Google September 2022 Core Update: Mash World’s Analysis

The majority of website owners, SEO professionals, and search marketers know exactly why Google calls their major search algorithm updates “Core Updates”. It is because these updates’ impact is significant enough to cause permanent changes in the way SEO is practiced for years to come. Today, it seems like Google September 2022 Core Update is no exception.

So, what is Google’s September 2022 Core Update about? And how should website owners respond?

Google’s Three Core Updates in One Month

On September 12, 2022, Google rolled out a core algorithm update that was completed on September 26th of the same year. A short time before that, Google released two other important algorithm updates. Namely, the Helpful Content Update, and the fifth version of the Product Reviews Update.

In the SEO community, this undoubtedly led to a great lot of confusion and frustration. Because the simultaneous rollout of these three significant algorithm modifications did not give content creators, SEO experts, and search marketers enough time to fully comprehend the implications and results of these algorithm changes.

In addition to that, it makes the task of analyzing these algorithm updates nearly impossible. Because first, it’s extremely challenging to tell whether a ranking drop or increase is caused by one update or the other.

Second, it’s very difficult to pinpoint the exact cause behind search ranking volatility due to the use of various ranking signals in organic search results.

As a result, Mash World’s analysis of the latest core update’s effects is speculative and based on available data.

Websites Affected by Google September 2022 Core Update

Google September 2022 Core Update is a global update that affects all regions, all languages, and all types of content. This core update aims to reward or demote specific websites, based on newly introduced search ranking signals.

Generally speaking, ranking volatility reported during Google’s September 2022 Core Update, so far, seems to be about 53% less substantial than that recorded during Google’s May 2022 Core Update.

However, ranking volatility tends to paint a different picture for different website categories. The most volatile website categories during Google September 2022 Core Update include:

• Online Communities.
• Hobbies and Leisure.
• Pets and Animals.
• Beauty and Fitness.
• Games.

To truly be able to capture what is taking place behind the scenes with Google’s September 2022 core update, it’s crucial to recognize that even when the Google algorithm was in the process of rewarding/demoting websites, September’s 2022 update tended to be less impactful overall.

However, a small percentage of websites could potentially be responsible for considerable gains or losses.

Examples include websites, such as Amazon, which saw a massive visibility increase in the e-commerce and shopping category. On the other hand, YouTube recorded the biggest loss, in terms of online visibility in the arts and entertainment category.

Impact of Google September 2022 Core Update

When it comes to organic search visibility, the first noticeable byproduct of September’s 2022 core update is its impact on the websites below:

1. News Websites

News websites recorded major declines in visibility. One possible explanation for this decline is that Google is attempting to reduce the number of news results it displays for various relevant queries, despite the fact that this is the polar opposite of a query that deserves freshness (a ranking signal that serves up-to-date information).

However, when attempting to analyze the rankings of news websites, we must always proceed with caution, The is because news rankings are somehow unreliable. For instance, Google may rank a news web page higher when the news is breaking. But, as the news cycle shifts, the article’s search ranking rapidly declines.

2. Government Websites

As a result of Google’s September 2022 core algorithm update, government websites witnessed online visibility increases of up to 30% or more.

Mash World SEO experts believe that this reinforces Google’s recent emphasis on updating its search algorithm to favor highly authoritative sources such as government websites and medical authorities, particularly during times of crisis. In addition to that, Google’s September 2022 core update reversed the May core update for the biggest health sites and medical journals, such as Mayo Clinic, and Cleveland Clinic.

3. Music Websites

Some of the biggest gains of September’s 2022 core update are reported by music websites, such as Spotify, SoundCloud, and Shazam. This highlights Google’s intent to show fewer lyrics content, and more music player websites when users search for individual songs. Naturally, the majority of lyrics websites experienced major ranking declines as a result of this update.

4. Dictionary Websites

Similar to lyrics websites, dictionary websites saw massive ranking losses as a result of September’s 2022 core update. This simply reflects Google’s search algorithm intent shift in terms of word definitions and dictionary-related search queries.

5. E-commerce Websites

Google’s September 2022 core update caused significant fluctuations in the search rankings of various e-commerce websites. Amazon benefited the most from this update and the fifth Product Reviews update with regard to online visibility.

6. Stocks Photography Websites

Stock photography websites underwent substantial ranking declines due to September’s 2022 core update. This means Google is actively limiting stock photography search results for a number of search queries.

 

On a separate note, Google’s September 2022 core update introduced new ways to use search. As you start typing in the search bar, Google will suggest ways to finish your sentence. Additionally, it will provide facts, images, videos, and “tips from people” to help you explore a given topic.

Recover From Google September 2022 Core Update

The best way to respond to a core search algorithm update is to first understand how Google’s Search Engine works, and what’s the intention behind releasing the latest core update.

Google’s Search Engine is an artificially intelligent engine that uses a unique method called “Deep Learning”, to make sense of the different content published on websites, and determine whether it’s relevant to a user’s search query.

To dig a little deeper, this Deep Learning method relies on a number of key ranking signals, used to rank websites on search engine results pages (SERPs), in order to answer users’ search queries.

One of the most important ranking signals is high-quality specialized content, that matches users’ search intent. As a result, Google looks for more than just keywords on a web page, but, rather their actual meaning.

Another ranking signal you need to pay attention to is the quality of your website’s mobile experience. This implies that your website must be fast, and user-friendly on mobile devices.

In addition to that, you should consider optimizing your website for voice search. By allowing users to access information on their mobile phones, using voice-controlled virtual assistants, such as Siri on iPhones.

 

Conclusion

The exact impact of September’s 2022 core update is not clear yet. Therefore, to improve your online visibility and website ranking, you need to consider hiring an SEO company.

At Mash World, we focus on optimizing your website’s content, in line with SEO best practices, and webmaster guidelines. This assures that you not only stay on the safe side during the release of core updates, but, also experience major gains in terms of online visibility, conversions, and lead generation.

Feel free to reach out to our team of SEO experts, to make the most out of Google’s Search Engine for your business and website.

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