Here's how to keep track of updates and changes as they happen:
Stay informed about the news
Google frequently announces important updates to help website owners, content managers, and SEO experts take appropriate action in a timely manner.
Read the news and keep yourself updated with the latest developments to update your strategy if necessary. Subscribe to reliable SEO blogs , newsletters, and resources that will help you stay informed.
You can also set up Google Alerts for keywords like " Google algorithm update" to catch the news as soon as it comes out.
Track your rankings
Monitor your rankings to quickly spot any fluctuations or drops. Stay informed about how your site ranks for important keywords using a SERP rank tracker like AccuRanker.
If you notice a significant change in rankings without any content updates on the pages in question russia telephone number data an algorithm update may be in the works. Double-check news and Twitter conversations to be sure.
Use Google Grump (free SEO tool)
Wondering if the problem is Google or you? A quick hack to find the real culprit behind fluctuating rankings is to use a free SEO tool like Google Grump .
This handy little tool helps you literally track Google’s “mood.” The more moody it is, the higher the activity level and the higher the fluctuations in rankings.
Google Algorithm Grump
Google has four moods that indicate the level of activity around the world or in geographic areas.
Cold (0-10): Little to no activity. Google appears calm and rankings are not fluctuating.
Cautious (10-12): Light movement. If rankings continue to fluctuate over the next few days, this could signal a change in Google's algorithm.
Grumpy (12-15): Above average activity. Rankings are changing more than usual and an update is likely if this continues.
Furious (15+): High activity. Rankings fluctuate heavily and an algorithm update is likely in progress.
Google Grump’s algorithm analyzes 30,000 randomly selected keywords and calculates the average ranking fluctuation across the top 100 results per keyword, resulting in a score that falls into one of four moods.
The tool lets you view Google's mood swings going back to 2016. You can also track changes by device to see if there's a mobile-only or desktop-only update.
Follow Twitter conversations
Finally, go on Twitter and follow hashtags and tweets related to this topic. Follow accounts that actively post updates when there are significant changes.
For example, Google's official news account, Google Search Central , tweets about upcoming and breaking updates:
tick
Today, we released the September 2022 product reviews update for English product reviews. We will update our ranking version history page once the rollout is complete: https://t.co/sQ5COfdNcb
— Google Search Center (@googlesearchc) September 20, 2022
Twitter is also a great place to find out if an update has significantly impacted other businesses like yours. People often run polls and discuss the impacts after a recent update.
What to Do After Algorithm Update?
Keeping track of algorithm changes is great, but it’s useless if you don’t do something productive with that information. Here are a few actionable ways to take advantage of a major update:
Educate yourself
Big update coming? Is Google Grump red and angry? Don't panic!
Pause and understand what the update is about, who it will affect, and how important it is before you react. If you’re not fully aware of the specifics of the update, you won’t know what to look for and how to fix problems.
Learning about an update that’s still rolling out will also prepare you for any ranking fluctuations that may occur over the next few weeks, so that when it does happen, you’ll know why and can even cushion the blow.
Analyze the impact on your rankings
Once you know all about the update, figure out what it means for your site.
It’s possible that you’ll tick all the boxes and even see a slight boost in rankings – in that case, just relax and keep doing what you’re doing (or throw a party!)
If your rankings drop, take it as a sign to improve your strategy. Look at the affected pages and figure out what you’re doing wrong.
Then compare these pages to competitor sites that are not badly affected. Make note of any discrepancies before moving on to the next step.
Rethink your SEO strategy
If an update has affected your ranking in any way, it's time to make some changes.
Even if your site was positively impacted by an update, figure out what you did right and do more of it. Similarly, if your current tactics are doing more harm than good, adjust your strategy and try new tactics.
Keep track of the changes you make and see if you see a spike in rankings after a few days or weeks of implementation.
Follow SEO best practices
It's great to change your strategy after an update, but it's equally important to take precautions to avoid getting hit in the future.
Remember that the goal of these updates is to improve the overall search experience. Avoid spammy SEO tactics and always prioritize quality content to ensure your rankings don’t suffer too much after a major update is released.
Here are some of Google's timeless SEO best practices to keep in mind when creating content for your site.
Keep Your SEO Strategy Updated with AccuRanker
Understanding how the Google algorithm works and keeping up with updates can help you prevent your site from losing valuable traffic and conversions.
Regularly check the latest SEO news, track your rankings, and follow conversations on Twitter to stay up to date on Google's algorithm changes.
Then take appropriate steps to fix problems with your strategy or repeat efforts that clearly brought you satisfactory results.
Use AccuRanker to track keyword ranking changes as they happen. Confirm your suspicions using our free tool Google Grump. And don't forget to check the news to stay up to date on official announcements from Google.
