Google plans to reward websites with high-quality content, stating that sites offering helpful information can expect better search rankings.
The lost ranking fallout from Google’s September Helpful Content and March core updates continue to cause concern, prompting further questions on how and when sites will recover.
John Mueller, Google’s senior search analyst, replied to questions on X, explaining there are more than page-level updates at play. Google’s search team is evaluating how to ensure sites producing high-quality content will bounce back from lost rankings in the following core update.
SEO consultant Glenn Gabe led the conversation:
Travel writer Katie Caf’s reply to Muller’s response hit home with many small site owners:
GenZod, a New York publisher, joined the conversation to discuss how sites will bounce back from Google’s recent updates.
Mueller added:
- “I can’t make any promises, but the team working on this is explicitly evaluating how sites can / will improve in Search for the next update. It would be great to show more users the content that folks have worked hard on and where sites have taken helpfulness to heart.”
Google acknowledges the pathway to recovery is complex
Site owners and SEO professionals are still concerned about their rankings being drastically reduced by recent core updates and want to know if following Google’s content guidelines will lead to better rankings in the next update.
Mueller addressed these concerns in late April, acknowledging the recovery process is complex:
- “Some things take much longer to be reassessed (sometimes months, at the moment), and some bigger effects require another update cycle.”
Mueller also said:
- “Not all changes would require a new update cycle, but cautioned that stronger effects will require another update.”
When can site owners expect rank improvements?
Despite the uncertainty, in early May, Mueller gave site owners affected by recent updates some hope they would recover.
Here’s a recap of his reply:
The takeaway for site owners and SEO Professionals
Google acknowledges the ranking issues caused by recent updates and is actively improving how it recognizes and rewards high-quality content sites in the next update.
According to Google, following their guidelines and producing valuable, high-quality content is the best way to enhance search performance.
Patience and quality content are crucial to recovery
Although Google is addressing concerns and working on improving affected site rankings in the coming core update, it further advises that recovery requires thorough analysis, patience, and persistent effort.
Until that update arrives, the key to recovery is producing high-quality content relative to your niche and a large serving of patience!
