Google’s August 2024 update is complete, but its effects continue to reverberate across businesses. For many, especially those unfamiliar with digital marketing, Google’s algorithm changes can seem confusing.
However, understanding these adjustments is important to maintain a website's visibility and ensure organic traffic continues to flow.
This post provides a clear and educational analysis of what this update brought, its impacts, and how entrepreneurs can prepare for the challenges and opportunities that arise with the changes in the algorithm. It is essential to understand that SEO is a dynamic process, and adjustments are necessary to maintain online success.
What is Google Algorithm Update?
Google's search algorithm is updated periodically to improve the quality of the results it offers users. These updates can be minor, affecting just a few sites, or major, as is the case with updates called “core updates.”
These central adjustments have the main objective of facebook data improving the relevance of the content presented in searches, favoring pages with useful, original and well-structured information.
The August 2024 update is one of those core updates that is known for its significant impact. It began on August 15th and officially concluded in early September. During this time, many businesses saw changes in their page rankings, for better or worse.
Impacts of the August 2024 update
The August 2024 update had a significant impact on website rankings in search results. Tools like Semrush and Moz indicated that volatility remained high even after the update officially ended.
This came as a surprise to many, as they expected rankings to stabilize shortly after Google announced that the process had been completed.
Google August 2024 update complete
Semrush Analysis. Source:Search Engine Roundtable
Google August 2024 update complete
Moz Analysis. Source:Search Engine Roundtable
One of the main complaints among website owners was unpredictability. During and after the update, some websites experienced sudden spikes in traffic , followed by sudden drops, with no clear explanation.
The update, which was intended to improve the quality of search results, still left many businesses struggling to understand how the algorithm tweaks affected their visibility.
What has changed with the update?
According to Google, the August 2024 update focused on improving the user experience by promoting useful and relevant content. One of the main goals was to ensure that small or independent sites that create original and high-quality content have a better chance of standing out in search results.
Google representative Danny Sullivan explained that the company has been trying to adjust its algorithms to favor these smaller sites , which are often penalized disproportionately compared to larger portals. However, the results of this change have been mixed. Some smaller sites have managed to recover after the update, while others continue to struggle to get relevant traffic.