Google Algorithm Updates: Why & How to Track

Google frequently updates its search algorithms, impacting websites' search engine rankings. Whether confirmed or unconfirmed, these updates can drastically influence your site's traffic and overall SEO performance. As a brand, monitoring algorithm changes and taking timely action is essential to ensure you're not adversely affected by fluctuations in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Why You Should Track Google Algorithm Updates

• Algorithm Impact on SEO Performance: Algorithm changes can have significant implications on SEO, sometimes unjustly affecting rankings, traffic, and overall site visibility. Understanding these updates allows brands to swiftly adapt and maintain their competitive edge.
• Avoid Long-Term SEO Damage: Being caught off-guard by algorithm changes can lead to drastic drops in rankings, negatively affecting brand visibility. Staying updated helps avoid this.
• Recover Quickly After Updates: Brands can analyze the causes of ranking fluctuations and develop strategies to recover swiftly. Timely awareness of updates minimizes long-term negative effects.

How to Track Google Algorithm Updates

To track algorithm updates effectively, brands must utilize various tools and channels that provide real-time information on ranking changes. Here's a detailed breakdown:

1. Google Search Status Dashboard

Google’s official tool for tracking updates across ranking, indexing, and crawling incidents. It provides clear visibility into any problems within Google’s ecosystem.

Key Benefits:

• Centralized information on all major updates.
• RSS feed subscriptions for real-time alerts.
• Allows you to distinguish between algorithm changes and technical errors.

2. X (Formerly Twitter)

Google’s official account, @SearchLiaison, is an essential resource for algorithm-related news. Managed by Danny Sullivan, it provides timely updates and answers to queries.

Key Benefits:

• Immediate updates from Google.
• Active communication with the SEO community.
• Industry insights from leading SEO professionals.

3. Search Engine Journal

SEJ provides a comprehensive history of Google’s algorithm updates, from 2003 to the present, making it an excellent resource for long-term analysis and trends.

Key Benefits:

• Historical context on updates.
• Detailed insights on major and minor updates.
• Reliable information on confirmed and unconfirmed updates.

4. MozCast

MozCast visually represents ranking fluctuations in a fun weather-report format. It monitors keyword changes and converts them into a temperature scale, where higher temperatures signify more volatility.

Key Benefits:

• Simple, easy-to-understand metrics.
• Quick identification of ranking fluctuations.
• Historical tracking for broader trend analysis.

5. Semrush Sensor

Semrush Sensor monitors ranking changes across a fixed set of keywords and provides detailed volatility scores by industry and location. It offers a "winners and losers" report, which helps brands quickly assess the competition’s performance.

Key Benefits:

• Comprehensive keyword monitoring by sector.
• Competitive analysis through "winners and losers" reports.
• Industry and location-specific insights.

6. Similarweb

Similarweb tracks over 10,000 domains daily to monitor ranking patterns. Its risk-level color coding helps SEO professionals quickly assess the level of SERP volatility.

Key Benefits:

• Clear visual indicators of ranking risk.
• Daily monitoring of both desktop and mobile search results.
• Historical data available for deeper analysis.

7. Accuranker ‘Grump’ Rating

Accuranker provides real-time updates and historical data on keyword fluctuations. Their "grump" scale offers a simple way to gauge how volatile the SERP has been.

Key Benefits:

• Real-time and historical data.
• Fun and easy-to-understand "Grump" ratings.
• Comprehensive keyword coverage across mobile and desktop.

8. Advanced Web Rankings

With over 600,000 monitored keywords, Advanced Web Rankings provides a detailed view of ranking changes across industries, countries, and devices.

Key Benefits:

• Extensive keyword coverage.
• Customizable reporting periods.
• Device-specific volatility tracking.

9. CognitiveSEO Signals

CognitiveSEO Signals tracks over 170,000 keywords across desktop, mobile, and local searches. It provides volatility scores in an easy-to-read format, highlighting days with significant changes.

Key Benefits:

• Large dataset covering multiple search types.
• Simple charts indicating high-volatility days.
• Real-time tracking for proactive action.

10. Algoroo

Algoroo focuses on keyword ranking movements and presents its data in easy-to-interpret red and green bars, showing periods of high volatility clearly.

Key Benefits:

• Quick visual identification of high volatility periods.
• Clear tracking of ranking changes.
• No need for complex interpretation.

Action Points for Brands After an Algorithm Update:

Common Google Algorithm Updates You Should Know

Panda

• Launch Date: February 2011
• Impact: Targets low-quality content, including duplicate and thin content, prioritizing sites with high-quality and engaging content.

Penguin

• Launch Date: April 2012
• Impact: Focuses on spammy backlinks and over-optimization, penalizing sites involved in manipulative link schemes.

Hummingbird

• Launch Date: August 2013
• Impact: Emphasizes natural language search and the context of user queries, improving the understanding of search intent.

Mobilegeddon

• Launch Date: April 2015
• Impact: Prioritizes mobile-friendly websites, leading to a significant drop in rankings for sites not optimized for mobile devices.

RankBrain

• Launch Date: October 2015
• Impact: Google’s AI-based algorithm designed to understand search queries better, focusing on content relevance and the user experience.

BERT

• Launch Date: October 2019
• Impact: Enhances Google's ability to understand the context of words in search queries, improving search accuracy.

Steps to Recover from an Algorithm Update:

• Audit Content Quality: Ensure your site has valuable, original, and high-quality content that meets user intent.
• Review Backlinks: Disavow spammy or low-quality backlinks that may harm your SEO ranking.
• Improve User Experience: Focus on fast loading times, mobile-friendliness, and a clear site structure.
• Monitor Performance: Use Google Search Console and other tools to track changes in rankings, impressions, and clicks after updates.

Best Practices for Staying Safe During Algorithm Updates:

1. Prioritize User Experience (UX): Focus on user-friendly design, fast loading times, and mobile optimization.
2. Create High-Quality Content: Ensure your content is informative, engaging, and addresses users’ needs.
3. Optimize for Mobile and Speed: Mobile-first indexing and fast load times are essential ranking factors.
4. Follow Google’s Guidelines: Adhere to Google’s SEO best practices, avoiding black-hat tactics and manipulative strategies.
5. Monitor SERP Changes Regularly: Use the tracking tools mentioned earlier to keep an eye on ranking fluctuations and SERP volatility.

Conclusion: Tracking Google algorithm updates is essential for staying ahead in the competitive SEO landscape. By using the right tools, staying informed, and being proactive with your SEO strategy, brands can avoid being blindsided by changes, maintain strong rankings, and ensure long-term success in search results.

Keep an eye on industry experts and reliable resources, and don't panic when updates happen—strategic adjustments will keep your SEO performance steady and secure.