The SEO landscape was once again disrupted by Google’s August 2024 Core Update, a significant event that left many within the digital marketing sector striving to decipher its ramifications. Initiated on August 15, 2024, and concluding on September 3, 2024, this update was characterized by substantial volatility, leading many websites to witness notable shifts in their rankings and traffic. This article explores the multifaceted aspects of this update, scrutinizing data from various analytics tools and evaluating its broader impact on the SEO community.
From the outset, the August 2024 Core Update signaled its potential magnitude. Early observations suggested that websites adversely affected by the September 2023 Helpful Content Update might experience some recovery. However, for the majority, the resurgence in traffic was insufficient to yield a meaningful improvement. This initial observation set the tone for what would become one of the most turbulent updates in recent history. A critical aspect of this update was the presence of a ranking bug during its initial four days, causing pronounced fluctuations in search rankings. This anomaly complicated efforts to discern the core update’s true impact. Notably, Moz, a leading SEO tool provider, refrained from releasing data or statements due to the difficulty in distinguishing the ranking bug’s effects from those of the core update.
Similarweb’s analysis provided further insight into the update’s volatility. The company’s SERP Seismometer detected a significant surge in SERP ranking fluctuations during this period. Shay Harel from Similarweb reported an average fluctuation level of 4.48, the highest since 2021, underscoring the update’s unprecedented volatility. Interestingly, a comparative analysis of ranking fluctuations for the top three, five, and ten results between the November 2023 and August 2024 updates revealed that the top three and five results exhibited similar fluctuation levels. However, the top ten results indicated substantially lower fluctuation levels in August 2024 compared to November 2023. This trend was industry-specific, with the retail sector experiencing the highest fluctuations in the top three results, while the health niche showed the lowest.
Semrush also documented significant volatility during the August 2024 Core Update. According to Mordy Oberstein, the peak volatility during this update was more than double that of the March 2024 Core Update. Despite this heightened volatility, the severity of ranking movements remained consistent with the March update, with average positions gained and lost at 2.66 and 2.63, respectively. A notable observation from Semrush’s data was that the starting volatility was already elevated, making it difficult to attribute all observed fluctuations solely to the core update. Additionally, when examining rank volatility changes by niche, some verticals experienced less volatility during the update compared to the baseline period.
Sistrix offered a detailed analysis of the biggest winners and losers during the August 2024 Core Update. These lists highlighted significant ranking shifts for various websites, providing valuable insights into which sites benefited from the update and which ones suffered. Complementing these findings, various other tools, including Advanced Web Rankings, Cognitive SEO, Algoroo, SERPmetrics, SERPstat, Accuranker, Mangools, Wincher, Mozcast, and Data For SEO, also reported heightened volatility during the update. A poll conducted around this period revealed that 44% of respondents experienced a decline in rankings and traffic, while 27% saw improvements, and 29% reported no change.
In an official statement, John Mueller, Search Advocate at Google, provided context for the update, emphasizing its aim to enhance search result quality by promoting genuinely useful content. He noted that this update sought to address feedback received since the March 2024 Core Update, particularly to better surface content from small and independent publishers. Consequently, Google updated its help page with more detailed guidance for those affected by core updates, reiterating the importance of creating helpful, reliable, people-centric content.
The August 2024 Core Update was marked by unprecedented volatility, positioning it as one of the most impactful updates in recent memory. While some sites experienced recoveries, many others faced declines or remained stagnant. The presence of a ranking bug further complicated analyses, making it challenging to isolate the core update’s direct effects. As always, the optimal strategy for website owners is to focus on producing valuable, user-centric content and maintaining a high-quality user experience. This approach remains the most effective means of navigating the ever-evolving landscape of SEO updates.
