Google’s Core Update: What You Need to Know, Part 2
Google has officially wrapped up its August 2024 Core Update, which rolled out between August 15 and early September. As with previous core updates, this one triggered major volatility in search rankings, reshuffling visibility across nearly every industry.
But what’s unique about this update is who benefited and what it signals for content strategy moving forward.
The Big Shift: Independent Publishers on the Rise
Unlike past updates that often boosted major domains, this one appears to have favored smaller, independent content creators and publishers. Google’s continued push to surface content that’s “genuinely useful” is becoming more nuanced, rewarding:
- Sites with original insights
- Niche expertise
- High-quality writing and structure
This should be seen as a wake-up call to websites still relying on outdated content strategies or SEO shortcuts.
What Google Wants (Still)
The core of Google’s algorithm hasn’t changed:
- Create helpful, people-first content
- Avoid content created only to game rankings
- Follow E-E-A-T principles: Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness
If you were negatively impacted by this update, start by:
- Auditing your content for originality and depth
- Removing or consolidating thin content
- Updating older content to better align with search intent
What to Watch Next
Google is increasingly tying algorithm updates to AI-assisted ranking factors (see the rise of AI Overviews). As such, traditional SEO fundamentals still matter, but now quality signals are also being fed into AI models that summarize search results.
Expect more changes as Google continues to experiment with how information is presented and ranked. In the meantime, keep an eye on your visibility and traffic patterns. Most importantly, keep your content human, useful, and trustworthy.
