Definition:
Algorithm Updates are changes made to the system that Google uses to rank websites in its search results.
About Algorithm Updates:
Just like any major website or software, Google is constantly making improvements behind the scenes. Thousands a year, in fact.
On average, Google makes 6 updates per day.
Source: “Trillions of Questions, No Easy Answers” (Google)
However, most of these are tiny incremental tweaks to how the search results look and perform for users, address specific technical issues, and fight spam. These will likely go completely unnoticed by you and have little to no effect on your website.
Core Updates:
A few times a year Google rolls out bigger updates known as “core updates”. These are the ones that get the most publicity and can cause the most noticeable fluctuations in rankings, both positive and negative.
The primary purpose of core updates is to level the playing field. Think of it as recalibration. These are meant to reward those websites that are doing things really well—providing the best content and user experience that satisfies what’s in the best interest of the person doing the search—and weed out those that aren’t.
If you experience a negative impact after a core update, first examine if it’s actually the result of the core update or some other factor. If you believe it’s due to the core update, then it’s time for you to recalibrate too.
It is worth noting that Google algorithm updates are not aimed at targeting specific websites or individuals.
Overall, Google algorithm updates are designed to improve the overall quality of search results by rewarding high-quality content and trustworthy sources while curbing low-quality and spammy ones.
