March 2024 Core Update: What Changed and How to Recover
Google's 45-day March 2024 core update moved helpful content into core and added three spam policies. Here is how to check your site and recover.
Tag: google updates
December 2022 Google Link Spam Update: How SpamBrain Hit Bad Links
In December 2022 Google aimed SpamBrain, its AI spam system, at links. Bought and swapped links stopped passing credit, in every language.
Google Helpful Content Update: How to Recover From It Today
The helpful content update hit search-first content from August 2022. Since March 2024 it is part of core ranking, so recovery means site-wide fixes.
Google Product Reviews Update: What It Rewards and Where It Is Now
Launched in April 2021, the product reviews update pushed thin, copied reviews down. It is now the reviews system, and Google updates it quietly.
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Google Page Experience Update: Core Web Vitals and What Changed
The 2021 page experience update made Core Web Vitals a ranking signal. Google retired it as a named system in 2023, but the signals still count.
Google BERT Update Explained: How Google Learned to Read Context
BERT helps Google understand each word in the context of the whole search. It launched in October 2019 and is still active today.
Google Medic Update: The 2018 Core Update That Shook YMYL Sites
The August 2018 broad core update hit many health and money sites. The industry called it "Medic", but Google never used that name.
What Is Google RankBrain? How Google's AI Reads Your Search
RankBrain is Google's machine learning system for understanding searches. Google revealed it in October 2015, and it is still active today.
Google Mobile-Friendly Update 2015: What Mobilegeddon Really Did
On April 21, 2015, Google made mobile-friendliness a stronger ranking signal in mobile search. The named system is retired, but mobile usability still counts.
Google Hummingbird Update Explained: The Engine Behind Smarter Search
Hummingbird was a new core engine that helped Google understand the meaning of whole queries. Google announced it in September 2013 and says it went live in August 2013.
Google Penguin Update: What It Punished and Why It Still Matters
Penguin launched in April 2012 to demote link schemes and keyword stuffing. Since 2016 it runs in real time inside Google's core algorithm and devalues spam links.
Google Panda Update: How It Hit Thin Content and What Still Applies
Panda launched in February 2011 to push down shallow and copied pages. It became part of Google's core ranking systems in 2015, and its lessons still apply.
