Google’s March 2018 Core Algorithm Update: What We Know So Far

You may have noticed your Google rankings dropped or raised earlier this month. That’s because Google released a new algorithm update on March 7th. But most websites didn’t feel it until a few days later.

While many search engine gurus are still learning what this update will do better than previous versions, your digital marketing catalysts at Cobalt Digital Marketing are ahead of the game, studying every journal we find to get a better understanding on how this core algorithm update will affect your website.

This update still has a lot to reveal about itself but here is what we know about it so far.

Don’t they usually have a name?

While Google does occasionally give names to its updates like last August’s “Hawk”, core algorithm updates are really a dime a dozen. In fact - as per Google - core algorithm updates occur so frequently that it’s impossible to give them all unique names. In 2012, Google released 665 updates alone, meaning that there were at least 2 updates per day.

While March’s update didn’t come with a clever nickname, it made enough of a splash for digital marketers to take into consideration.

[bctt tweet="In 2012, Google implemented 665 improvements or about 2 per day! #CobaltDigitalMarketing " username=""]

What is being improved?

As far as to what is being improved in terms of SEO, this update addresses two key areas:

1. User Intent – This is the identification and categorization of what the user intended when they typed in search terms into their search engine for search engine optimization (SEO) or conversion rate optimization (CRO).
2. Content – Changes affect how Google understands and interprets content rather than quality.

Why did my ranking drop/raise?

Generally speaking, there may not have been anything seriously wrong with your website’s content. Simply, the changes to Google’s core algorithm may have seen that the content on your website either more accurately or loosely answered the search query of the user.

What can I do to regain my rankings?

Paraphrasing technologist Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, there isn’t a way to “fix” sites that have lost rankings, but Google has recommended that you wait for your content to raise to relative rankings according to other pages. However, this is dependent on how effective your content is compared to your competition.

SEO is a proactive industry, though, and many professionals believe these algorithm updates are a way to focus on creating content that isn’t solely reliant on keyword stuffing. At the end of the day, Google exists to solve user queries, and it is speculated that this core algorithm update will focus on producing results with quality content from “under-rewarded” sites.

In short, Google stated that content creators must remain focused on building great content. But what that is exactly, is still a little vague. Factors like convenience, relevance, easy-to-find answers, product-comparison, and any positive response a site visitor has, may all be contributing factors to great content, but how they will be implemented has yet to be seen.

[bctt tweet="#Great #content produces great rankings with Google new #algorithm #update." username=""]

Count on Cobalt Digital Marketing to stay ahead of the competition.

To be successful in this industry, you have to adapt to the changes the biggest search engine makes. At Cobalt Digital Marketing, we watch Google like a hawk so that when changes do occur, we can use them to our clients’ advantage.

The Cobalt Formula™ is a tried and true method for turning your digital marketing into sales. For more information on how we can better serve you, contact us today at 956-303-6555.