Google January 2020 Core Update is Rolling Out

Google has pre-announced yet another core update – January 2020

Google announced on @SearchLiaison that it is rolling out a new core update later on Monday — the first core update in this decade – January 2020 Core Update. The giant now releases these algorithm updates every couple of months.

As usual, Google said to follow its guidance on all of the changes. After the core updates in 2019, the company’s tips haven’t changed and you can read them here. Whenever Google announces another core update, the process looks the same.

What to do if your ranks dropped after the January 2020 Core Update?

If you got hit by the update and your ranks have dropped, you can take several steps to improve your situation. But remember, negative rankings may not entail that something is wrong with your websites. They’re just being reassessed against content that has been published since the last update or content that has been previously overlooked. You can expect widely noticeable effects, including drops or gains in search rankings. That is why it is crucial to pay attention to your rankings in the days and weeks to come.

If your rankings have dropped, look at the websites that rank ahead of your content. Then consider how you can provide an even more comprehensive solution for searchers. Inspect your content, check the most important factors like internal linking, alt attributes in images, the usage of H1, H2, H3, etc. on your website. Check the page speed, both for mobile and desktop versions. Improve it, if needed, according to the tips provided by Page Speed Insights or a different tool. Just remember not to neglect it.

Moreover, if you’re not sure whether your website complies with Google guidelines or you want to reduce the risk of your site being impacted by the next Core update, you can read this document: googleusercontent.com/searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf. You will find official guidelines and be able to implement them more easily. Thanks to the document, you can also identify your SEO goals and hand this information over to your in-house team or SEO agency! 

Why are Google Core Updates important?

Whenever Google updates its search ranking algorithms, it means that your site can do better or worse in the search results. Knowing when Google makes these updates allows you to determine what caused your website to drop in rankings: whether it was something you’ve changed on your website or some changes Google has made in its ranking algorithm. With this knowledge, you can closely analyze and observe your website as well as provide the right insights. Right now, we know Google will be releasing another core ranking update. So keep an eye on your analytics and rankings.