To meet the ever-changing demands, trends and technologies, updates are required. On the web, Google as a search engine is urged to do the same thing.
The search giant Google confirmed that it is rolling out a broad search algorithms update that may impact websites on its search results in a good way or a bad way. There is no fix if websites' ranking are hurt, and just like what the company usually says, it's doing this major update several times a year.
The update was first spotted by the search community, when they noticed shifts in websites' rankings and traffic early on August 1st, 2018.
While Google releases several big updates per year that it may confirm, there are many others, especially smaller daily updates to its algorithms that the company may not confirm or say they recognize.
This week we released a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year. Our guidance about such updates remains the same as in March, as we covered here: https://t.co/uPlEdSLHoX
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) August 1, 2018
As with any update, some sites may note drops or gains. There’s nothing wrong with pages that may now perform less well. Instead, it’s that changes to our systems are benefiting pages that were previously under-rewarded.
There’s no "fix" for pages that may perform less well other than to remain focused on building great content. Over time, it may be that your content may rise relative to other pages.
Each year, Google may change or update its search algorithm around 500-600 times. While most of these changes are minor, Google occasionally rolls out "major" algorithms that will affect a much broader website ranking.
Refining its algorithms here, is to make its search results better for their users. After all, trends change and so does the demand and the technologies.
With the competition between search engines, despite Google being on top by margins, the company wants to make sure that it can deliver the best it can for users. This include, and not limited to: reducing the number of fake news web pages showing on its search engine results' pages, prioritizing websites that load faster than those that don't, pushing down clickbait posts and posts that are made solely for serving ads, etc..
For search marketers, knowing when and what update Google is making can explain the changes in their ranking and organic traffic reach.
They need to continue in making websites better over time, because Google values user experience more than ever before. When Google recognizes those good intention attempts, the search engine may improve their rankings.