Google Confirms March 2018 Algorithm Update

Earlier this week Google announced that there had been an update to their ranking algorithm. This is unusual as Google does not usually share information around updates to the core algorithm. They further stated that they carry out updates like this several times a year and that it did not focus on specifically targeting sites that were of poor quality but rather was an update to how they interpret the search results.

If your website saw a drop in rankings or visibility across the search results there is nothing specific you should be doing apart from the usual best practices.

Google stated that “as with any update, some sites may note drops or gains.” they said further that “there’s nothing wrong with pages that may now perform less well, Instead, it’s that changes to our systems are benefiting pages that were previously under-rewarded”

What impact has this had in the South African context? At Algorithm, we have not noted any major changes in the local search results. This could point to a delay in the update reaching Google.co.za or alternatively that the change has not had a major impact. However, we advise that you or your SEO agency keep an eye on your website visibility over the coming weeks.