On March 12th, Google released a broad core search algorithm update. This type of update occurs multiple times through the year, but the impact each has can vary drastically depending on the kind of changes Google made. While they may never reveal the exact details of these updates, Google did make an uncharacteristic move by confirming that an update did occur.

The best way to determine what has changed after a broad core search algorithm update is to analyze any changes across different sites during the first few days after an update. Search Engine Land did just that and came back with some mixed results.

No Clear Changes

After analyzing the data following the March 12thcore update, the results show that there aren’t really any clear specific changes that can be pinpointed. The data from some core updates point directly to specific types of sites that have been heavily affected, like the Medic Update last August, which caused significant changes in rankings for sites classified under health, medical, and fitness.

The latest update, however, doesn’t seem to be impacting a particular field more than another. This could indicate that the update focused more on general improvements.

Lower Rankings Persist

Something the data did show was that 56 percent of surveyed sites saw a recovery in their rankings that were lowered as a result of the previous update. 44 percent said that they did not recover.

Despite this recovery, about 58% sites are reporting that their rankings are still lower than they have been in recent years and that the March 12thupdate did have an overall negative impact on their site.

It should also be noted that there has been no clear fix for a lot of the changes caused by the updates. Some sites noted that they saw improvements once they made changes like removing and adding links, improving content quality, and making other SEO changes, while others reported improvements after simply doing nothing and waiting it out.

What Can You Do?

It’s hard to keep up with all the changes that Google makes, and it can be even harder to determine a strategy to adjust for those changes. At NKP Medical, we have the tools required to track, analyze, and adapt to these changes to help keep your site afloat. If you need help managing your site or would like to build a new site optimized for the future, contact NKP to speak with one of our representatives.