Google’s July 2021 Core Update Coming in Hot

Google, Google, Google. Never one to disappoint, Google’s July 2021 update is just finishing up, and you’ll want to be prepared for what may be to come. While Google makes incremental changes to improve its search results on a daily basis, these aren’t things that mere mortals like us would generally notice. The core updates, on the other hand, mean bigger changes afoot, and Google likes to lend a hand – so we can prepare ourselves. Because when it comes to your online presence – and the Scouts – being prepared is basically everything, it pays to pay attention when Google speaks. If you have additional questions at the end of this article, don’t hesitate to reach out to our digital marketing experts at The Web Guys today!

Google Offers an Example

In Google’s attempts to speak everyman, it offers a homespun example. If you make a list of your 100 favorite movies, the list will change over the years as new movies come out and your tastes become more refined, and you will alter your list accordingly (because who isn’t keeping an exhaustive and updated list of their top 100). This is Google’s way of telling you that core updates can affect your rank, and the reason is because the playing field continues to evolve. If your rank slips with a core update, it doesn’t mean your online offerings are any less fabulous than they were before, but instead, it means that the competition has improved and/or that the rating system has become more refined. Google would like to assure you that you’re not doing anything wrong (or that you aren’t doing anything wrong that you weren’t doing wrong before), but there are some things you can try to do more right.

Straight from Google: Content Is King

Google shares that, if there is one thing you can do to push your ranking back up there after a core update, it’s focusing on your content. This is a common refrain and one that is not going away anytime soon. Your content matters that much. Ready to rank your content as critically as possible? Ask yourself the following questions (as posed by Google):

• Does your content contain original information, research, reporting, and/or analysis?
• Does your content cover the topic at hand in a substantive, complete, or comprehensive manner?
• Does your content go beyond the obvious in its efforts to provide interesting information and insightful critique?
• Does your content avoid blatant copies and simple rewrites of other sources – instead offering your own take on the matter (in addition to adding value)?
• Does the title or headline of your content amount to a descriptive, useful summary (without resorting to exaggerations or going for shock value)?
• If you ran across your own content, would you be inspired to bookmark, recommend, or share it (be honest with yourself)?
• Would you realistically expect your content to appear in or be referenced by a book, journal, printed magazine, or encyclopedia?

Let your answers to these queries guide your self-improvement journey.

Presentation Pointers

Google is also kind enough to share presentation pointers that can help you keep your content looking spiffy and ranking at the top of its game. Consider the following:

• Make sure your content is well written, including being well structured, grammatically correct, free from stylistic issues, and smooth.
• Don’t post something just to post it. Make sure your content is well considered and that it doesn’t smack of being hastily produced.
• Remember that mass-produced content, content that comes from myriad sources, and content that is spread too thin lacks coherence and sparkle, which means your individual pages are less likely to get the individual attention you’re going for.
• Is your content deluged by disruptive and distracting ads that dim the shine on the content itself? If so, you’re not doing yourself or your content any favors.
• Is your content ready for its close up on mobile devices? If not, it should be.

Quality Control

Google reminds us that, while its legendary quality raters do not directly affect rank, they do provide Google with insight regarding how well their algorithms seem to be working. In other words, raters help Google confirm that the changes they make in their core updates – and the other myriad changes happening behind the scenes – are hitting their marks. By incorporating some of the quality rater’s tricks of the trade, you may find that you’re better prepared to jazz up your own content – allowing you to hit Search a bit harder.

Don’t Forget to E-A-T

Google’s quality raters are specifically trained to be on the lookout for strong E-A-T as it relates to the content. E-A-T here stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness – all good things, to be sure. While there is no magic bullet when it comes to your content’s E-A-T and, as with everything else in the Googlesphere, there are no guarantees, applying the E-A-T principles to your content isn’t going to hurt and may help a whole lot. The basics include:

• Continue honing your online reputation and striving for beneficial third-party reviews
• Don’t attempt to confuse or deceive your viewers and steer clear of overwhelming them with ads
• Let your viewers know who you are, what your brand is all about, who your authors are, and why they should trust your site in the first place
• Only link to credible sources and, in so doing, attempt to garner organic links back
• Make sure any material that falls into the category of YMYL (your money or your life, which refers to information that can directly affect someone’s health or well-being) is backed up by credible scientific evidence

All told, it’s a lot, but a digital marketing pro’s got you covered.

Bounce Back from Google’s Latest Update in Style

The digital marketing warriors at The Web Guys recognize that Google’s core updates strike fear in the hearts of many, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We’ve got the juice to help you tighten up your content and keep your rank moving in the right direction. To learn how we can help you, give us a call at (317) 805-4933 or connect with us online today.