2024 Google Search Algorithm Leak and What it Means to Pet Businesses
Last updated on June 30th, 2024 at 02:23 pm
Google, if you’re reading this, it’s too late. 😉 (Mike King)
On May 27, 2024 I was planning to spend a peaceful Monday morning savoring a hot cup of coffee while cuddling my two dogs Kuya and Bunso.
Instead, I almost dropped my phone after I read this jaw-dropping news in the SEO community.
“No, not again.” I sighed.
Let me break it down for you.
On the same day, Rand Fishkin (CEO of SparkToro and founder of Moz), and Mike King (CEO of iPullRank), shared explosive details about a leak involving Google’s Content Warehouse API.
This data was obtained on May 5th by a source who later identified himself as Efran Azimi from EA Eagle Digital.
Over the past few weeks, Rand and Mike have been meticulously verifying this information, and the findings are astonishing. They’ve uncovered 14,014 “ranking features” that shed light on how Google decides which websites show up first when you search for something online.
Google confirmed the leak on May 29, 2024.
Honestly, I am so tired of hearing about these Google Algorithm updates. They’re brutal.
I don’t really want to talk about it.
But, since I’m already knee-deep into writing a comprehensive guide on local SEO for pet business owners (coming very soon), I figured this development is too significant to put off.
And, if this is your first time learning about SEO and Google algorithm updates, don’t worry I’m here for you.
I will do my best to help you understand what this leak means for your pet business and how to use this information to your advantage.
BUT first,
- I’m NOT a tech SEO – Sure, I publish content that revolves around SEO and content writing (because that’s what I do), but in terms of technical SEO, I am in no way an expert. Much of these information is Greek to me. So, my understanding of this leak is based on what I know and have practiced all these years. But, I’m sure we will have more details soon.
- SEO is still not dead – Given this information, I think this Google Algorithm leak is not entirely a bad thing. Rather, it’s still pushing us in the right direction while leaving room for flexibility and forgiveness. Well, we can hate Google all we want, but our business still needs Google, undeniably.
- No quick fixes here – If your website has been hit by this Google Algorithm update, and you’re looking for “hacks” or “quick fixes”, this is not for you. Here at Pet Content Solutions, I try my best to offer simple SEO tips as much as I can. But simple doesn’t always mean fast and easy.
Fine, there’s a leak, so, why should I care?
Google’s algorithm is like the master key that unlocks online visibility. When someone searches for “best pet groomer near me” or “healthy dog food options,” Google’s algorithm decides which websites appear at the top of the search results.
More visibility means more customers, more appointments, and more happy pets visiting your business.
With this leak, we now have a clearer picture of how Google ranks websites. This gives us a fantastic opportunity to tweak and improve our websites, making sure our business stands out in local SEO searches.
Over the next few sections, we’ll talk about:
- What exactly is Google’s search algorithm? We’ll break down how it works in simple terms.
- Key insights from the leaked documents that are especially relevant to your pet business.
- Actionable steps you can take to improve your website’s visibility on Google.
And don’t worry if you’re new to all of this. I’ll keep things straightforward and provide links to more resources if you want to dive deeper.
Let’s jump right in.
Affiliate Disclaimer: Pet Content Solutions is a proud partner of the Amazon Services LLC Associates and other pet businesses. Therefore, this blog post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission for qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Funds go to chimken, veggies, and toys for my dogs Kuya and Bunso. Please read the disclaimer for more info.
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What are Google Algorithms?
Think of Google’s algorithms as the secret recipe that decides which websites appear at the top when you search for something online.
Google uses a combination of algorithms to find and rank the best websites for your search query.
For example, when you type “best dog groomer near me” Google quickly sifts through billions of web pages to find the best dog groomer near you.
This process is powered by its algorithms—a set of rules and calculations designed to evaluate each page based on several criteria, like location, the quality of the content, the number of other sites linking to it, and how users interact with it.
The algorithm looks at:
- Relevance: How closely the content on a website matches what you’re looking for.
- Authority: How trustworthy and reputable the website is.
- User Experience: How easy and enjoyable the website is to use.
Imagine Google’s algorithm as a super-smart librarian. When you ask for a book on “caring for puppies,” it doesn’t just hand you the first book it finds.
Google considers which books are the most informative, popular, and easiest to read before recommending the best ones to you.
What’s a Google Algorithm Update?
Now, just like how training techniques for pets evolve, Google’s algorithms are constantly being updated to improve how they rank websites.
These updates can be thought of as tweaks or changes to the recipe that make it better at finding the best answers.
In the early days of Google, these updates were rare and big events. Nowadays, Google makes thousands of updates every year—most of them are so small that we don’t even notice them.
These tiny changes help Google stay accurate and up-to-date with what people need.
But to give you an idea, here are some of the most noted Google algorithm updates since 202.3.
September 2023 Helpful Content Update
Duration: September 14 to September 28, 2023
HIghlights
- Google loosened the guidance on AI-generated content
- Helpful Content System is cracking down on third-party content hosted on subdomains or the main part of the website
- New warnings on attempts to fake updates to pages and faking freshness
- Google’s Gary Illyes offers insights on how the Helpful Content System determines sitewide signals
- New guidance on how to recover from a Helpful Content Update
October 2023 Spam Update
Duration: October 4, 2023 to October 19, 2023
Highlights
- Google has improved its spam detection mechanisms.
- The October 2023 Spam Update enhances coverage for multiple languages and various types of spam.
- Review Google’s spam policies to ensure compliance if you notice changes post-update.
October 2023 Core Update
Duration: October 5 to October 19, 2023
Highlights
- Google released a new core update.
- Rankings may fluctuate over the next few weeks.
- Patience is essential during this time.
November 2023 Core Update
Duration: November 2 to November 28, 2023
Highlights
- Google has begun rolling out the November 2023 core update.
- This marks the second major update in as many months. A rare occurance.
- If your site is affected, review Google’s updated core update guidance for tips.
November 2023 Reviews Update
Duration: November 8 to December 7 2023
Highlights
- Google is rolling out the November 2023 reviews update starting today.
- The update will regularly evaluate review and opinion-based content without further announcements.
- Sites offering reviews should focus on meeting Google’s quality guidelines to adapt to the new system.
March 2024 Core Update
Duration: March 5 2024 – April 19
Completion of the update Announced April 26
Highlights
- Google’s March 2024 Core Update includes algorithm changes to improve search result quality and new spam policies.
- The update aims to reduce low-quality, unoriginal content in search results by 40%.
- New spam policies target scaled content abuse, site reputation abuse, and expired domain abuse.
May 6 2024 Site Reputation Abuse
May 14 2024 AI Overviews
Google introduces AI-generated summaries (previously known as SGE) to U.S. search results, utilizing the new Gemini model designed specifically for search.
Highlights
- Google is rolling out AI-generated overviews to US search results.
- Search will offer multi-step reasoning for complex questions and queries.
- This article provides tips to optimize for AI overviews.
What I learned from this 2024 Google Search Algorithm leak
Here’s a breakdown of my most interesting and important findings from this 2024 Google Search Algorithm leak. Just a gentle reminder, this is based on my understanding, given my limited knowledge and skills with technical SEO.
1. Google Knows your Website Exists
- Google has a way of marking small websites and blogs separately from larger ones. This could mean Google recognizes the uniqueness of smaller sites and possibly gives them a “special” kind of attention, whatever that means, we’re still not sure.
2. Site Authority Score
- Google uses a ‘Site Authority’ score to judge how trustworthy and reliable your site is. The higher your score, the better your chances of appearing at the top of search results.
3. User Clicks Matter
- Google tracks how long people click and stay on your site from search results (called NavBoost). If users spend a long time on your site and return often, Google sees your site as valuable.
4. Chrome Visits Are Monitored
- Google watches how users interact with your site through the Chrome browser to understand behavior better. This helps them judge the quality of your site.
5. Ranking Adjustments Between Major Updates
- Google has “twiddlers,” which are small adjustments to rankings between major updates. These can subtly shift your site’s position in search results.
6. Avoid Over-Optimized Anchor Text
- If you use the same keywords over and over (like always linking to your site with “best pet care”), it can trigger a spam penalty.
7. Navigation and Domain Names Matter
- Poor website navigation and exact-match domain names (like “best-pet-care-services.com”) can hurt your rankings.
8. Google Tracks Page History
- Google keeps track of your web pages’ history, up to the last 20 versions. To really clean up a page’s past issues, you might need to update it several times.
9. Font Size and Text Weight Matter
- Google looks at how large your links are and how you use bold text. Bigger links and bolded text can positively impact your site’s ranking.
10. Keyword Stuffing is Penalized
- Overloading your content with too many keywords can hurt your rankings because Google can see it as spammy.
11. Google Watches Domain Expirations
- Google can see when domains expire and may flag sites using expired domains improperly.
12. Video Sites Have Special Classification
- If more than half of your pages have videos, Google might classify your site as a video site.
13. Special Ranking for YMYL Content
- “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) content, which affects users’ health, happiness, or finances, gets special attention from Google. While pet care might not fall strictly under YMYL, providing accurate and trustworthy content about pet health and wellness can help build authority and trust with your audience.
So, what do I do now?
Whew, that’s too much information in one day.
I know, right?
Don’t worry we’ll get through this together.
After all that’s said and done, what do we do now? Where do we go from here?
Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to help you navigate these changes and maintain a strong online presence:
1. Build and Strengthen Your Brand
- Create a Strong Identity: Your brand should be so distinctive and appealing that people seek you out no matter where they are online. Guess what, you can leverage blogging to achieve this.
- Share Your Expertise: Use your blog to share valuable insights, tips, and advice related to pet care. Whether it’s how to groom different breeds, the best pet diets, or the latest pet trends, blogging lets you establish yourself as a knowledgeable and trustworthy source.
- Tell Your Story: Blogs are a great way to connect with your audience on a personal level. Share stories about your journey, your team, and your passion for pets. This personal touch helps build a bond with your readers and reinforces your brand identity.
- Engage with the Community: Write blog posts about local pet events, spotlight local pet services, or interview fellow pet business owners. This positions you as an active and engaged member of the community, enhancing your reputation locally and beyond.
- Highlight Customer Stories: Showcase testimonials and success stories from your clients. If someone’s pet thrived under your care or loved your services, write a blog post about it. This not only boosts your credibility but also demonstrates your commitment to excellent pet care.
- Be Recognizable Everywhere: Whether it’s on your website, social media, your brand should be consistent and easily recognizable. This means using the same logo, colors, and voice across all platforms.
- Repurpose Your Content: If your website isn’t ranking well despite your best efforts, consider sharing your content on other platforms. Use blog content to fuel your social media. Share snippets, quotes, or tips from your blog posts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Linkedin. But, always guide your audience back to your main website, as it’s your primary online home and the place you control.
- Own Your Website: Remember, you don’t own social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram—Meta does. While it’s great to use these platforms to build your brand, ensure that your main website remains the hub of your online presence.
2. Content is King, User Experience is the Queen
Create Engaging Content
- Keep Visitors Busy: Your content should not only be informative but also engaging. Use interesting and varied formats like videos, infographics, and high-quality images to keep visitors interested. Also, keep those fingers clicking.
- Make Information Accessible: Use large, bold texts or highlights for important points. This not only grabs attention but also makes your content more readable and accessible.
Enhance User Experience:
- Easy Navigation: Make sure your website is easy to navigate. Clear menus and a logical layout help visitors find what they’re looking for quickly.
- Mobile-Friendly: Ensure your site works well on mobile devices. Many people search on their phones, especially when they’re on the go, like when they need to find a pet groomer in a hurry.
3. Create a Solid Link Building Strategy
Build Quality Links:
- Leverage HARO (Help a Reporter Out): Use services like HARO to get mentioned by journalists and bloggers. This can earn you valuable backlinks from reputable sites, boosting your site’s authority and visibility.
- Collaborate with Local Businesses: Partner with other local businesses for mutual link exchanges or guest posts. For example, a local vet or pet store might link to your grooming service, and vice versa.
4. Strengthen Your Author Bio and Author Archive
Optimize Your Author Information:
- Consistent Branding: Make sure your name and any writers on your site have consistent information across all platforms. If you mention your expertise on social media, make sure it matches what’s on your website.
- Build Trust: Include detailed bios of your team. Showcasing the faces and stories behind your business helps build trust and credibility with your audience.
5. Track the Progress of Your Content
Monitor Your Performance:
- Use Analytics Tools: Regularly check tools like Google Analytics to see how your content is performing. Look for which pages are getting the most visits, how long people are staying, and what they’re clicking on.
- Adjust Based on Data: Use this information to tweak and improve your content strategy. If a particular type of post is popular, consider creating more content like it.
6. Google Still Wants Fresh Content
Keep Your Content Updated:
- Regular Updates: Google likes fresh content, so regularly update your website with new blog posts, articles, or updates to existing pages. This signals to Google that your site is active and current.
- Genuine Updates: Don’t just change the publish date to make old content look new. Instead, genuinely refresh and improve the content to keep it relevant and useful.
7. Just Get to the Point
Provide Clear Answers:
- Answer Questions Directly: When someone visits your site looking for information, give them clear, direct answers. For instance, if you’re explaining the benefits of a certain dog food, start with the key points right away.
- Use Summaries and Tables of Contents: If your content is long, use summaries or tables of contents at the beginning. This helps visitors quickly find the information they’re looking for and understand the structure of your post.
Final thoughts
To wrap things up, we’ve talked about how Google’s search algorithms work and what the recent leak revealed about them.
As a service provider and fellow pet business owner, I admit that these Google algorithm changes can sometimes be overwhelming.
I mean, come on, I offer SEO content writing services, and even I have moments of doubt about whether my work will rank or not.
How the hell am I going to convince pet business owners to trust me with their SEO needs?
Heck, I even talked about how my dog blog was hit by the Google update in a previous blog post and I’m still in mourning.
But looking at the bright side, Google is not the devil here.
In fact, Google did us a favor.
Have you noticed how search results have improved lately? I have.
More and more real pet businesses are popping up in search results,
Which means, Google is FINALLY recognizing and valuing real businesses like ours.
And not content-only websites ie. website publishers who write about pets when they don’t even own one, EVER (I knooooowww).
What does it mean?
Google has started filtering out the irrelevant and spammy sites, giving real pet businesses like ours the spotlight.
It’s our golden opportunity to stand out and be noticed.
Moving forward, I will not say that my knowledge and skills in on page seo and content writing will help pet businesses rank on Google.
Rather, my goal is to help pet business owners like you build a strong and recognizable brand and get found EVERYWHERE through SEO.
In summary, I think SEO is still not dead, just evolving.
So, let’s focus on what we can control, stay flexible, and be ready to adapt to new updates.
We don’t know what the future holds.
But Google is here to stay, and so are we.
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Let us handle your SEO content needs from start to finish. We’ll write, upload, and optimize high quality content for your pet business, so you can attract more visitors and turn them into loyal customers.
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Read more about pet blogging and how to make more money from your website
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- How to buy a domain name from Namecheap: Step by Step Tutorial
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My Go-To Pet Business Blogging Resources
✅ Keysearch – The best and most affordable SEO keyword research tool on the market.
✅ Keyword Chef – Find the best keywords for your pet business with ease. Choose from monthly subscriptions or pay as you go.
✅ AlsoAsked – I love how I can use this to explore a chosen topic to a much deeper level, great for adding unique angles to a blog post.
✅ Frase – Supercharge your content creation with Frase! Optimize your blog posts for SEO and boost your rankings effortlessly.
✅ Kadence – My favorite theme for building a fast and beautiful blog.
✅ Astra – Another top theme choice that makes your blog look professional and load quickly. This is the first WordPress theme I used when I discovered blogging professionally in 2018. Still one of the best themes out there.
✅ WPX Hosting – Reliable and super-fast hosting with excellent support. Start blogging at $24.99 per month base plan.
✅ Interserver – In my opinion, the best web hosting service in the planet. I’m a happy paying customer since 2018. Use coupon code CHERRIEBALICTAR and get your first month for just $0.1. (Read more)
✅ Namecheap – Secure your perfect domain name at a great price. Because every pet business starts with a great domain! I get all my domain names here. (Video tutorial here)
✅ Legal Bundles – Protect your pet business with legal templates. Start your business with with peace of mind.
✅ Payhip – The best platform to sell your pet business products and digital downloads. Easy to use with powerful features.
✅ AI- infused Blog Post Templates by Nina Clapperton – Looking to skip the time-consuming part of formatting blog posts on WordPress? I highly recommend Nina Clapperton’s AI-Infused Blog Templates for Effortless Content Creation. Write professional-looking blog posts with a single click – just add photos and hit publish.
✅ Everything I offer – Visit my store to checkout my curation of digital assets and services to simplify and amplify your online marketing needs.