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Has Google Changed Their Algorithm?

by Charles Goodnight
45 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hey folks,

Real quick question, does anyone know if google has recently released a new algo? When I say recently, I mean within the last few hours?

Since 4 PM EDT (It's 6 now) my site traffic has dropped from averaging 150 visitors/hr to 40 visitors per hour. I opened GA real time panel and it's showing 2 or 3 on at a time. It is normally 20-40. I'm starting to worry there is an issue that has hidden my site.

I checked with my host for error issues, nothing. I ran a speed test and the site got an A from a few testers. I checked recent backlinks to the site and nothing showed up as a negative. I checked google search console no messages from them. I go on the site myself and don't see any issues.

Help!!!
#algorithm #changed #google
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  • Profile picture of the author dave_hermansen
    I would highly doubt anyone can pinpoint the exact hour Google makes changes to their algorithm (at least nobody who doesn't work at Google). Algorithm changes are rolled out and take many hours, days and sometimes weeks to affect the entire internet. The latest buzz I know about happened about ten days ago. Maybe it took awhile to hit your site.

    We have not seen any major rankings changes in any of our sites (we pretty much never do), but quite a few people were reporting huge drops about ten days ago - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-...e-8-25877.html

    To answer your basic question, though, yes, Google has almost definitely changed their algorithm. They do it hundreds of times per year. In fact, according to Matt Cutts, Google changes their algorithm more than once per day - https://growdigitally.com/search-eng...its-algorithm/
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  • Profile picture of the author Charles Goodnight
    Thanks Dave.

    Now that I look back at my original post, I have to admit, I looked a bit unhinged. My site is 8 years old and has never gotten hit by any of the major algo updates (because I only use white hat SEO). But when I saw a drop like that, I got worried.

    Apparently, it was an issue with GA. I just went back to check on it and now the couple of hours i had written about bounced back up by at least 125 uniques.
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  • Profile picture of the author Charles Goodnight
    In regards to my overall drop in traffic, I've been searching all over for the issue. I think I just found it. It looks like my site was majorly affected by the recent Yoast bug. I hope my ranking comes back, but when I've seen a major drop in organic traffic, I knew there was a problem. Know I know why.

    I accept Yoast's apology because his plugin has been a lot of help (up to this **** up) and taught me a lot about writing content with SEO in mind.
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    • Profile picture of the author dave_hermansen
      Originally Posted by Charles Goodnight View Post

      In regards to my overall drop in traffic, I've been searching all over for the issue. I think I just found it. It looks like my site was majorly affected by the recent Yoast bug. I hope my ranking comes back, but when I've seen a major drop in organic traffic, I knew there was a problem. Know I know why.

      I accept Yoast's apology because his plugin has been a lot of help (up to this **** up) and taught me a lot about writing content with SEO in mind.
      I was assuming that this was an overnight drop. That Yoast Bug problem is almost two weeks old.
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      • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
        Originally Posted by dave_hermansen View Post

        I was assuming that this was an overnight drop. That Yoast Bug problem is almost two weeks old.

        No. There post about the bug is two weeks old. The update that caused the problem rolled out on March 6th.
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  • Profile picture of the author Charles Goodnight
    Nope, just checked and it looks like the drop started right around March 6th. I followed the updates as suggested by Yoast, but didn't see that I needed to add the Search Index Purge plugin. I just uploaded and installed.

    The issue today seems like it was just a delay in the GA reporting. Those hours traffic have updated properly.

    In regards to my site's overall ranking, I certainly have my fingers crossed that now I have the new plugin installed it will just be a matter of time before I regain my organic traffic. Year to date comparison, it looks like I lost over 100K worth of organic traffic since March compared to March - June 2017. Yikes.
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    • Profile picture of the author yukon
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Charles Goodnight View Post

      Nope, just checked and it looks like the drop started right around March 6th. I followed the updates as suggested by Yoast, but didn't see that I needed to add the Search Index Purge plugin. I just uploaded and installed.
      I've been seeing some shoddy stuff happening on sites that run Yoast plugins.

      Damn If I'd run a plugin to fix another plugin.
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Google has server farms all over the world and don't usually release hardcore algo updates in sync.
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  • Profile picture of the author squadron
    Have you made any changes to your hosting or got more backlinks recently? I keep a diary of all the changes I make.
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  • Profile picture of the author fayeseom
    Its hard to answer this question because google doesn't release any note while making minor changes to their algorithm as it can change a couple of times in a day.
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  • Profile picture of the author seoman3066
    i'm not sure but according to my sites i think all the algorithm has been changed
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Could be Google but remember; life is change. Life is flux. Even big drops are normal sometimes only because human beings are traffic, and are fickle, apt to change.This is why I stopped putting stock in short term changes; doing so helped me see steady long term growth, because I didn't get shaken out of proven traffic driving strategies.
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by ryanbiddulph View Post

      Could be Google but remember; life is change. Life is flux. Even big drops are normal sometimes only because human beings are traffic, and are fickle, apt to change.This is why I stopped putting stock in short term changes; doing so helped me see steady long term growth, because I didn't get shaken out of proven traffic driving strategies.

      Ignoring it and just going with the flow is a stupid solution. If there is a problem, burying your head in the sand won't fix it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Davey Hogins
    They should release a press or just a message that there are bugs or whatever. It is so annoying every time that something happens everyone is freaking out and wondering what it can be. So annoying not to have info on what is going on, more transparency will be highly appreciated.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daijon Moss
    Yes I agree with dave_hermansen. Only you are not seeing this problem many peoples facing this same problem because of Google Update. I read many comments on the blog:
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  • Profile picture of the author crackhouse
    Google is always updating its algorithm but it can take weeks to see relevant changes to make that kind of assessment.
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    • Profile picture of the author alaxedk
      Originally Posted by crackhouse View Post

      Google is always updating its algorithm but it can take weeks to see relevant changes to make that kind of assessment.
      Sure. But we know the algorithm to be ranked.
      However some websites receive penals on particular keywords and boom your traffic gone!
      That's why you use SERP tracker!
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  • Profile picture of the author salsym
    Originally Posted by Charles Goodnight View Post

    Hey folks,

    Real quick question, does anyone know if google has recently released a new algo? When I say recently, I mean within the last few hours?

    Since 4 PM EDT (It's 6 now) my site traffic has dropped from averaging 150 visitors/hr to 40 visitors per hour. I opened GA real time panel and it's showing 2 or 3 on at a time. It is normally 20-40. I'm starting to worry there is an issue that has hidden my site.

    I checked with my host for error issues, nothing. I ran a speed test and the site got an A from a few testers. I checked recent backlinks to the site and nothing showed up as a negative. I checked google search console no messages from them. I go on the site myself and don't see any issues.

    Help!!!
    I will advise that you give it a bit more time. You are just talking of few hours. There might be tech snags with any of the servers!!
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  • Profile picture of the author amuro
    Why did Google keep changing their algorithms and what should I do about it?

    Those have been questions on many marketers' mind including myself when I got started and affected 7 years ago.

    Because like every company, Google's reputation is based on delivering quality information to searchers on their search engine.

    Be it through paid ads or free content via SEO results.

    Instead of just thinking of how you can rank your sites to make money asap, what you should focus on is to provide helpful and valid information based on what your target audience needs and wants?

    These days, I don't focus very much on SEO. I am now focusing on social traffic.

    In the past I used to buy several keyword and niche research tools but now I came to realize at the end of the day, it is about understanding and delivering what people need and want.
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  • Profile picture of the author KylieSweet
    Google is continuously updating its algorithm everyday and you will notice that from the fluctuation in the search engine results in which affects the websites pages position.
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  • Profile picture of the author Davey Hogins
    Is it stable now or the drop is continuing?
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    • Profile picture of the author Charles Goodnight
      Originally Posted by Davey Hogins View Post

      Is it stable now or the drop is continuing?
      The drop has leveled off. But I've gone from 4-5K visits a day down to 2500-3500 visits a day. My search engine traffic is down 25% from June 2017 to 2018.

      google / organic
      Jun 1, 2018 - Jun 30, 2018
      47,673
      Jun 1, 2017 - Jun 30, 2017
      63,980

      % Change -25.49%
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  • Profile picture of the author Allah Barkat Locket
    Change History. Each year, Google changes its search algorithm around 500-600 times. While most of these changes are minor, Google occasionally rolls out a "major" algorithmic update (such as Google Panda and Google Penguin) that affects search results in significant ways.
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  • Profile picture of the author affmarketer101
    Sorry for say that but Google always changes. The word "change" may be not correct, I should say "optimize".
    Google always optimize their algorithms in order to deliver the best results to searchers.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Dixon
    Most changes happen on the query stack today. Things like personalization and universal search. The core algorithms remain a huge component of the scoring engine, and only the weightings are adjusted, not the conceptual algorithm.

    HTH!

    Regards,
    TechTIQ Solutions
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  • Profile picture of the author Ethan Root
    Google Fred is the latest update for Google Algorithm.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sufyan47
    Hi,

    Google doesn't confirm a lot of algorithm updates these days, but they did confirm that they made a significant change to their core quality algorithm last week.
    Thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author AnissamcGary
    I am not sure about this. Because google always do some changes very often, so not clear about it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Glennhiles
    No they have not changed any algorithm. If they change then they will notify you about that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Eugene Hill
    Google Fred is the latest update. Google Fred was not a single update but a packet of many back to back released mysterious updates by Google Search in the window from March 2017 to April 2017.
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  • Profile picture of the author stephenchong
    Google is launching a series of updates since July some are minor and some are core algorithms. These updates have a major impact on the sites with low quality content and give a recover those which are affected by these updates.
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  • Profile picture of the author friend9999
    google increased the meta data length that is all i know now
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  • Profile picture of the author onebasemedia
    Yes the recently Google changed their algorithm and due to which you faced these problems with respect to your site traffic.
    Google updates its algorithms almost 500 to 600 times every year and thus the possibilities of your websites rankings and traffic being affected or increases with every update.
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    • Profile picture of the author fastreplies
      Originally Posted by onebasemedia View Post

      Google updates its algorithms almost 500 to 600 times every year and thus the possibilities of your websites rankings and traffic being affected or increases with every update.
      WOW, WOW, WOW... hold your horses fella...

      500 to 600 times every year? More than one time per day?
      Where did you get these numbers from, a mental asylum?



      fastreplies
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    • Profile picture of the author jsc420
      Originally Posted by onebasemedia View Post

      Yes the recently Google changed their algorithm and due to which you faced these problems with respect to your site traffic.
      Google updates its algorithms almost 500 to 600 times every year and thus the possibilities of your websites rankings and traffic being affected or increases with every update.
      Wait, what?

      Go home, you're drunk...
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  • Profile picture of the author jsc420
    Got a similar story.
    5 year old website pulling in 1.5k uniques per day just completely dropped off to about 250 per day. Nothing changed, everything was always white-hat, and never did anything dodgy.

    Pretty tricky to find out what happened, especially since I dont really like SEO
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  • Profile picture of the author Ethan Root
    Recently Google has introduced medic update in August 2018. This update is related to health and fitness websites.
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    • Profile picture of the author Eugene Hill
      Yeah! Medic Update is the latest one, it had a great impact on the pharmaceutical, and medical websites and related.
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  • Profile picture of the author andersonmarks
    I think google makes changes every month, about most of them that corporation don't say
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