Google’s March 2024 Updates: Adapting Content and SEO Strategies

April 4, 2024

What’s Happening?

On March 5, 2024, Google announced significant updates to its search algorithms, focusing on enhancing content quality and combating spam. At Tandem Theory, a data-driven marketing agency with a proven track record of SEO success, we understand the importance of staying ahead of these algorithm shifts.

These updates included the core update aimed at reducing unhelpful content by 40%, according to a Search Engine Land report, and Spam Updates targeting manipulative practices like scaled content and expired domain abuse.

Google has estimated these updates will take approximately 30 days to fully roll out, though this timeline could change. However, search performance fluctuations can occur during the rollout period.

Challenges + Solutions with Tandem Theory

The main challenge lies in adapting web content and SEO strategies to meet Google’s March 2024 updates. This means ensuring high-quality, relevant content that complies with new spam policies.

At Tandem Theory, we leverage our vast experience in SEO to help businesses navigate these updates. We can help you:

Content Audit and Improvement: Identify and improve low-quality pages through a comprehensive content audit, ensuring your content is valuable to your target audience.
Data-Driven SEO Strategy: Develop a data-driven SEO strategy aligned with Google’s latest guidelines, focusing on creating content that satisfies real users.
Performance Monitoring and Optimization: Monitor your organic performance in Google Search Console and make any necessary adjustments based on the impact of the algorithm update.

The Core Update: A Focus on User Satisfaction

Google’s core updates typically focus on a single core ranking system. However, the March 2024 update had changes to multiple core systems. This means sites may see no impact one week when one system is updated, but then may see an impact in organic performance the next week as a different core system is updated.

While Google has not provided specific information on how each core system change will impact results, their message is clear: websites focused on creating high-quality, user-centric content will be rewarded.

Spam Policy Changes: Maintaining Content Integrity

The spam policy changes will address practices that impact the quality of Google’s search results. These changes focus on three main areas:

Expired Domain Abuse: Refers to buying old domains to unfairly boost search rankings with unrelated, low-quality content.
Scaled Content Abuse: Involves mass-producing poor-quality content to unfairly influence search rankings.
Site Reputation Abuse: Involves using unrelated third-party content to unfairly boost a site’s search rankings without proper oversight.

Next Steps

Continue to prioritize the end user when creating content.
Conduct a content audit to identify and improve low-quality pages.
Monitor Google Search Status Dashboard for updates from Google on when the rollout is completed.
Monitor organic performance in Google Search Console to identify the impact of the algorithm update on the website.

Ready to optimize your content and maintain top rankings in Google Search?

Contact Tandem Theory today! Our team of SEO experts can help you develop a data-driven strategy to adapt to Google’s updates and achieve your business goals. Let’s work together to ensure your website remains a valuable resource for your target audience and thrives in the ever-evolving search landscape. Get in touch with us at hello@tandemtheory.com.

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