June 2022 - Ongoing Google Algorithm Update Impact

Google’s latest Core Algorithm Update has spilled over into the first week of June 2022.

The ongoing effects of the May 2022 Core Algorithm Update continues to cause widespread changes and unpredictable, hour-to-hour fluctuations in the search results that have left more than a few SEOs scratching their heads.

As we wait to see distinct patterns and understand who the biggest winners and losers of the May Core update were, the search results now look rather different to this time two weeks earlier.

Where Are We Up to With Algorithm Updates?

After more than 6-months of waiting, Google finally announced a core update on the 26th of May. The announcement was followed by a brief period of extreme volatility with some industries (e-commerce) seeing huge gains, while other industries (news, informational sites, online learning resources) seeing big drops across the board.

On the 9th June, the Google Search Liaison Twitter account confirmed that, after 15-days, the May 2022 core algorithm update had finished rolling out.

The Fallout from the Latest Core Algorithm Update

Following an unpredictable first 5-days, the algorithm update seemed to kick into second gear leading to sustained volatility between the 1st and 10th of June 2022.

As we often see with Google’s core algorithm updates, the first day following the announcement from the Search Liaison Twitter account is high impact. From there, we observed 3-4 days of moderate volatility which lulled many into thinking that the core update had not been very severe.

Chart of Google Algorithm Changes June 2022

*Data courtesy of Semrush

Even now, we expect that the search results will change and evolve drastically over the next 1-2 weeks. Yes, many of the significant changes are now visible, but that does not mean search results will remain the same over the coming weeks.

Remember, Google is constantly refining its search algorithm. While it is unlikely that we will see a confirmed June 2022 algorithm update, you should still expect to see large shifts in the SERPs over the coming weeks.

What to Do if You Were Impacted by the May Core Update

As we always recommend with any core update, do not make changes until the dust settles. Yes, Google announced that the update had finished rolling out on the 9th of June, but that does not mean that things have completely settled. We recommend observing winners and losers from the recent update to identify any patterns that may be emerging in your industry.

If your website has been impacted by the latest algorithm update, we recommend referring back to the “What site owners should know about Google’s core updates” document that was published by Google in 2019. From this document, the advice is as follows:

• Create original, valuable content with insights and analysis
• Create a complete and comprehensive description of the topic
• Do not copy other sources. If you are referencing other sources, provide new insights and value to the topic.
• Write descriptive, insightful headlines
• Content should be written by someone who understands the content intimately
• Address the topic to meet user expectations
• Ensure correct spelling and grammar throughout

What Should I Do Next?

As we recommend with any core algorithm update, do not make drastic changes until you have diagnosed the root of the issue. If your website has seen large drops over the last two weeks, we recommend looking at competitors in your niche to understand the content, technical, or off-site gaps that may currently exist.

Similarly, if you have seen improvements in search traffic and rankings over the past fortnight, it’s important to understand what is working and continue to implement that into your SEO strategy going forward.

If, like many website owners, you are not sure where to start – it may be time to get in touch with an SEO professional who can guide you through what this means and how you can develop a long-term SEO strategy.

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