Google's August 2024 Core Update Sparks Backlash Amid Content Creators’ Concerns
In August 2024, Google introduced a significant update to its search algorithm, sparking widespread concern and criticism among content creators and website owners. Dubbed the "August Core Update," this latest change aims to improve the quality of search results by prioritizing genuinely useful content and reducing the visibility of content designed solely to rank well in search engines. However, this update has led to a dramatic shift in website traffic, with many site owners reporting substantial losses. As Google grapples with rising competition from AI-powered search engines, the timing of this update has been questioned, with some viewing it as a risky move that could undermine trust in the tech giant, even before AI search engines gain dominance.
Google Rolls Out August 2024 Core Update
On August 15, 2024, Google launched its latest core update, continuing its efforts to refine search results by promoting high-quality content and demoting content that appears to be optimized primarily for search engine rankings. This update, Google states, is a response to feedback from content creators and aims to better recognize improvements made by websites, ensuring that the most valuable content is prominently featured in search results. Additionally, Google has updated its help page to offer more detailed guidance for those who may be impacted by this change, further emphasizing its commitment to showcasing genuinely useful content.
Website Traffic Plummets for Many Site Owners
Following the August update, a survey conducted by SERoundtable.com revealed that over 50% of 1,410 website owners experienced a decrease in traffic. Many website owners took to online forums to express their frustration. For instance, a user named Kunalsaxena reported a sharp drop in impressions, from 2,000 daily to just 300. Another user, Rusbell Madrigal, mentioned an 80% traffic decrease on one of their non-AI content sites. Perhaps most striking was XvoodoomanX, who saw 99% of their website’s traffic disappear overnight. These widespread losses have left many content creators questioning the effectiveness and fairness of Google's latest algorithm adjustment, with some wondering if it's worth continuing to invest in optimizing their sites for Google Search at all.
Winners of the Update: A Questionable Victory
Google has positioned the update as particularly beneficial to small and independent publishers producing high-quality, user-focused content. The company claims that such sites, which regularly update content and incorporate multimedia elements like videos and infographics, are now enjoying increased visibility. However, evidence from various small publisher groups tells a different story. Many independent content creators report no significant improvement in traffic, and some even suggest that Google is favoring its own platforms and larger partners instead.
There is speculation that Google’s real motive might be to gather quality data for training its AI models. Following a failed partnership with Reddit, Google is allegedly looking to acquire more high-quality training data, which could explain why some "good training material" is being promoted. Reports suggest that Reddit, for example, has seen a significant traffic boost after the update, possibly as a promising way to encourage higher quality user generated content to train Gemini. Gemini is now facing a desperate issue of training data shortage. Users can even use Gemini API for free by letting Google use their data for training. Despite reaching out for comments, Google has yet to respond to these allegations.
Aftermath of the 2023 HCU Update: Trust Eroded Further
This latest update follows the controversial September 2023 Helpful Content Update (HCU), which also aimed to prioritize genuinely helpful content but ended up causing significant traffic and ranking drops for many small to medium-sized websites. Content creators expressed frustration as their carefully curated, user-focused content was demoted, while low-quality content from larger sites continued to rank well. This previous update also introduced changes affecting AI-generated and third-party content hosted on primary or subdomains, adding to the confusion and challenges for site owners. Many website owners, particularly those relying on organic search traffic, found themselves struggling to recover from these setbacks, leading to widespread discontent and skepticism about Google's intentions.
Google Faces New Threats from AI-Powered Competitors, but it might have commit Suicide before that Comes true
Google’s dominance in the search market is being challenged by the rise of AI-powered search engines like OpenAI’s SearchGPT and other similar platforms. These platforms offer more conversational and context-aware search experiences, attracting users who prefer quick, synthesized answers over traditional lists of links. As these AI-driven search engines gain traction, Google is under increasing pressure to innovate and retain its user base. However, the company’s recent core updates, including the August 2024 update, risk alienating users and content creators before AI-powered competitors can make a significant impact.
Interestingly, while AI-driven search engines like SearchGPT pose a growing threat to Google's market dominance, there is speculation that Google may lose the trust of its users and content creators even before these AI platforms can significantly disrupt the market. The company's increasingly aggressive updates and perceived monopolistic practices may be paving the way for its own downfall, long before AI competitors can seize control.
Yelp Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google
In a related development, Yelp filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google in August 2024, accusing the search giant of using its monopoly to dominate local search and advertising markets. This lawsuit follows a federal judge’s ruling earlier in the month that Google violated U.S. antitrust laws. Yelp claims that Google manipulates search results to favor its own local search services, effectively stifling competition. The lawsuit alleges that Google’s practices harm businesses like Yelp by reducing their traffic and revenue.
Specifically, Yelp accuses Google of using its dominance in general search to unfairly promote its own local search offerings, preventing users from accessing higher-quality reviews on platforms like Yelp. Yelp’s complaint highlights that 32% of reviews on Google have no text, compared to Yelp’s platform, where review text is mandatory. Google, however, maintains that Yelp’s claims are not new and has vowed to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.
Recovering from the August Core Update: Try with Caution
For website owners affected by the August update, Google recommends using tools like Google Search Console to assess the impact. The company advises waiting until the update is fully rolled out before analyzing site performance. If significant drops in rankings or traffic are observed, Google suggests reviewing the top pages and queries, and comparing search types separately. The search giant also offers a self-assessment guide to help creators improve their content’s quality and alignment with Google's criteria. (We don't find it useful at all)