Key changes as they stand

Here at Candidsky, we want to assist you in making your business shine through. This is why we have researched Google’s most recent algorithm update for May 2022 in order to provide you with the changes and impacts this may have on your business’s search results. This is named the May 2022 core update, beginning on 25 May and taking 1-2 weeks to fully complete. This update fully rolled out on the 9th of June 2022. 

Google makes many key changes to its ranking processes over the course of the year, known as core updates. Algorithm updates can shake up how your pages rank on the search engine results pages by increasing or decreasing your ranking position. Our Director of SEO recommends reviewing Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines regularly to ensure that SEO results are consistent and that ranking factors are taken into consideration. However, rest assured that our SEO team is here to analyse these changes so we can ensure successful client campaigns.

What Does It Change?

Essentially, this core update has been made so that Google can improve the overall relevancy of its search results for users. Google wants to deliver the best possible user experience to its users, to ensure that they continue to use the search engine and other Google products.  

Danny Sullivan, Google’s Public Liaison for Search, shared more:

“Core updates are changes we make to improve Search overall and keep pace with the changing nature of the web. While nothing in a core update is specific to any particular site, these updates may produce some noticeable changes to how sites perform, which we’ve noted in previous guidance on what site owners should know about core updates.”

How Will It Impact Your Business?

As Google has mentioned, the core update is not specific to particular sites, making it hard to determine exactly how it will affect you. 

However, you may see your pages rise or fall as significant changes have been made. Remember that if you experience negative effects from these changes, it does not mean that your site has violated any guidelines or that your content has directly led to this.

If you do notice significant changes to your pages, in that they have fallen down the ranking somewhat significantly, then Google has provided a list of questions from previous updates to consider; here are just some:

  • Does the content provide original information, reporting, research or analysis?
  • Does the content provide a substantial, complete or comprehensive description of the topic?
  • Does the content provide insightful analysis or interesting information that is beyond obvious?
  • If the content draws on other sources, does it avoid simply copying or rewriting those sources and instead provide substantial additional value and originality?
  • Does the headline and/or page title provide a descriptive, helpful summary of the content?
  • Does the headline and/or page title avoid being exaggerating or shocking in nature?
  • Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?
  • Would you expect to see this content in or referenced by a printed magazine, encyclopedia or book?

Bearing this in mind, they have also explained that although your site may have experienced a drop, it does not mean there is anything to fix.

Previous Updates – 6 Months On

Negatively affected sites from the November core update could see rankings improved during these changes and vice-versa. Google has also stated that incremental improvements will be made after the core update, meaning you may see different effects on your rankings between this and the next core update. 

Google’s most recent core update came in November 2021. If you had noticed a change in your search rankings from the last update, then there’s a possibility that the same could happen. 

Help Is at Hand

As a Manchester SEO agency, with this new update, we can work harder to analyse what is needed to give your business the edge and grant you the desired results. We’ll create a data-driven SEO strategy that works for you.

We can also advise you on where you may be falling short and where to concentrate your efforts going in order to succeed going forward. Check out our case studies if you’d like to see some of the electrifying results we’ve achieved for our clients.

If you have any questions about how the May 2022 core update will affect your business and how we can help you get the recognition you deserve, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team today. We specialise in performance marketing, including SEO, PPC and content marketing.

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