Summary of "Google’s Core & Spam Update, Core Web Vital Changes, and More | #SEOUpdateByYoast"

Podcast Title: The Yoast SEO Podcast
Host: Tako Verdonsgrad
Release Date: March 27, 2024
Episode: Google’s Core & Spam Update, Core Web Vital Changes, and More | #SEOUpdateByYoast

Introduction

In the March 2024 episode of The Yoast SEO Podcast, host Tako Verdonsgrad leads a comprehensive discussion with SEO experts Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss. The trio delves into the latest happenings in the SEO landscape, including Google’s recent Core and Spam updates, changes in Core Web Vitals, the appointment of Google’s new Head of Search, updates in WordPress 6.5, and the introduction of Bluehost Cloud. The episode concludes with a keen Q&A session addressing listeners' pressing SEO queries.

Google’s Core and Spam Updates

Overview of the Updates

Alex Moss opens the discussion by highlighting the quality of recent SEO news, despite a lower quantity. The focus quickly shifts to Google’s simultaneous rollout of Core and Spam updates.

Carolyn Shelby elaborates on the nature of these updates, emphasizing Google's aggressive strategy in deploying multiple updates concurrently. She notes, “Google has been rolling out tons of updates either at once or stacked on top of each other” (03:45).

Core Update Details

The latest Core update, still in its rollout phase approximately three weeks in, is expected to conclude within a month. Carolyn points out, “If you saw a catastrophic drop in traffic, congratulations, you've been hit by the update” (07:45). The consensus is that significant traffic drops indicate being affected by the update.

New Spam Policies

Carolyn introduces three new spam policies:

1. Expired Domain Abuse: Registering expired domains to hijack valuable backlinks.
2. Scaled Content Abuse: Mass-producing AI-generated content at inhuman speeds.
3. Reputation Abuse: Renting out subdomains from high-authority sites for low-value purposes.

She expresses approval of Google’s crackdown on Reputation Abuse, stating, “Google's really coming down on that now and saying that if you have these low-value sites that you're putting on your subdomain, it's going to adversely affect the primary domain” (07:45). Carolyn warns against relying on expired domains unless they are directly relevant, highlighting the diminishing returns over time.

Community Response and Implications

Alex mentions observations from the community, noting volatility in search results as the Core update wraps up. He references Barry Schwartz’s insights on the potential end of the rollout (08:42). The experts discuss the challenges of interpreting Google’s updates, especially with overlapping rollouts.

Carolyn adds that the increase in manual penalties signals Google’s intent to deter spam more effectively. She recalls past instances where Google targeted specific companies as cautionary tales and notes the shift towards broader enforcement (11:55).

Impact on AI-Generated Content

Both Carolyn and Alex acknowledge that AI-generated content is falling under stricter scrutiny. Carolyn states, “AI content websites have been deindexed” (16:25), reflecting Google's stance against mass-produced AI content.

Alex concurs, asserting that Google detects the unnatural pace of content creation: “Google can tell that the rate at which you're putting out new copy is just inhumanly fast” (07:45).

Core Web Vitals: Interaction to Next Paint (INP) Replaces First Input Delay (FID)

Understanding INP

Alex Moss introduces the shift from First Input Delay (FID) to Interaction to Next Paint (INP) as a Core Web Vital metric.

Carolyn Shelby explains, “INP indicates how quickly a web page is going to respond to a user's action, whereas FID was more of an early input metric” (19:56). INP provides a more comprehensive measure of user experience by assessing the lag experienced during interactions.

Implications for SEO

The transition to INP is expected to improve most websites' Core Web Vital scores, as INP is considered a more holistic and user-centric metric. Carolyn mentions, “Most of your scores are probably going to get better because FID was generally slower” (21:59).

Alex emphasizes that this change aligns metrics more closely with real human interactions, enhancing the relevance of Core Web Vitals in ranking algorithms.

Implementation and Best Practices

Carolyn advises, “Make sure that you’re handling all of your technical SEO, because making sure that the search engines can easily crawl and see all of your content is the biggest hurdle” (53:25). Both experts recommend focusing on:

• Reducing JavaScript load.
• Limiting main thread-blocking scripts.
• Ensuring timely user interactions.

They caution against obsessing over achieving perfect scores, suggesting that maintaining Green status is sufficient: “If it's Green. It's good. You don't have to be 100%” (23:20).

Appointment of Liz Reed as Google’s New Head of Search

Alex Moss and Carolyn Shelby discuss the implications of Liz Reed taking the helm as Google’s Head of Search. Both express curiosity about her AI-centric background and its potential influence on Google’s search strategies.

Alex speculates, “The consensus seems to be that they're going all in on AI” (23:58), anticipating increased AI integration into search experiences.

WordPress 6.5 Release and Bluehost Cloud

WordPress 6.5 Highlights

The conversation shifts to WordPress 6.5, which, although delayed by a week to April 2, promises several exciting features:

• Custom Font Uploads: Addressing developers' requests for greater typographic flexibility.
• Edit History: Tracking specific style revisions to monitor who changed what and when.
• Enhanced Translation Sorting: Improving the efficiency of managing translations.
• Interactivity API: Advanced feature catering to more technical users.

Carolyn directs listeners to Yoast’s blog for an in-depth look at WordPress 6.5’s features (46:46).

Introduction of Bluehost Cloud

Carolyn introduces Bluehost Cloud, a new hosting solution tailored exclusively for WordPress. Key highlights include:

• Optimized for WordPress: Enhanced speed, security, and reliability.
• Managed Hosting: Dedicated support from WordPress experts.
• Enterprise-Level Service: Starting at $30/month, ideal for agencies and managing multiple websites.

She enthuses, “It sounds like a really great product… they’re really proud of this and it was exciting to see the rollout” (44:09). Alex adds his enthusiasm, mentioning positive initial tests with the service (46:17).

AI in SEO: Current Trends and Future Directions

The podcast delves into the evolving role of AI in SEO:

• AI Regulation: Discussion on the European AI Act, its limitations, and potential impacts on AI development (32:39).
• Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): Insights from an interview with Sam Altman about the future of AGI and its role in assisting human evolution without adverse effects (33:13).
• Search Generative Experience (SGE): Marcus Tober from Semrush predicts that as SGE takes more SERP real estate, traditional SEO strategies will gain increased value due to heightened competition (37:34).

Carolyn and Alex express cautious optimism about AI’s integration, stressing the importance of adapting to technological advancements while maintaining quality and ethical standards.

Audience Q&A

The episode concludes with an engaging Q&A session addressing various listener questions:

1. Are there sites benefiting from the Core Update?

   • Both experts note that while direct "wins" are rare, maintaining stable rankings can be considered a success.

2. Importance of Ranked Keywords for News Articles:

   • Carolyn emphasizes focusing on current, trending phrases rather than historical keyword data for effective news SEO.

3. Impact of Google Updates on Google Ads:

   • Alex suggests that updates primarily affect organic rankings, though there may be indirect effects on paid traffic strategies.

4. Overcoming Drops in Impressions Due to Updates:

   • The experts recommend waiting for the update to fully roll out before making significant changes and suggest consulting SEO specialists for tailored strategies.

5. Detecting If a Site Has Been Hacked:

   • Carolyn advises using the site: operator in Google Search (e.g., site:abc.com) to identify unexpected pages or content, indicating potential hacks.

Conclusion

The March 2024 episode of The Yoast SEO Podcast offers a thorough analysis of recent SEO developments, providing listeners with actionable insights and expert opinions. From understanding Google’s aggressive update strategies to adapting to new Core Web Vitals metrics and leveraging AI advancements, Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss equip SEO professionals with the knowledge to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape. The episode underscores the importance of staying informed, maintaining quality standards, and embracing technological innovations to sustain and enhance online presence.

For more detailed insights and updates, listeners are encouraged to visit Yoast's official blog.