John Mueller, a Google search advocate, offered guidance this week on the way forward for websites affected by recent search algorithm updates.
The discussion was started on X (formerly Twitter) by SEO professional Thomas Jepsen.
Jepsen tagged Mueller and asked:
“Google has previously said that Google holds no grudges and sites will recover once issues are resolved. Is that still the case post-HCU?”
Mueller’s response offered hope to site owners while being realistic about the challenges they face.
Addressing recovery timelines
Mueller affirmed Google’s stance on holding no grudges, stating, “That remains the case.”
However, he acknowledged the complexity of the rankings and said:
“…some things take much longer to re-evaluate (sometimes months, for now), and some larger effects require another update cycle.”
This is still the case. That said, some things take much longer to reevaluate (sometimes months, at the moment), and some larger effects require another update cycle. has a little more
— John 🧀 … 🧀 (@JohnMu) April 29, 2024
Mueller pointed to a Google help document explaining the nuances. The document says:
“General core updates typically occur every few months. Affected content in Search or Discovery may not be restored, assuming improvements have been made, until the next core update is released.
Please note that improvements made by site owners are not a guarantee of recovery, nor do pages have any static or guaranteed position in our search results. If there is more deserving content, it will continue to rank well with our systems.”
Comments spark debate
Jepsen probed further and asked, “Is a core update necessary for sites affected by HCU to recover (assuming they’ve fixed their problems)?”
Mueller’s response highlighted how situations can differ:
“It depends on the situation… I realize there is a big gap between situations, but generalizing doesn’t help. Sometimes it takes a lot of work on the site, a lot of time and an update.”
It depends on the situation. i has something about it. I understand there is a wide gap between situations, but generalizing doesn’t help. Sometimes it takes a lot of site work, a lot of time, and an update.
— John 🧀 … 🧀 (@JohnMu) April 29, 2024
The thread grew as user @selectgame raised concerns about Google Discover traffic, to which Mueller responded:
“Google Discover is affected by core updates and other parts of Search (and there are more policies that apply to Discover).”
Google Discover is affected by core updates and other parts of Search (and more policies apply to Discover). If you saw these changes when a core update was rolled out, this might be what you’re seeing.
— John 🧀 … 🧀 (@JohnMu) April 29, 2024
Growing frustrations
Prominent industry figure Lily Ray expressed growing frustration, stating:
“…many websites affected by HCU, which have been making all sorts of improvements over the past 7 months, have only experienced more drops with the core March update.
I’ve seen some sites lose 90% or more of their SEO visibility since HCU, with the last few weeks being the nail in the coffin, despite making significant improvements.”
Ray continued:
“And in my professional opinion, many of these sites didn’t deserve anywhere near that level of impact, especially the subsequent declines over the past month.”
Mueller has not responded to Ray’s tweet at this time.
John, is there any chance you could comment on the fact that many websites affected by the HCU, which have been making all sorts of improvements over the past 7 months, have only seen further declines with the March core update?
I have seen some sites lose 90% or more of their SEO visibility…
— Lily Ray 😏 (@lilyraynyc) April 29, 2024
looking ahead
As the search community awaits Google’s next moves, the road to recovery looks arduous for many affected by recent “Useful Content” algorithm re-evaluations.
Site improvements don’t guarantee immediate recovery, so publishers face an uphill battle guided only by Google’s ambiguous public advice.
Why SEJ cares
The March 2024 core update has been disastrous for many websites, with severe traffic losses persisting even after sites try to improve low-quality content, fix technical issues and conform to the guidelines of Google.
Having a clear and practical guide from Google on rolling back basic updates is invaluable.
As evidenced by the frustrations expressed, current communications leave much to be desired in terms of transparency and defining a simple recovery path.
How this can help you
While Mueller’s comments provide some insight, the key points are:
Regaining previous rankings after an algorithm bump is possible if sufficient improvements are made to the quality of the content/site. Recovery times may vary significantly and may require a future update to the core algorithm. Even with improvements, recovery is not guaranteed, as rankings depend on the overall pool of competing content.
The road ahead is certainly a challenge, but Mueller’s comments underscore that perseverance with substantial site improvements may eventually pay off.
FAQ
Can SEO professionals predict the recovery time of a website affected by core updates?
SEO professionals cannot identify when a site will recover after a basic Google algorithm update.
Reasons for this include:
Google releases core updates every few months, so sites may have to wait for the next one. It can take months for Google to reevaluate and adjust the ranking. The competitiveness of the query also affects whether a site is retrieved.
Does making improvements to the site after a basic update guarantee the recovery of rankings and visibility?
After making improvements following a Google algorithm update, you are not guaranteed to regain your previous ranking.
The reasons why include:
Your affected content may not be restored until the next core update, as long as you have implemented enough improvements to the site. Google search results are dynamic and rankings can fluctuate based on the quality of competing content. There is no fixed or guaranteed position in Google search results.
What is the relationship between Google Discover traffic and basic search updates?
Basic Google algorithm updates that affect regular search results also affect Google Discover.
However, Google Discover has additional specific policies that determine what content appears there.
This means:
Improving your website content and quality can increase your visibility on Google Discover, just like regular searches. You may see changes in Discover traffic when Google implements core updates. Your SEO and content strategy should consider the potential impacts on regular searches and Google Discover.
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