Everyday, Google usually introduces one or a few changes to its search engine's algorithms.
Most changes don't create noticeable results to users, and this is why Google rarely confirms most of them. But some however, like the ones Google releases a few times yearly, can create noticeable changes to websites' ranking, if not significant.
"Sometimes, an update may be more noticeable. We aim to confirm such updates when we feel there is actionable information that webmasters, content producers or others might take in relation to them," said Google in its blog post.
"For example, when our 'Speed Update' happened, we gave months of advanced notice and advice."
And this time, it's one of those rare moments that Google publicly confirmed a major algorithm update.
Dubbed the 'May 2020 Core Update', it was confirmed by Google’s Danny Sullivan in a tweet on May 5, 2020.
Later today, we are releasing a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year. It is called the May 2020 Core Update. Our guidance about such updates remains as we’ve covered before. Please see this blog post for more about that:https://t.co/e5ZQUAlt0G
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) May 4, 2020
"We confirm broad core updates because they typically produce some widely notable effects. Some sites may note drops or gains during them. We know those with sites that experience drops will be looking for a fix, and we want to ensure they don’t try to fix the wrong things. Moreover, there might not be anything to fix at all."
If webmasters or web owners experience that their website is affected in a bad way, Google reassures them that "there’s nothing wrong with pages that may perform less well in a core update."
If those sites haven’t violated its webmaster guidelines nor been subjected to a manual or algorithmic action, those websites can still be affected as can happen to pages that do violate those guidelines.
"As explained, pages that drop after a core update don’t have anything wrong to fix. This said, we understand those who do less well after a core update change may still feel they need to do something. We suggest focusing on ensuring you’re offering the best content you can. That’s what our algorithms seek to reward."
Google however, said that broad core updates may impact certain websites so severely, that whatever improvements made by the site owners won't guarantee of recovery.
"Broad core updates tend to happen every few months. Content that was impacted by one might not recover - assuming improvements have been made - until the next broad core update is released," said Google.
"However, we’re constantly making updates to our search algorithms, including smaller core updates. We don’t announce all of these because they’re generally not widely noticeable. Still, when released, they can cause content to recover if improvements warrant."
But to ensure that websites can keep up with the changes Google is making along the way, webmasters need to follow at least some of Google's suggestions
For example, Google urges websites to always create quality contents by creating providing original information, reporting, research or analysis.
Contents need to provide substantial addition to existing contents, and if drawing from other sources, the contents need to also avoid plagiarism.