Google has officially launched its November 2024 Core Algorithm Update, a significant change in its search ranking system that impacts websites globally. As always, core updates aim to enhance the overall search experience by refining how content is evaluated and ranked. In this post, we’ll explore the key takeaways from this update, its impact on search rankings, and how digital marketers can adapt to stay ahead of the curve.
What is Google’s November 2024 Core Algorithm Update?
Google frequently releases broad core updates throughout the year to improve search engine results. These updates are designed to refine how Google evaluates content, ensuring users get the most relevant, high-quality results for their queries. The November 2024 core update continues this trend, focusing on improving search accuracy and content quality. This change will affect rankings across all languages and regions globally.
What Does This Core Update Affect?
Unlike targeted updates that affect specific areas of search (e.g., spam or quality), core updates are broad and affect rankings across all sectors. Therefore, some websites might see a shift in search rankings and traffic, while others may experience minimal impact.
Key Insights from the November 2024 Core Update
1. Increasing Alignment Between Organic Search and AI Overviews
One of the most notable changes observed in this update is the growing overlap between organic search results and AI Overviews. AI Overviews are summaries generated by Google’s AI, and there’s been a noticeable trend where high-ranking organic content is often cited within these AI-powered summaries.
This shift suggests that Google’s search systems are increasingly blending organic rankings with AI-based search results, creating a more integrated search experience. For digital marketers, this means optimizing content to not only rank high organically but also to be featured in AI Overviews.
2. E-commerce and Educational Queries Show Significant Shifts
According to early data from SEO monitoring platforms like BrightEdge, there are notable shifts in e-commerce and education queries. E-commerce-related searches experienced a -22.1% shift in top citations, while education-related queries observed a moderate -7.3% adjustment. These industries might need to refine their content strategies to stay relevant in the evolving search landscape.
3. Volatility Across Search Rankings
The release of the November 2024 core update has caused increased volatility in search rankings. For example:
- Positions 1-10 saw a +10.6% increase in volatility, indicating that websites in these ranks may experience larger shifts.
- Positions 21-30 had a significant +23.3% increase in volatility, suggesting that lower-ranking pages are especially vulnerable during this update.
This volatility underscores the dynamic nature of Google’s ranking system and highlights the importance of ongoing SEO efforts to maintain or improve rankings.
4. Industry-Specific Changes: E-commerce and Healthcare
In particular, the e-commerce industry has faced a substantial shift in rankings, while healthcare content has remained relatively stable. For digital marketers in e-commerce or other industries experiencing shifts, staying informed about these changes and adapting content strategies will be key to maintaining visibility.
How Can Digital Marketers Respond to the November 2024 Core Update?
1. Focus on High-Quality, User-Centered Content
Google’s core updates have always emphasized the importance of content that provides real value to users. For marketers, this means continuing to prioritize high-quality content that answers users’ questions comprehensively and authoritatively. Avoid focusing solely on keyword optimization—creating content that users trust and find useful is now more important than ever.
2. Monitor Your Rankings and AIO Citations
Given the rise in volatility and the integration of AI Overviews, it’s important to monitor how your content is performing in both organic search results and AI-generated summaries. Keep a close eye on your rankings and the impact of the update, and adjust your strategies accordingly.
3. Evaluate Content Quality with Google’s Self-Assessment Guidelines
If you notice a drop in rankings, use Google’s self-assessment guidelines to evaluate whether your content aligns with the search engine’s expectations for quality. Expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T) are important factors, and focusing on improving these aspects of your content can help recover from ranking losses.
4. Be Patient and Prepare for Long-Term Recovery
As with previous core updates, recovery from ranking drops may take time—possibly several months. Google emphasizes that improvements should focus on sustainable content quality rather than short-term fixes. Continue to update and optimize your content over time to meet evolving user needs and search algorithm requirements.
How to Assess the Impact of the November 2024 Core Update on Your Site?
If you notice a drop in rankings after the core update, it’s important to assess whether the decline is due to the update itself or other factors. Google Search Console is a powerful tool that can help you understand what’s happening with your site’s performance. Here’s how you can use it to assess any changes after the core update:
1. Check for Traffic Drops in Search Console
If you see a drop in position and you suspect it aligns with the timing of the core update, start by checking Search Console. This will help confirm whether the timing of the drop corresponds with the core update rollout.
2. Confirm the Update Has Finished Rolling Out
Before analyzing the data, confirm that the core update has finished rolling out. You can check the Search Status Dashboard to find the start and end dates of the update.
3. Compare the Right Dates
It’s advisable to wait at least one full week after the core update has completed before assessing your site. Once the update has finished rolling out, compare your rankings from this week with the rankings from a week before the core update began. This will help you pinpoint changes more accurately.
4. Review Your Top Pages and Queries
Evaluate the performance of your top pages and queries by comparing their rankings before and after the update. If the drop is small (e.g., from position 2 to 4), it’s generally not a cause for concern, and no drastic changes are necessary. However, if the drop is large (e.g., from position 4 to 29), you may need to conduct a deeper analysis.
5. Analyze Different Search Types
You should also assess how the core update has affected your site across different search types, such as Web Search, Google Images, Video Mode, or the News tab. This can give you a clearer picture of where the changes are occurring.
Assessing a Large Drop in Position
If your site experiences a significant and sustained drop in rankings, it’s time for a more detailed assessment. Google’s core updates emphasize the importance of E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). Review your content to ensure that it aligns with Google’s expectations for quality. Consider the following:
1. Evaluate Your Site’s Content
Review your website as a whole and make sure it delivers helpful, reliable, and people-first content. You can ask others you trust (unaffiliated with your site) to conduct a similar evaluation using Google’s self-assessment questions.
2. Focus on Pages Most Affected
Pay close attention to the pages that experienced the largest drops. These pages might not be providing as much value to users as others. Review the content quality and see how it can be improved.
Things to Keep in Mind When Making Changes after Update
If you’re considering making changes to recover from a drop, avoid rushing into “quick fixes” like removing content elements simply because you’ve heard they harm SEO. Instead, focus on sustainable changes that improve the content for users. Here are a few tips:
1. Improve Content Meaningfully
Rewrite or restructure content to make it more readable and user-friendly. Ensure your content offers comprehensive, reliable information that answers users’ questions.
2. Content Deletion Should Be a Last Resort
Deleting content should be a last resort, only if the content is truly unhelpful and cannot be salvaged. If you’re considering deleting large sections of your site, it’s likely those sections were created primarily for search engines, not for the users. Deleting unhelpful content could actually help improve the performance of the remaining content.
Conclusion:
The November 2024 core update underscores the importance of adapting to the ongoing changes in Google’s algorithm and staying updated with new trends. As AI integration continues to shape search results and user expectations, digital marketers must remain agile and focused on providing the best possible content for their audiences.
By adopting high-quality content, monitoring both organic rankings and AI citations, and being patient with recovery, your website can navigate these changes effectively. Stay informed, adapt to evolving trends, and maintain a focus on user-centric strategies to succeed in the ever-changing digital marketing space.