Google Medic Update - How the Core Algorithm Update affects websites
It is well known that Google rolls out updates time and again. As a rule, these updates lay new foundations for search engine optimization and, above all, bring about changes in terms of ranking criteria.
Google's latest core algorithm update: the Medic update
New and different is the Medic update, which massively affected the SERPs since August 2018. Most of the affected pages this time are from the health sector. This was also the reason why SEO expert Barry Schwartz gave this core algorithm update the name "Medic Update". According to Google itself, es was rather a coincidence that the changes mainly affected pages with health-related topics. Nevertheless, the name quickly became established. In addition, websites dealing with business and finance as well as e-commerce were also affected.
As with all Google updates so far, the search engine giant only confirmed that es had a new update. No information was provided by es about the exact changes - for example, the effects on search engine optimization. The observed changes initially developed only gradually from the end of July 2018. Then, a few days later, they became clearly apparent. Almost 60 percent of all significant domains recorded a change in the visibility index of at least five percent.
What is a Core Algorithm Update?
Google updates es every now and then. However, a core algorithm update es is a major update that the search engine giant usually only carries out once a year. The changes in such an update are always made directly to the core of the Google algorithm. Numerous websites are affected by these "deep" Google updates, and the effects are generally visible and noticeable worldwide.
Since Google never comments on its updates in detail, website operators have a hard time es . They receive no information about what has been changed in detail and have no way of reacting to the Google updates. Thus, search engine optimization often becomes a demanding challenge for them.
Google usually spreads little hints here and there. For the March update, for example, es said in a later tweet that undervalued websites would benefit. Accordingly, the information was half-hearted for website operators whose pages significantly lost visibility after the Core Algorithm Update and recorded sharp declines in their visitor numbers. Google informed them that they had done nothing wrong. The flow of information about the Medic update is similarly narrow.
What exactly is the Medic Update?
Es is also a core algorithm update that adjusts essential components of the search algorithm. Officially, Google announced on 14.08.2018 that this update applies to all pages to the same extent. However, if you take a closer look at the shifts in the ranking, it is precisely the websites that Google summarizes in its Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines under the term "YMYL" that are affected. YMYL stands for "Your Money or Your Life." The topics of such sites include, for example, finance and banking, health, education, law and lifestyle.
Comparing the Medic update with previous Google updates, the question arises why just these specific industries are affected and others not at all. So far, all Google updates served the general search engine optimization and did not refer to one topic area alone.
An official statement from Google is not yet available. However, SEO experts rightly suspect that the Medic update does not serve the actual search engine optimization, but re-evaluates the trust of certain websites. These websites deal with sensitive topics and are therefore dependent on a high level of trustworthiness.
The Medic update and search engine optimization
If, after the last Google update, the trust of a website is now weighted higher than before, other SEO criteria must lose relevance. Pages with a good to very good search engine optimization can therefore still lose in the ranking and suddenly find themselves below less well-optimized websites.
So what does es now depend on after the current core algorithm update? In order for websites to become more relevant for Google again, trust must be significantly increased. Google's Search Quality Guidelines clearly indicate how trustworthiness can be increased. A quite extensive paragraph deals with exactly this topic. Specifically, es deals with the so-called E-A-T factors, i.e. expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.
For search engine optimization after the Core Algorithm Update in August 2018, this means:
- The content of a page should be written by experts. This includes organizations and individuals who have in-depth knowledge and a high reputation.
- The content must be precisely formulated and relevant to the topic.
- The wording of the texts must stand up to factual scrutiny.
- The content must be formulated in an understandable way.
- Sources named must be trustworthy.
- The content must be maintained and updated regularly.
Content is King - this slogan has been true since the Panda update in 2011. Since then, added value and quality have claimed a very high position in the ranking criteria. With the Medic update, Google is taking a significant step further: content must absolutely be trustworthy. It does not matter es whether medicines or financial investment strategies are recommended: The user is better protected.
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Video: Sistrix Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-yrjP0TCtw