Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update

Google SEO

Update On March 12 & 13th

I am seeing plenty of signs from the SEO community, the tracking tools and so on that there was and is a Google algorithm update going on right now. It started on March 12th, yesterday and is continuing on today. It is early on, this is not confirmed by Google, but I am seeing plenty of chatter and signals of an update.

Update: This is now confirmed by Google:

Google SearchLiaison

✔@searchliaison

This week, we released a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year. Our guidance about such updates remains as we’ve covered before. Please see these tweets for more about that:https://twitter.com/searchliaison/status/973241540486164480 …https://twitter.com/searchliaison/status/1050447183260962816 …

Google SearchLiaison

✔@searchliaison

Here’s an update about updates — updates to our search algorithms. As explained before, each day, Google usually releases one or more changes designed to improve our results. Most have little noticeable change but help us continue to incrementally improve search….

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Danny Sullivan confirmed it started yesterday, March 12th:

Caleb Romo@_Caleb_R
 · 
Replying to @searchliaison

When this week? My organic traffic looks samey but conversions were up a lot yesterday. I thought it was probably weather related, but I hadn’t looked into it.

Danny Sullivan

✔@dannysullivan

It began yesterday. cc: @rustybrick

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The last update we reported on was also unconfirmed and was on March 1st, before thatFebruary 27th and February 22nd.

The ongoing WebmasterWorld forums have these comments from SEOs:

We had a nice number of unconfirmed Google search ranking updates this past month including one on March 1st, February 27th, February 22nd, February 18th, February 13thand on February 7th – yea, a busy month for fluctuations in the Google search results.

Google Search Console was busy with update too. They announced they are consolidating data for their performance reports going forward. They also announced the launch of domain properties which is replacing property sets since it is going away later this month. Google also added product reports and a new email alert report for traffic changes.

Did you now that Google adjust ranking weights for query type? They can detect YMYL types of queries and adjust. But no, Google said again they don’t use CTR for ranking signals. Oh, and let’s not forget about the renewed featured snippets debate on stolen content with the new found on the web Google feature.

The ongoing WebmasterWorld chatter is still mostly about ranking changes.

It was a busy month, here are the more important Google webmaster related stories from this past month and if you missed the February report get it there.

Google Algorithm Updates:

Google Search Console:

Google SEO:

Google Local & Maps:

Google User Interface: