Google November Core Update 2023 is here. What does it mean?

Google has sent out 6 updates in 2 months. What does that mean? Should you be concerned? Well, yes and no.

Let's discuss this month's algorithmic announcement and what it means for every SEO out there.

What the November Core Update is all about?

1. If it is not broken, don't fix it

Google has said in clear terms that 'Site owners don't have to worry about any slight change in the rankings' Since websites won't be directly impacted by the change.

What does that mean? Do we worry or do we not?

The answer to that, which Google gives by itself it:

You have to understand that if you were creating a list of 100 websites in 2021. The list will now have more movies from 2023 and 2024. This means recency will lead to higher positions.

2. 'Keep serving your audience in the best way'

Yes we know that this has been going on for years and that's the only answer by Google. The thing is that this is hard fact.

You have to treat every information piece you add to Google as a way to help others. If your piece is not adding value, revise or re-edit and publish.

3. There has been no major algorithmic change

November 2023 update is not about changing strategy for your SEO team. It is about reiterating what you already have been doing. If the content you publish is working fine. You should audit it and see what information you can add.

A content piece on 'Best Hacks for Flight Tickets in 2023' may need a new table, or a new platform that was recently added.

Maybe add a few more CTAs so that bounce rate decreases and the site flow increases.

4. Don't Confuse Core Updates with Penalties

One thing you should remember is that penalties are never core updates. If your website is not working well, there is a chance that it is just because of many other factors and not a natural or an algorithmic penalty.

One way to check that is by going to Search Console and checking the site itself. If no penalty exists, it is time to do a complete audit and make sure your site is optimized properly.

5. It is Not Always About SEO Optimizations or Content

Just remember that Search engines also take into account website experience instead of just information that is available on the site.

So if you are already offering a great content experience and you are attributing every piece of source and providing lengthy articles on every topic to satisfy user intent and still not ranking, maybe the experience of the site is not great. Maybe there are better websites answering almost the same thing in a better manner.

6. Do a Content Evaluation, Not a Site Audit

With time, everything becomes old. As a good rule of thumb, evaluate the content on your website every quarter. If you cannot do that, make sure to do it at least every six months.

Not evaluating your content pages with heatmaps, Analytics tools to understand how people are reacting with it will only impact your website in the long-term. You need to stay relevant and to do that focus on evaluations rather than optimizations.

In summary

SEO is still the same. You have to focus on providing content that works well for your audience and satisfies their intent. You need to make sure they can browse your website effectively and without any issues. Also, you need to make sure your website loads properly and is syndicated with all relevant search engines.

Need Helps with SEO?

If your website is nor performing as per your expectations, and you need help with that then message me for details.

Reference Sources:

Google November Update: https://developers.google.com/search/updates/core-updates

Helpful content fundamentals: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content

Google status dashboard: https://status.search.google.com/incidents/WtY1CQgfqrr2cjxKbyUk