Google’s Summer 2021 Core Updates
In the ever-changing digital world, there’s one thing you can rely on: Google making core updates to its ranking algorithm. This summer they rolled out a two-part update with instalments in June and July.
How often does Google make updates?
Google typically releases one or more “tweaks” to its algorithm every day, incrementally improving the quality of search results. Small changes usually go unnoticed, while more significant updates may be announced in advance to give webmasters the opportunity to take action first (as with the 2018 “Speed Update” for mobile searches).
About two or three times a year Google confirms core updates which entail significant, broad changes to its algorithms and operating systems. Core updates typically result in more noticeable effects, which may include gains or losses in rankings and traffic for some websites.
Should I be worried?
The good news is Google has a consistent goal with every core update: to improve how the algorithm evaluates content, to provide the most helpful results to people using their search engine.
According to Google, web pages that appear to be hurt by a core update haven’t been targeted or penalized. Changes in ranking and/or traffic that appear to be related to the core update are more likely due to previously under-rewarded pages gaining visibility through organic search.
“We understand those who do less well after a core update change may still feel they need to do something. We suggest focusing on ensuring you’re offering the best content you can. That’s what our algorithms seek to reward.”
Offering the best content possible requires a labor investment many business owners may not have the time or resources to make. Professional ongoing SEO work with regular content development is the best strategy to mitigate possible effects of Google’s ongoing algorithm updates, including core updates.
June 2021 Core Update
Google announced its first 2021 core algorithm update on June 2. The first part of the update rolled out over a 10-day period, which is slightly shorter than the typical two-week timeframe.
To measure the impact, data providers analyze volatility in SERP (Search Engine Results Page) rankings. They compare the average volatility change during the update to volatility changes prior, for websites across a broad range of industries.
Summary of the June 2021 core update effects:
Small-to-medium websites (monthly traffic <500k) appeared to be the most affected in days after the update.
Industries that saw the biggest boost in rankings include:
- Food & beverage
- Government & legal
- Internet & telecom
The most significant rankings spikes are associated with local businesses and local infrastructure, and the effects are pretty evenly observed in both desktop and mobile results.
Industries that saw the biggest decline include:
- Jobs & education
- Retail
- Travel
It’s important to keep in mind this is a very broad overview of large categories of businesses and websites – for many websites, June was business as usual. Google also hinted that the second part of the core update rolling out in July may reverse some of the effects.
July 2021 core update:
Part two of Google’s summer 2021 core update began rolling out July 1 and again wrapped up within 10 days (according to Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison).
It appears to have had a smaller effect compared to the June update, since the period of high volatility in SERP rankings was shorter, and the amount of overall volatility was less dramatic.
Websites by industry that saw the biggest rankings boost following the July update:
- Shopping
- Arts & entertainment
- Games
- Online communities
The average rankings bump was around +19 positions, compared to +23 following the June update.
Websites by industry showing the biggest decline in rankings after July update:
- Business & industrial*
- Government & legal
- Online communities
- Arts & entertainment
*For example: zoominfo.com, businessyab.com – not necessarily individual business/industry websites.
You read it right – Online communities and Arts & entertainment as a whole saw both positive and negative impacts. Industry categories include very large numbers of individual websites, and each domain has the potential to be impacted differently. While analyzing core update effects by category can offer general insights, things like larger historical trends, domain keyword performance and quality of page content are also significant factors in SERP rankings.
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that core updates are not directed at individual websites. As in the past, the two-part core update from summer 2021 is intended to help Google improve its ability to provide the most relevant, authoritative answers to searcher’s queries (based on what the algorithm judges relevant, of course).
In addition to the core update, Google is making a handful of other updates this summer. The page experience update announced last November started slowly rolling out in June and is expected to be complete by the end of August. There were also spam updates on June 23 & 28, as well as the ‘predator update’, which aims to downgrade exploitative or libelous websites.
Algorithm updates both large and small are a constant in Google Search. Avoiding known harmful practices like keyword spamming and poor-quality backlinks, while regularly updating your website with original, high-quality content is the best tactic for encouraging steady improvements in rankings and traffic.
NAVEO offers SEO and content development solutions tailored to your website goals and budget. Contact us to learn how our services can benefit your company’s online visibility.
