Has Google Released a New Algorithm Update?
It is now becoming increasingly conspicuous that Google has made an algorithm update at some point in the last 24 hours. As early as Monday there were whispers that Google might be planning something new but just as soon as the rumours developed they appeared to die down again throughout the week. Now on Friday 18th January, SEO's are waking up all over the country to discover that their clients'website search rankings have fluctuated. While it is true that fluctuation does occur on a day to day basis, this level of movement is unheard of without the search engine giants having something to say about it. So how do we respond? No one would be blamed for going into panic mode. Breathe. Count to ten. It is certainly not the end of the world. What everyone has to remember is that we are all on the same playing field here. This change will affect us all. Rather than bury your head in the sand, why not see this for what it truly is, an exciting opportunity to get ahead of the curve. Never in the history of the company has Google ever made an update that has not been an attempt to improve search for everyday users. As of yet, the gossip does not appear to have found its way on to many social media platforms. There are probably still thousands of SEO experts around the UK who are strolling around completely oblivious to the storm that is likely to hit them when they get back to the office after picking up their morning coffee. The early bird really does catch the worm. So now you know the news hot off the press, what can you do with it? Here are some tips to get and stay ahead: Stay at your desk Today is one of those days to have lunch at your desk. Keep several tabs open, including all social media sites, live news feeds, webmaster and SERP metrics. If you want all the latest details don't rely on Google to keep you in the know. Update your pitches and reports As a digital marketer, it is most likely you have pitches to give and reports to write based on what now seems likely to be fairly radically outdated figures. Keep updating your content with the latest developments. However be aware that activity will continue throughout the next few days, so no permanent ink! The last thing you want is for your clients to know more than you do. Get the word out Start blogging, tweeting and posting, fast! Let everyone know that Google are up to something. There is no point keeping the information a secret. By getting the word out early you will build your reputation as a company with their finger well and truly on the pulse. Additionally the more SEO's that are clued in, the less opportunity for spammers to start taking advantage of any potential algorithm loopholes. Start rebuilding Identify which clients have suffered the most in terms of search rankings as a result of the update. The best and fastest way to bounce after the fall is building strong back links. Start making contact with reputable and relevant websites to bring traffic back to your sites.