Current status of the ranking update
Status:
Completed
Announced by Google:
October 5, 2023
Update started:
October 5, 2023
Update completed:
December 7, 2023
Types of websites affected:
The October 2023 Core Update primarily impacted websites that:
- Depend heavily on search engine rankings rather than delivering user-focused content.
- Experienced benefits from previous algorithm updates but may now be challenged by the latest changes.
- Belong to verticals like Finance, Shopping, and Arts and Entertainment, which saw specific impacts during this update.
What to Expect:
Websites affected by these updates may experience:
- Significant ranking fluctuations as the update causes shifts in search visibility, with some sites gaining and others losing rankings.
- A need for ongoing monitoring as the update has introduced volatility, particularly between October 10 and October 12, and around the weekend following.
- A period of adjustment, with potential further changes as Google's algorithms continue to process and settle after the update.
What to Address / How to Approach:
To adapt to these updates, website owners should:
- Enhance content quality by ensuring it is user-focused, comprehensive, and valuable, avoiding thin or outdated content.
- Optimize user experience through improvements in website speed, mobile-friendliness, and overall design to keep users engaged.
- Strengthen authority and trust by focusing on high-quality backlinks, accurate information, and establishing expertise in the relevant field.
- Conduct technical SEO audits to resolve any underlying issues that could be affecting search engine indexing or user accessibility.
Interesting Fact 💡:
The October 2023 Core Update saw an unusual spike in rank volatility within the Arts and Entertainment vertical, which had been relatively stable in previous updates.