While Google informs the public about updates to the core algorithm, it doesn’t announce all minor changes or modifications, according to Google search liaison Danny Sullivan.
The comments were in response to Glenn Gabe’s question about why Google doesn’t provide volatility information after the March core update.
OK, I love that Google tells us about major updates to the general core, but why not also explain when there are big changes that seem like an extension of the general core update? I mean, it’s great that Google can decouple the algorithms from the general core updates and run them separately…
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) May 9, 2024
Gabe wrote:
“…when site owners think a major update has been made, they don’t expect crazy volatility that sometimes completely reverses what happened with the major update.
The impact of what happened on 5/3 and now 5/8 on 5/9 has been strong.”
Sullivan explained that Google continually updates its search ranking systems, with about 5,000 updates a year to different algorithms and components.
Many of these are minor tweaks that would go unnoticed, says Sullivan:
“If we were to announce all the ranking system updates we make, it would look like this:
Hello. It’s 1:14 p.m.; we just updated the 112 system!
Hello. It’s 2:26 PM: We just updated System 34!
That’s because we do about 5,000 updates a year.”
This is covered in our long-standing page on core updates:
“We’re constantly updating our search algorithms, including smaller core updates. We don’t announce all of them because they’re generally not widely noticed. However, when they do go live,…
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) May 9, 2024
While Google may consider these changes minor, the combination of thousands of these tweaks can lead to significant changes in rankings and traffic that sites need help understanding.
More open communication from Google could go a long way.
Ongoing changes to web changes
Beyond algorithm tweaks, Sullivan noted that search results can fluctuate due to the nature of web content.
Google’s ranking systems are constantly processing new information, Sullivan explains:
“… they have already been launched and the existing systems are not being updated in their operation, but the information they are processing is not static but constantly changing.”
Google focuses communications on major updates versus an endless stream of notifications about minor changes.
Sullivan continues:
“These kinds of constant ‘hey, we’ve made an update’ notifications probably aren’t that useful for creators. There’s nothing to ‘do’ with these kinds of updates.”
Why SEJ cares
Understanding that Google Search is an ever-evolving platform is vital for businesses and publishers that depend on search traffic.
It reiterates the need for a long-term SEO strategy focused on delivering relevant, high-quality content rather than reacting to individual algorithm updates.
However, we realize that Google’s approach to announcing updates can leave businesses scrambling to keep up with ranking moves.
More information about these changes would be valuable to many.
How this can help you
Knowing that Google processes new information in addition to algorithm changes, you may have more realistic expectations for post-core updates.
Instead of assuming stability after a major update, anticipate fluctuations as Google’s systems adapt to new web data.
Featured image: Aerial Film Studio/Shutterstock
