Google’s November 2024 Core Update: Key Takeaways for SEO

With the new roll-out, we’re seeing some familiar changes and some new ones.

Highlights:

• Google’s November 2024 Core Update emphasizes the importance of creating high-quality, user-friendly content.
• Google is increasingly able to detect AI-generated content that lacks originality and value, prioritizing human-written content.

Google’s November 2024 Core Update, which began rolling out on November 11, 2024, has sent ripples through the SEO community. This broad core algorithm update, which affects search rankings globally, is designed to improve the quality of search results and prioritize content that genuinely helps users.

Recapping: What is a Core Algorithm Update?

Here’s a quick recap and refresher on what Core Algorithm Updates are. These updates are broad changes to Google’s search algorithms and systems. Unlike targeted updates that address specific issues, core updates aim to improve the overall relevance and quality of search results. These core updates can have a significant impact on website SEO rankings, leading to fluctuations in organic traffic.

Key Takeaways from the November 2024 Core Update

Here’s an overview of what the November 2024 core update is offering:

1. Prioritizing User Experience:

• High-Quality Content: Unsurprisingly, Google continues to emphasize the importance of creating high-quality, informative, and engaging content. This means focusing on topics that users are genuinely interested in and providing in-depth, well-researched information.
• User-Friendly Design: A positive user experience is crucial. Ensure your website is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and is mobile-friendly.
• E-A-T: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness remain essential factors. Build a strong brand reputation, cite credible sources, and ensure your content is accurate and reliable. You can use multiple strategies, including guest posting, content creation, and more.

2. AI Generated Content:

• AI-Generated Content: While AI can be a powerful tool for content creation, it’s important to use it responsibly. Google is increasingly able to detect AI-generated content that lacks originality and value. Ironically, it’s continuing to list AI-based results on top, but sharing AI-generated content on your website may be a deterrent after this core update.
• Human-Written Content: Prioritize human-written content that demonstrates unique insights and perspectives and sounds more readable and impactful.

3. Technical SEO Best Practices:

• Website Speed: Optimize your website’s loading speed to improve user experience and SEO rankings.
• Mobile-Friendliness: Ensure your website is fully optimized for mobile devices.
• Secure HTTPS: Use HTTPS to protect user data and enhance website security.
• Clean and Valid HTML: Follow best practices for HTML coding to avoid errors and improve search engine crawlability.

4. Local SEO:

• Google My Business: Keep your Google My Business listing up-to-date with accurate information, including business hours, address, phone number, and website link.
• Local Citations: Build citations on local directories and review platforms to improve local search visibility following this core update.

What to Do After a Core Update

• Monitor Your Website’s Performance: Use analytics tools to track your website’s organic traffic and rankings.
• Avoid Panic: Core updates are designed to improve search results, not to penalize websites.
• Focus on Long-Term SEO: Continue to create high-quality content, optimize your website’s technical aspects, and build strong backlinks.
• Be Patient: It may take several weeks for the full impact of a core updateto be realized.

You can work with the SEO experts at Search Berg to implement and maximize the updates following this change. Schedule a consult to learn more about your current status and how well you’d perform following these algorithm changes.

The November 2024 Google Core Update reinforces the importance of creating high-quality, user-centric content. Simply put, focus on quality over quantity to improve visibility and attract more organic traffic. Remember, SEO is an ongoing process, and adapting to algorithm changes is essential for long-term success.

FAQs

1. What was the primary goal of the November 2024 Core Update?

The primary goal of Google’s November 2024 Core Update was to improve the quality of search results. This update aimed to ensure that users see the most relevant and helpful content for their queries.

2. How did the November 2024 Core Update impact website rankings?

The November 2024 Core Update, as always, resulted in fluctuations in search rankings for many websites. While it’s still too soon to tell what the long-term impact will be, it’s clear that websites meeting these SEO requirements will do well despite the core update, while those lacking quality or relying heavily on outdated strategies may experience a decline.

3. What steps can website owners take to protect their sites?

While there’s no guaranteed way to immediately recover from a core update, you can refer to the points above to identify weak spots and gaps in strategy.