanced understanding of what Google now considers spam. It goes beyond the obvious.
One case in point is a site Olga audited. Despite being human-written, the content was iffy. Without improvements, it faced a sharp traffic drop. This followed a "pure spam" penalty on March 7th. This case shows Google's stricter content standards. They reflect the tough scrutiny in its latest updates.
Wrapping Up Google's March Core Algorithm Update: Who's Succeeded and Who's Struggled
Embrace the change! Google's March Core Algorithm Update revolutionized the search engine. It boosted sites that champion quality and trust. This is a golden era for sites that offer original, user-resonating content. They are rising to become trusted beacons of information.
On the flip side, a myriad of websites are grappling with the aftermath of the update. Many have vanished from search results, losing all their traffic. This fate has befallen those whose content quality didn't measure up or who tried to game the system. Google strongly opposes low-quality and manipulative content. This is a clear call: value and trust are non-negotiable.
Website owners looking to thrive in this new Google era have a clear path. You must make top-notch content that focuses on a great user experience. Your website must align with Google's guidelines. Make these your guiding stars. It will boost your search visibility. They'll strengthen your position in the tough digital landscape. The future favors the authentic – be a part of it!
As for my blog ippei.com it did take a slight dip in traffic as shown above, however it hasn't collapsed like I've seen with many sites.
Things are getting shaken up right now and I see a lot of rankings returning as well so I definitely didn't get hit with the great punishment because...
1. I never used AI scaled content
2. I pay nearly $50K per month in 42 writers / editors on my team,
On top of that fact that we have an amazing coaching program that has helped over 7400 students to date which means I can actually monetize my traffic well
Plus my experience blogging seriously and fulltime for the last 8 years. I'm still sometimes negatively impacted by core Algorithm updates.
This is why I don't recommend blogging for newbies, because the learning curve is steep plus how expensive it can get to stay competitive is quite intense.
I've seen a lot of new blogs where Google will allow you to get you rankings for a little while but once it begins testing you through these core Algorithm updates, and you have not done a good enough job crafting high quality content + covering topic thoroughly through cluster of other articles, then you eventually get clapped by Google.
Imagine working 3 years on a blog and you lose all your efforts after a while because you don't understand how to win these Algorithm updates.
The Good news is that local lead gen sites are mostly unaffected by these algorithm updates because lead gen sites do not use scaled content and local search works way differently.
Google is not too concerned with small business sites because these sites aren't answering deep questions that people search for on the internet.
Google's primary concerns is that it needs to serve high quality information to high level questions so this is why AI scaled content is a big threat.
Google's not concered with a search query "Tree service near me"
Get it?
This is why local lead gen is your best route to creating a real online business for most people.
Local lead gen offers a less saturated market, faster profit, and high earning potential. It's way less saturated market compared to blogging. You are not competing with hundreds of blogs in various niches. You're only up against 10-15 local companies. This makes it easier to get rankings and keep them long-term. You can achieve profitability in just 3-6 months. It's a faster route to success than blogging, which can take 1-2 years.
Each local lead gen site can make you $500 to $2000 per month which is great because you just need 5-10 of those and be really in a serious position to walk away from your 9 to 5 for good.
For someone who has tried both business models, I highly recommend starting with local lead generation business.
