SEO News
Google Algorithm Update 2019 Q1
Google changes it’s algorithm literally daily but the major changes occur about 4-8x per year. March through April had a combined roll-out by Google of what amounts to a major change to how sites are indexed.
This period saw many sites disappear completely from search engines because of a bug in Google’s algorithm and, as usual, some inexplicable drops in sites damaging small businesses to the point of no return.
The Chatter SEO Q1
Chatter and Gossip
Random stuff that I don’t care to talk about much since Google hasn’t provided adequate reason to why or it’s a bug that doesn’t need much explaining… of course:
- Health sites continue to get blown out of the rankings randomly with many disappearing and others benefiting. Google seems to hold on an information “value” argument that somehow it’s algorithm can determine if a health site has less useful information vs others… I doubt this.
- A bug in March took several sites out of all Google organic listings. It looks like Google has fixed this but… wow, talk about negligence
- Google continues to experiment with erratic results which further reminds us that there is no free lunch on the internet as your most consistent reliable online money makers are Google Ads and slowly … eventually… Facebook Ads
The Lowdown SEO Q1
Smoke Signals To Help Read What’s Going On
As usual we’re reading between the lines since that’s the favorite game in the digital agency world because of Google’s reluctance to communicate before, during, or after major changes. Here’s what we think we have:
- Domains that improved their SEO Visibility following the Google Core Update have higher values for time on site and page views per visit, and lower bounce rates than their online competitors. If a visitor spends more time on your site and less of them bounce quickly off it now has a greater affect on your rankings. Less bounces and more time is good.
- It appears that Google is beginning to reward faster websites — which is what we though would happen last year — and punish slower websites. Speed has always been important for the user experience and increases your sales and conversions so it’s only logical that it now affects your rankings organically in Google.