How Your Small Business Can Stay on Top of Google Algorithm Changes
Google algorithm changes can be daunting for small business owners. As a business owner, you have enough on your plate without having to worry about the ever-changing Google algorithms. However, it is important to understand these changes and how they can affect your business.
In a recent survey we performed amongst small business marketers, 13% of respondents reported that staying on top of algorithm changes was the biggest challenge they faced when it came to their SEO efforts.
In this article, we will discuss the history of Google algorithm updates and what small business owners need to know in order to stay on top of these changes. We will also provide helpful resources where you can find more information about these updates.
What are Google Algorithm Changes?
Google algorithm changes are updates to Google's search algorithms that are designed to improve the quality of search results. Google makes many small changes to its algorithms every year, but it also occasionally rolls out major algorithmic updates that can have a significant impact on the visibility of websites in Google's search results.
For small business owners, it is important to be aware of Google's algorithm changes and how they may affect their website's visibility. By understanding the definition of Google algorithm changes, small business owners can be better prepared to adapt their SEO strategies in order to maintain or improve their ranking in Google's search results.
How Often Does Google Make Algorithm Changes?
Google makes 500 to 600 algorithm changes each year. While most of these changes are small and go unnoticed by the general public, they can have a big impact on small businesses that rely on Google for their website traffic.
That's why it's so important for small business owners to stay up-to-date on the latest algorithm changes and how they might affect their website. Google doesn't always announce when they're making changes to their algorithm, but there are a number of resources (such as Google Search Central) that can help business owners stay informed.
By keeping track of Google's algorithm changes, small business owners can ensure that their website is always optimized for the latest search trends.
Examples of Past Major Google Updates
By knowing how Google's algorithms have changed in the past, you can anticipate what changes might be coming in the future and adjust your strategy accordingly. This way, you can ensure that your small business is using the most effective SEO and marketing tactics.
Here are 6 major Google algorithm updates:
Pigeon Update: (July 24, 2014)
The pigeon update was designed to improve local search results, and it had a significant impact on small businesses that rely on local search traffic. However, the update also created some challenges for business owners, who had to adapt their strategies to the new algorithm.
One of the biggest challenges was the increased competition for local keywords. Prior to the pigeon update, businesses could rank highly for local keywords even if they didn't have a strong presence in that area. However, the update changed that, and businesses now need to have a strong local presence in order to rank highly for those keywords.
As a result, small businesses need to be more strategic in their keyword selection and focus on creating content that targets their city or region. They also need to make sure their website and online listings are up-to-date and accurate. By understanding the Google algorithm and how it impacts their business, small business owners can stay one step ahead of the competition.
Mobile-Friendly Update, also called Mobilegeddon (April 21, 2015)
The purpose of the Mobilegeddon update was to encourage website owners to make their sites mobile-friendly, as more and more people were using smartphones to access the internet. The challenge with this update was that it favored sites that were optimized for mobile devices, while punished those that were not.
As a result, many small businesses saw their Google rankings drop overnight. While Mobilegeddon was a challenge for many business owners, it ultimately encouraged them to invest in making their websites more mobile-friendly. In today's world, that is an essential step for any business that wants to succeed online.
BERT Update (October 25, 2019)
Google's Bert update was one of the biggest algorithm changes in recent years. The update was designed to better understand user intent and improve search results. However, the update also posed challenges for small businesses.
One of the biggest challenges was the need to create more content that was focused on user intent. This meant that businesses needed to spend more time researching keywords and developing content that answered questions that users were actually asking. In addition, the update made it more difficult for businesses to rank for keywords that were not closely related to their products or services.
As a result, small businesses need to be more strategic than ever when it comes to developing their SEO strategy. Google's Bert update is just one example of how the landscape of SEO is constantly changing.
Page Experience Update (June 15, 2021)
In June 2021, Google made a significant update to their algorithm known as the Page Experience update. This update was designed to give greater weight to factors that affect the user experience on a website. This includes factors such as load times, mobile-friendliness, and whether or not ads are intrusive.
While this update is beneficial for users, it poses a challenge for small businesses who may not have the resources to invest in optimizing their website for these factors. However, there are some simple steps that small businesses can take to make sure their website is prepared for the Page Experience update.
By taking the time to understand the update and its implications, small businesses can ensure that their website provides a positive experience for users while still ranking high in Google search results.
Product Algorithm Update (March 23, 2022)
The March 2022 Product Reviews update was just one of the latest changes. The purpose of this update was to improve the accuracy of product reviews and to make it easier for small businesses to get their products reviewed. However, the update also presented some challenges for small businesses.
In particular, it became more difficult to get reviews from customers who had not purchased the product directly from the business. As a result, many small businesses had to rely on third-party review sites to get their products reviewed. While this update may have presented some challenges, it ultimately helped to improve the accuracy of Google's product reviews.
Helpful Content Update (August, 2022)
Google's "Helpful Content" update is the latest algorithm change that is designed to reward websites that offer helpful, informative content. This is a welcome change for small business owners who often struggle to compete with larger businesses that can produce more content. However, the update does come with some challenges.
Google has said that it will be difficult to assess whether or not a piece of content is truly helpful, so there is a risk that some sites will be unfairly penalized. Additionally, Google has indicated that this is just one of many factors that it will be using to assess the quality of a website, so small business owners will need to continue to focus on producing high-quality content if they want to rank well in search results.
Despite these challenges, the Helpful Content update presents an opportunity for small business owners to improve their website's ranking by producing informative, helpful content.
Why You Should Track Updates
Google's algorithms are designed to ensure that users get the most relevant and useful results when they search for something. As a result, even a small change can have a big effect on the way your website is ranked.
By tracking Google's algorithm changes, you can quickly adapt your SEO strategy to ensure that your website continues to reach your target audience. In today's competitive market, staying ahead of the curve is essential for success.
Here are six benefits of tracking Google algorithm updates:
1. Stay ahead of the competition
By tracking Google's algorithm changes, you can stay one step ahead of your competitors. If you know about a change before it happens, you can adjust your SEO strategy accordingly and potentially gain a competitive advantage.
2. Monitor your traffic
Google algorithm changes can have a big impact on your website's traffic. By tracking the changes, you can see how your traffic fluctuates in response to them and make necessary adjustments to your website.
3. Improve your ranking
Google's algorithm is always evolving, and each update has the potential to improve your website's ranking. By tracking the updates, you can identify which changes are having the biggest impact on your ranking and optimize your SEO strategy accordingly.
4. Fix any issues
If you notice that your website's traffic or ranking has been impacted by a Google algorithm change, you can use that information to troubleshoot any issues and make sure that your website is compliant with the latest rules.
5. Increase conversions
Tracking Google algorithm changes can be helpful to improve your website so that it ranks higher when Google makes an algorithm change. For example, if you know that Google is going to make a change that will favor websites with more content, you can create more content on your site. This will help you get more traffic from Google, which can lead to more sales and conversions.
6. Improve visibility
Tracking Google algorithm changes can also help identify opportunities for improving visibility. For example, if a new algorithm update favors mobile-friendly sites, tracking the update can help webmasters make sure their site is optimized for mobile devices. As a result, tracking Google algorithm updates can be a useful tool for both search ranking and visibility.
Top Tips to Track Google Algorithm Changes
So now that you understand more about the history of Google updates and why tracking them is so important for your small business, here's how you can stay on top of things!
Use Google Alerts
Google Alerts is a free tool that allows you to stay on top of these changes. Simply create an account and then choose the keywords you want to track. Google will then send you an email notification whenever there is a change to the ranking of your chosen keywords. This can help you to quickly adapt your SEO strategy in response to Google's ever-changing algorithm.
In addition, Google Alerts can also be used to track your competitors. Simply enter their URL into the Alerts dashboard and Google will notify you of any changes to their ranking. This can give you a valuable advantage in the ever-changing world of SEO.
Here’s how to set up Google alerts step-by-step:
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Go to Google Alerts (www.google.com/alerts) and log in with your Google account.
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In the "Create an alert about" field, enter the phrase "Google algorithm changes."
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In the "How often" field, select "As-it-happens."
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In the "How many" field, select "All results."
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Click "Create Alert."
Now, every time there is a change to the Google algorithm, you will receive an email notification. This will help you stay on top of any changes and make sure that your SEO strategy is always up-to-date.
Follow Twitter Hashtags and Industry Leaders
One way to stay on top of the latest changes is to use Twitter hashtags. Hashtags allow you to track a specific topic on Twitter, and they can be a great way to stay up-to-date on Google algorithm changes.
To use hashtags effectively, start by following some of the most popular tech blogs and Google news accounts. These accounts often use hashtags to share breaking news stories, and they can help you quickly find information about Google algorithm updates.
By using hashtags, you can easily find tweets from experts that can help you understand the latest Google algorithm changes and how they might impact your business.
Specific hashtags related to Google algorithms:
- #GoogleUpdate
- #GoogleAlgorithm
- #GoogleNews
- #GoogleChanges
Google experts who frequently post about Google algorithm changes:
- Barry Schwartz: @rustybrick
- John Mueller: @JohnMu
- Danny Sullivan: @dannysullivan
- Glenn Gabe: @glenngabe
- Marie Haynes: @Marie_Haynes
Use Tracking Tools
Tracking tools can help business owners keep tabs on Google's ever-changing landscape and make sure that their website is always compliant.
In today's competitive market, it is essential for businesses to put their best foot forward, and tracking tools can help them do just that.
Here are the top 6 tracking tools to use to stay on top of Google algorithm updates:
ALGOROO
Algoroo is a keyword tracking tool that monitors Google's SERP results in real-time. This means that users can see which keywords are being affected by Google's algorithm changes as they happen.
Secondly, Algoroo also provides users with historical data, so they can see how Google's algorithms have changed over time. This information can be useful for businesses when they're making decisions about their SEO strategies.
As a result, Algoroo is an essential tool for small business owners who want to stay ahead of Google's algorithm changes.
Google Search Central
Google Search Central (formerly known as Google Webmaster Central) is a free Google service that helps small business owners stay up to date with Google algorithm changes. The service sends notifications when Google makes changes to its algorithms, which can help small business owners keep their websites ranking high in search results.
Plus, Google Search Central provides website owners with tools to submit their website to Google for indexing, track their website's search traffic, and receive advice on how to improve their website's visibility in Google search results.
Overall, Google Webmaster Central is a valuable resource for small business owners who want to ensure that their website ranks highly in Google search results.
MozCast
MozCast is another free tracking tool that monitors Google algorithm changes in real-time. The tool uses data from Moz's own web crawler to track changes in SERP features and ranking volatility. MozCast offers a variety of features that can be helpful for small business owners, including:
- A daily "weather report" that shows how volatile the Google algorithm is currently.
- A history of past algorithm changes.
- Customizable alerts that notify you of major algorithm changes.
- An analysis of which SERP features are being impacted by the current algorithm change.
By using MozCast, small business owners can stay up to date on Google algorithm changes and make sure their website is prepared for any potential impacts.
SEMrush Sensor
SEMrush Sensor is a tool that monitors Google's algorithms and notifies users of any changes. This way, you can be the first to know about any changes and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
In addition to tracking Google algorithm changes, SEMrush Sensor also provides data on keyword rankings, traffic, and other essential metrics. This wealth of data can be invaluable for small business owners looking to optimize their website and marketing efforts.
CognitiveSEO Signals
CognitiveSEO Signals provides an instant alert whenever there is a change in Google's algorithms, along with detailed analysis of what the change means for your website. This allows you to quickly and easily adjust your SEO strategy to ensure that your website continues to rank highly in Google search results.
CognitiveSEO Signals also offers a number of other benefits, including regular reports on your website's SEO performance and detailed keyword research. If you're serious about getting ahead of your competition online, CognitiveSEO Signals is an essential tool.
Accuranker
Accuranker is a keyword tracking tool that monitors SERP rankings for a given list of keywords. It also tracks Google algorithm changes and provides notifications when these changes occur.
The benefits of using Accuranker include the ability to quickly adapt to Google algorithm changes, as well as the ability to track SERP rankings for multiple keywords simultaneously.
Another benefit is that Accuranker offers a free trial, which makes it an affordable option for small business owners. As a result, it is an essential tool for anyone who wants to stay up to date with Google algorithm changes.
Conclusion
Algorithm changes can be difficult to keep track of, but following the resources we’ve listed will help you stay ahead of the curve. The first step is understanding what algorithm changes are and their history. Then, it’s important to track how these changes will impact your website.
Lastly, use reputable sources to stay up to date on all things algorithm related! It is important to remember that these updates are often geared towards improving user experience, so make sure your website and content are up to par!