Google Updates with John Mueller and Billie Geena

Join John and Billie for this session on Google updates, past and future.

They'll be talking about some of the recent changes in search and provide tips for how sites can take advantage of them.

You might even get to hear some off-the-record thoughts on how to prepare for the future!

Transcript

2. #BrightonSEO GOOGLE UPDATES GOOGLE UPDATES IS SEO DEAD? Has AI Taken MY Job? Help, I think I’m a robot. How far has Google come? Past, Present and Future.
4. @johnmu Working on Search since 2008. Has been involved with over 7 Google updates. Leads the Google Search Relations team, which connects website owners with Google Search teams, and creates all the Search documentation for SEOs / site- owners. About John About John
5. @BillieGeena Ten years working on digital projects Five years of Technical SEO Eight weeks of running my agency Navigated many updates Survived many client update meltdowns Founder of Uptake Agency About Billie Geena About Billie Geena
6. Who’s Going to the SE Who’s Going to the SE Ranking Karaoke party Ranking Karaoke party tonight?? tonight??
7. Raise your hand if... Who’s in the audience? Who’s in the audience? @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
8. TECHNICAL SEOS? TECHNICAL SEOS? @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
9. We know you are different dw. DIGITAL PRS/LINKBUILDERS? DIGITAL PRS/LINKBUILDERS? @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
10. CONTENT? CONTENT? @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
11. LOCAL SEO’S? LOCAL SEO’S? @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
12. STRATEGISTS? STRATEGISTS? @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
13. Who does Google Who does Google love the most? love the most? Wonder no more!
14. Just at different times and for different reasons We’re all We’re all Google’s Google’s favourite child. favourite child. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
15. Without a holistic view, importance on the pillars wouldn’t be split evenly. We’d be running around like headless chickens. But without But without strategy, we’d strategy, we’d all struggle. all struggle. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
16. CURRENT STATE OF CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS AFFAIRS What’s happening right now
17. Content Technical Webspam Let’s look at some of the things that had the biggest impact on us So many things happen all the time So many things happen all the time @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
18. Reduce risk of effects Reduce risk of effects from Google updates from Google updates
19. Updates about content: - Reduce short-cuts - Focus on quality over quantity @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
20. Technical SEO updates: - Implement modern best practices and know what's coming. - Use a common and flexible CMS or delegate to a hosting platform. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
21. Updates about webspam: - Well, you know. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
22. What if you don't want to? Life goes on :-) Updates come, updates go. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
23. What if you don't want to? Life goes on :-) Updates come, updates go. Don't mess with clients' websites. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
24. What if you don't want to? Life goes on :-) Updates come, updates go. Don't mess with clients' websites. Often, updates reflect updated expectations by users & ecosystem changes. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
25. PEOPLE WANT A GREAT EXPERIENCE ON THE WEB. DON'T BE AN EXAMPLE IN THE NEXT "THE WEB SUCKS" ARTICLE. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
26. Always be hustling? Nah. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
27. Let's zoom out Let's zoom out before before zooming in zooming in @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
28. Algorithms are not one Algorithms are not one simple thing, it's a balancing simple thing, it's a balancing act of lots of algorithms act of lots of algorithms with their own ratings. with their own ratings.
29. CWV is one example, because you site has high performance scores does not mean it will rank even if the content is thin. Lots of algorithms, Lots of algorithms, lots of factors lots of factors
30. RECENT GOOGLE RECENT GOOGLE UPDATES UPDATES
31. CORE WEB VITALS - CORE WEB VITALS - Page experience Page experience guidance guidance @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
32. Is important for success in ranking generally Involves focusing on more than one or two page experience aspects Google updated the page experience guidance to emphasize that good page experience: @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
33. INP to replace FID First Input Delay (FID) will be replaced with Interaction to Next Paint (INP) Search Console reports on it already and you can test your pages now. Coming in March 2024. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
34. Consider Core Web Vitals for page experience CWV aligns with page experience Does not guarantee success in Search (nothing does) @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
35. Making us ask what does helpful mean since 2022. Helpful Helpful content content @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
36. Helpful means different things to different industries. Some examples are listed in the Search Quality Rater Guidelines. This isn’t a secret sauce to ranking thought. It’s just examples and ideas. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
37. She’s just finished rolling out, we don’t know much yet August Update August Update @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
38. Raise your hand if you Raise your hand if you was on holiday when was on holiday when the update was the update was announced? announced?
39. LET’S GET SERIOUS @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
40. Ok, Google play arms Ok, Google play arms of an angel by Sarah of an angel by Sarah McLachlan McLachlan @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
42. UA @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
43. UA @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
44. FAQ SCHEMA @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
45. FAQ SCHEMA HOW TO SCHEMA @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
46. ENERGY LEVELS @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
47. HOPE @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
48. JOY @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
49. MOBILE USABILITY REPORT @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
50. John... Do you plan on John... Do you plan on taking anything else taking anything else we love away? we love away? @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
51. Finding value for Finding value for users & site owners users & site owners For example rich results: how can they be useful for For example rich results: how can they be useful for users & site-owners without overwhelming them? users & site-owners without overwhelming them? Could Google more selectively show them? Could Google more selectively show them? @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
52. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
53. Google’s F U T U R E @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
54. SGE @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
55. WHY SGE? Our focus on the quality of content, rather than how content is produced, is a helpful guide that has helped us deliver reliable, high-quality results to users for years. Also, we would recommend thinking about who, how, and why about your content. @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
56. Question time Answering your questions @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
57. How have the increase in AI content and increasing prioritisation of generative search impacted the Helpful Content Updates from 2022? - Alice Rowan @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
58. Why does content that doesn't meet the Helpful Content Guidelines rank over content that does meet it? - Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
59. Is digital pr link-spam? - Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
60. Can't google pause updates over the holidays? - Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
61. How is this update going to impact rankings? - Sanjay Nagpal, India Today Group @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
62. It’s not fair - Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
63. What’s planned for the future with SGE? When will it roll out in my country? - Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
64. After SGE was rolled out, for many of our keywords, we are seeing keyword-stuffed pages dominating the top positions on the SERP. Why? - Richa Veere, STI @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
65. Should I work on / launch a site before or during updates? - Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
66. Which data does an update use? How far back does it go? - Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
67. I had a technical issue right before the core update. Am I screwed? - Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
68. Are you doing more updates nowadays? - Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
69. The algorithm is learning by itself and is rolling out 'unconfirmed' updates. 'Official' updates are G understanding what it has done, packaging it up and announcing to the masses -Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
70. Will SGE put me out of work? - Anonymous @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
71. CLIENT QUESTIONS @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
72. PLEASE EXPLAIN @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
73. NOTHINGS HAPPENING @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
74. WHY DIDN'T IT WORK THIS TIME?
75. WILL THIS BE ENOUGH?
76. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS?
77. WHAT DID YOU DOOOOO @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
78. OK, THEN LET'S ESCALATE @Johnmu // @billiegeena #BrightonSEO
79. Stay updated The search status dashboard is the place to be. Subscribe with the RSS feed (check "RSS to email") Search Central Blog (also RSS feed) + our socials Follow Barry Schwartz, of course
80. Final Take aways don't panic monitor technical trends before they're "updates" prepare: flexible infrastructure be objective about content quality: schedule for review and delete or fix stay informed make update-memes for bonus points
81. Billie Geena We’ve been John Mueller & Ask us stuff @Johnmu @BillieGeena #BrightonSEO