As someone who's spent over 20,000 hours building and ranking websites, running SEO, and managing SEM campaigns, I've seen the highs and lows of Google's algorithm updates. The August 2024 Google Core Update has been one of the more surprising ones—surprising in a good way. This recent update has brought some unexpected but welcome changes after the chaos from the September 2023 Helpful Content Update. Many of my websites, especially those hit hard last year, are finally bouncing back, and I want to share my experiences and what I've done to get these sites back on track.
Signs of Recovery: A Welcome Surprise
It's still early days, but I've already seen positive movement in the rankings of my sites. Some of these sites, which had dropped dramatically during the last major update, show clear signs of recovery. The most interesting part is that I didn't have to make any drastic changes. Some of these sites, especially my experimental and blogging ones, have just bounced back.
This is the beauty of managing my own websites and testing strategies on them. I've seen similar recoveries on a few sites my colleagues and mentors manage as well. Out of 400 websites they tested, 74 of them have shown signs of significant recovery—again, with minimal intervention. This kind of rebound without overhauling everything is encouraging, especially compared to the devastation caused by the March 2024 update.
Key Actions for Sites That Have Recovered
The improvements didn't happen without effort for the websites, which only happened withnds-on. I had to go back and address a few critical areas, and I believe these are worth focusing on if you're looking to recover from the latest update.
- Identifying Underperforming Content: The first thing I did was analyze the pages that were dragging the site down. Pages with low traffic or low click-through rates were flagged. If a page wasn't adding value or irrelevant to the overall site's purpose, it was either deleted or redirected to a better-performing page.
- Pruning and Merging Content: Another key move was to consolidate similar posts. For example, on one site, I had multiple blog posts covering almost the same topic, like "How to Choose a Wedding Dress," "Top Tips for Choosing a Wedding Dress," and "20 Tips for Finding the Perfect Wedding Dress." Rather than letting these posts compete, I combined them into one comprehensive guide. This improved the user experience and boosted the site's authority on the topic.
- Revamping and Refreshing Content: Once I identified underperforming pages, I didn't just delete content; I revamped it. Whether it was rewriting articles, adding new research, or simply making the content more engaging, I ensured each piece was top-notch. If a post wasn't well-written or up to current standards, I rewrote it or combined it with other relevant content to create something more valuable.
- Technical SEO Enhancements: I also took the time to clean up some technical aspects of my sites. This involved improving internal linking, adding author bios, and ensuring proper citations. I didn't go crazy with technical fixes, but ensuring everything from load times to proper indexing was spot-on helped a lot. Backlinking, especially internal links, became more intentional—directing visitors to valuable content within the site.
- Freshening Up the Websites: We also conducted a complete site structure audit. Some sites needed a total overhaul—reorganizing menus, improving mobile responsiveness, and even rethinking the design. But mostly, it was about tightening up the layout, removing unnecessary clutter, and ensuring that the most important content was easy to find and navigate.
Content is King (Still!)
If this update has confirmed one thing, it's that quality content still reigns supreme. Google continues prioritizing websites that provide users with value over those optimized for search engines. Throughout this process, I've ensured that all the content across my sites is relevant, informative, and helpful. I've cut out repetitive posts, cleaned up fluff, and focused on delivering content people want to read and engage with—in other words, quality over quantity.
I've learned that creating content for the sake of keywords or just pushing out blog after blog isn't a sustainable strategy. Instead, it's about crafting well-thought-out, in-depth posts that truly answer the reader's question or solve their problem. This has been key to recovering rankings for sites that were previously hit.
Why the August 2024 Update Feels Different
What's fascinating about this update is how it contrasts with the previous core updates, especially the March 2024 one, which made things difficult for sites already struggling. With this update, Google has corrected some of the missteps from previous rollouts. Many sites that were unjustly penalized in the past are showing strong signs of recovery, especially those that focus on helpful, user-centred content.
For those of us who manage multiple sites, this is huge. The devastation caused by some of the earlier updates was discouraging, but now we're seeing positive movement again. And this isn't just anecdotal—there are clear signs that websites focusing on quality and following best practices are returning stronger.
Final Thoughts
Recovering from Google updates can feel like a rollercoaster. But if this August 2024 update has taught me anything, it's that sticking to the fundamentals—quality content, technical SEO, and user experience—remains the key to long-term success. It's been a relief to see some of my sites shoot back up in the rankings without tearing everything down and starting from scratch.
If your website has yet to see the recovery you were hoping for, don't panic. Take a step back, analyze the underperforming content underperforming content, and focus on improving it, not just for SEO but for your audience. Combine redundant posts, refresh outdated content, and ensure your site's structure is clean and easy to navigate. And remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Google's updates might feel unpredictable, but the path to success remains the same—build valuable, engaging high-quality websites.
