Did You Get Hit With Google’s November Core Algorithm Update?
By Bob Hutchins, Vice President of Digital
You don't have to be the CEO of a major corporation, or an SEO-focused website owner, to know that Google updates its search algorithm all the time. These algorithm updates can sometimes take your high-ranking page and drop it down to page two (or worse), which is why you should always be prepared for an update.
On November 17, 2021, Google rolled out one of those major updates called the Core Algorithm Update. This update had a major impact on many websites across all industries, but some were hit harder than others. (We have also written another blog that goes into more detail on Core Web Vitals here)
While Google never releases the exact details of their update, this is what you need to know and prioritize:
- Focus on content. This update focused on the content of your website and whether or not it was original, relevant, informative, and engaging.
- Remove intrusive ads. The November Core Algorithm Update included a new factor for intrusive interstitials — those pop-ups that cover part of your page and ask you to either wait or fill out a survey before you can see the content below.
- Speed up your website. Did you know that if your website takes more than 3 seconds to load, 47% of users will simply navigate elsewhere? Having a fast page speed is now an integral part of SEO because Google wants to deliver content at the right time and in the best way possible.
- Optimize for all platforms. Google is now looking at desktop, mobile, and tablet speed when calculating page speed. If just one of your pages is slow in any format, that will affect the overall site score.
- Make sure you have a local presence. Google's update also looked for local listings on websites to determine the quality of each website. In order to be found in a local search, you need to have a local presence with a Google My Business page and a local website.
Here at 5by5, we are constantly working hard to make sure our client's websites are updated and ranking on the first page for their most important keywords and phrases.
If you are interested in getting your website speed checked, removing intrusive ads, or increasing your organic traffic, contact us at 5by5. We'd be happy to get you started on the right path!