A Double Algorithm Update for June & July 2021 | Varn News

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8 June 2021

Important Announcement from Google: A Double Algorithm Update for June & July 2021

On 2nd June 2021, Google’s Search Liaison team took to Twitter to announce the roll-out of a broad core algorithm update, named the June 2021 Core Update. These updates occur every couple of months, with the last core update being released in December 2020.


Google Update Image

However, as you can see from the tweet, this Core Update is slightly different from what we usually see, with Google announcing a core update in June, shortly followed by another in July.

google-algorithm-large

Google went on to explain that some of the improvements they planned to include in the update were not ready in time to include in the June release, hence the need for a two-part update split across June and July.

During these updates, many sites experience some fluctuation in rankings, with each update affecting different industries at different scales. The process of rolling out a Core Algorithm Update would usually take around 2 weeks and following this period, rankings tend to stabilise, at which point each website can monitor any gains or losses and take necessary action. However, this is the first time we have seen two Core Updates being released so closely, (or one update released in two parts). That means that this time, we will have to wait longer to see the true impact on site rankings.

Google specifically mentioned this when announcing the update, noting that:


google-algorithm-quote

Therefore, it appears that rather than reacting to any changes following the June update, we will have to delay any actions until the July update has settled.

Our Recommendation

Instead of panicking or reacting quickly to the June update, we would instead recommend focusing your efforts on ensuring your site is as optimised and user-friendly as possible, before the July update.

What to do if my rankings drop?

As mentioned above, it is going to take more time than usual to see if the June/July Core Updates have negatively impacted site rankings. However, if after both updates have been rolled out and a couple of weeks have passed for the results to settle you have seen a drop in your rankings, then it is time to review the type of content which dropped and look to identify any patterns. More information on how to recover from updates can be found in our previous blog.

What about the Core Web Vitals update?

As well as a double algorithm update, we also have the Google Page Experience update coming in the next couple of months. The update that was originally supposed to be rolled out in May of this year, was postponed, with Google announcing some items of the update will roll out in mid-June, with full update being live by the end of August. 

So, with at least three Google Updates confirmed for the next couple of months, it is likely to be a volatile time for organic rankings. The new situation of the two-part update will require patience before reacting to position changes. However, as Google remind us with the announcement of each update, continuing to focus your SEO efforts on providing quality content and great user-experience are the best ways to help protect your site’s rankings.

If you have any questions or are seeking some advice and support about these updates then do contact us at Varn, we are here to help.

Article by: Katie, Technical SEO Expert More articles by Katie

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