Google announced its latest November 2024 core update today. It’s still early days and we’re waiting to see how the new update affects publishers.
In particular, smaller websites and affiliate sites that have almost been completely wiped out by recent core updates.
It’s expected to finish rolling out in 2 weeks
What is Google’s November 2024 core update?
Google’s November 2024 core update is the latest update to the search engine’s algorithm in a series of core updates that are released every few months to improve the quality of search results.
In Google’s own words, the November update will aim to lift high-quality articles in the search results and demote pages trying to manipulate the search results.
Google core updates are frequent changes in Google's search system that impact page and website rankings in the search results.
The main goal of Google core updates is to give more weight to pages that are useful and answer user questions better.
This ties in with their recommendation to write helpful content for real readers.
What is the impact of the November 2024 core update?
We’re seeing some volatility but the update is still very fresh. We’ll wait a few days and then update the impact from the November update.
If you’re seeing your pages go up or down, let me know in the comments.
What to expect from Google's November 2024 core update?
Google says that core updates may not make a big difference for most websites.
However, some websites will see changes in search rankings and traffic.
Expect to see some changes if previous core updates in the recent past affected you. If your pages were demoted and you’ve made improvements to your website, it’s possible that this update will bring some benefits.
However, it can also take several core updates before you see recovery.
Did the November 2024 core update impact your website?
Head to your Google Search Console account if you've noticed a drop in rankings to confirm that the core update has indeed affected your website.
Google recommends taking the below steps.
Wait for the core update to finish rolling out.
First, verify that the core update has fully rolled out by checking the Search Status Dashboard. Note the start and end dates.
Check the corresponding dates.
Wait at least a week after the update ends before analyzing your site in Google Search Console.
Compare data from the current week with the week before the core update began to identify specific differences.
Review your top pages and queries
Compare your top pages and queries before and after the core update, since these will have the most data to examine.
Recovering from Google's November 2024 core update
It’s possible to recover from Google’s November 2024 core update by following its guidelines for helpful content for human readers.
If the update negatively affected you, here's what Google recommends you to do.
First, assess the nature of the impact on your website.
If you are facing a large drop in rankings across your site, revisit your content to ensure that it is helpful, reliable, and focused on users.
Evaluate your site as a whole, possibly getting feedback from unbiased individuals using Google’s guidelines for self assessment.
Look closely at the most affected pages to see if other content may be doing a better job of meeting user needs.
In essence, consider if your site is a helpful resource for your target audience. Are you trying to maximize ad clicks, or are you genuinely offering useful information?
Takeaways
Google's focus on giving users helpful information to meet their wants is still an essential requirement for websites in the November 2024 core update.
If you have not followed Google's basic rule of giving people value first, do not expect the update to help you.
Changing nothing on your site since the last core update will unlikely improve your rankings.
