Google Announces 3 Major Updates Last Week

Posted on November 10, 2021 by Sarah Blocksidge

Local SEO, Spam on SERPs, and Page Experience All Had Big News

Google has been very busy sharing a variety of updates via Twitter that marketers all of expertise levels should be aware of. Here is what you should know:

Algorithm Update to Tackle Spammy Search Results

Last week, Google announced that they released a new update targeting spam on search. While we do not know exactly what types of changes they are making, we do know similar updates took place in June and July.

Here are some things we know so far:

  • This is not as large-scale as a broad core update would be
  • The update rolled out on Thursday November 4, and will take about 1 week to finish
  • Google has dropped the term “link” from this update’s name, unlike the updates from the summer
  • Like all major updates, Google continues to state if you create quality content you do not need to worry about being severely impacted
  • In their tweet, Googled linked out to their Webmaster Guidelines, so it may be safe to say this update could be targeting those who are breaking their rules

Google My Business Renames and Changes Editing Option

So long, GMB and hello GBP! Google has announced they are renaming Google My Business to Google Business Profile.

Along with the name change comes a variety of changes to the platform itself, and how business owners will be able to claim, verify, and edit their business listing:

In addition to those changes, Google will also be phasing out the GMB app in 2022.

Page Experience to Become Ranking Factor on Desktop in 2022

While page experience became a ranking factor on mobile earlier this year, it was not long that SEOs anticipate that it would eventually roll out to desktop as well.

This means that various core web vital scores will contribute to how well your pages rank in search results. Some of the metrics they will be tracking include:

  • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
  • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
  • First Input Delay (FID)
  • Security (HTTPS)
  • Absence of intrusive interstitials (ex: pop-up ads)

If you want to learn more about what these variable mean, check out our blog post explaining core web vitals.

Need Help Prepping Your Site for 2022?

With these updates, along with the many more we can expect to come, you should want to ensure that your website is in tip top shape. We can help. Learn more about our services today and be sure to schedule your free assessment.

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