Maintaining current best practices for an online business presence can be a full-time job. Google’s search algorithm is a primary driver for determining who sees your content and how much traffic your site gets daily. When the Google algorithm changes, your business should be ready to adapt its online content to reflect the newest priorities in digital information.

Navigating Google Algorithm Updates as a Business

What Is the Google Algorithm?

Google’s algorithm is complex and multifaceted, but for most users and content creators, the search algorithm that determines what results to return for a given query is the most important to understand. Google’s process involves several steps.

• Google constantly crawls pages; this means it seeks out sites across the internet and gathers information from its metadata (backend details) and page content.
• Google then indexes some of these sites. I won’t include pages that don’t meet enough quality and content standards. Indexed pages retain information about their content and other measurement factors.
• When a user starts a search, Google returns results based on its search algorithm, pulling results from indexed pages, not the entirety of the internet.

Factors That Go into Google’s Search Algorithm

Google’s exact algorithm to produce SERPs (search engine results pages) is proprietary. Even if content creators don’t know the algorithm’s inner workings, several general categories describe essential factors Google considers for rankings.

• User history and context: Your search history, location, and user settings help drive the results you’ll see.
• Page quality and authority: Pages that show strong signs of expertise, authority, and trustworthiness are prioritized, as is longer-form content. The number and quality of backlinks (other pages that link to the content) are a factor here.
• User interface: Mobile-friendly sites, pages that load quickly, limited obtrusive ads, and security settings all improve a page ranking.
• Relevance: Google returns sites that match your search terms, in part using data to show whether previous users have found the matches relevant. User time spent on a page helps drive this category. 
• Meaning: Pages that match your exact search terms rank high on the list, but so do synonyms, related terms, and pages that reflect what the algorithm can infer you’re looking for. Subheadings, bulleted lists, and image alt text help specify meaning on a page.

Quality Control for Algorithm Effectiveness

With every major update, Google contracts with search quality raters to manually assess the algorithm’s performance. The search quality rater guidelines show that a page’s quality score during this screening process relies heavily on the E-E-A-T components: experience, expertise, authority, and trust. Even if these metrics don’t explicitly factor into the automated rankings, Google clearly outlines its preference for pages demonstrating these qualities. Additionally, Google’s webspam team periodically assesses sites and issues manual penalties if the page doesn’t adhere to quality content guidelines. If your page receives a penalty, the algorithm will drop its rank. You can resolve the penalty and apply for review to improve your algorithm performance.

When Are Google Algorithm Updates?

Google updates its algorithm in small ways almost daily, but significant updates (core updates) that noticeably affect the search engine results happen once or twice a year. You can review a list of previous core updates through the end of 2022 to explore the trends you can expect with future changes. Google does not always announce what changes come with each core update, so staying connected with other content creators and marketing experts can help alert you when updates have dropped.

The Most Recent Algorithm Update

As of this article’s publication, the most recent core update was in March 2024. According to many experts in the field, this core update had largely unexpected results. The helpfulness and quality of pages drive this update far more than other search algorithm categories. Rather than simply adjusting some of the factors that go into rankings, Google’s most recent update has partially deindexed a large swath of pages altogether. In other words, pages aren’t just moving down the results list.

They’re missing entirely. A shift in how the algorithm views content quality to reduce spam may explain much of this change. This March update primarily aims to reduce unoriginal and unhelpful spam content by up to 40%, including sites that rely on AI-generated content in ways that could leave outdated and error-prone information.

A Business Response to Google Algorithm Updates

In light of recent updates, it’s more apparent than ever that businesses must constantly adapt to the changing dynamics of an online presence. As a matter of routine, content creators and executive teams should take advantage of Google’s Search Documentation, which outlines best practices for developers. Google’s stated priority is creating a website that is optimized for users rather than rankings; any SEO techniques that advance that goal are an added bonus for your company’s online presence.

Monitor Your Site Statistics

Although many Google algorithm updates have been announced, with some details explained, some of the core updates have been flying under the radar; the most recent March 2024 update is a prime example. Monitoring your site’s web traffic daily or weekly is crucial if you want to stay abreast of algorithm changes that might impact your pages. If you see static ranking results but limited click-throughs, partnering with a team like Denver Post Media to develop a paid search strategy might be an effective jumpstart.

Create a Web Presence for the Long Game

It’s tempting to produce a plethora of online content, but the most recent algorithm update shows Google’s increasingly prominent insistence on longevity, quality, and depth. Rather than just penalizing sites with thin content, a long domain presence with few updates, or a recent influx of overflowing content, Google rewards sites that avoid all of these pitfalls in favor of playing the long game. Invest time and money in your site’s depth (over breadth) and consistency. Don’t be tempted to play catch-up with every new update and lose sight of the overall picture; updates you produce now will reap benefits in the future.

Focus Efforts on Authority

The most recent algorithm update places even more emphasis on Google’s E-E-A-T directive. As more AI-generated material floods the internet, human analysis during the testing phases of upcoming updates may carry even more weight. Invest time and money now in building your site’s authority and trustworthiness. Include author bios and notes about relevant experience with every piece, current and future.

Build Connections Online and In Person

One of the biggest takeaways from the most recent Google algorithm update is that real-world connections will help drive page rankings as we move forward in an AI-rich landscape. Establishing authority and trust relies partly on the backlinks your page includes, so getting the attention of other prominent websites is critical. Similarly, making in-person connections with other companies or experts who can help add expertise to your site will be crucial for maintaining quality content over the long run.

These connections are not always easy to build. Working with an expert local organization like the team at Denver Post Media can give your business a leg up in digital marketing. Every time Google unveils an algorithm update, an expert team can help you focus your resources in the right places, balance immediate needs with long-term growth, and facilitate the real-world relationships that will be crucial to your success moving forward.