Post-Google Core Update: Your 6-Step Recovery Guide

Following a Google algorithm update, you should take a strategic and methodical approach with these steps:

1. Assess the impact on your site: Use tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, or Sistrix to get a visibility overview and monitor traffic and rankings through Google Analytics and Search Console.

2. Evaluate the market and gain industry insight: Review changes in SERPs, monitor competitors, and stay informed by following SEO blogs, forums, and industry news.

3. Isolate the bad and the good: Segment data to determine trends, check URL directories, and compare and contrast winning and losing pages to identify common factors.

4. Review areas for improvement: Evaluate content quality, check technical SEO elements, and assess user experience (UX).

5. Review your strategy and plan: Target problem areas, embrace the wins, and plan for recovery.

6. Communicate with stakeholders: Prepare a summary report, explain plans and strategies, address concerns and set expectations, and update on progress.

To assess the impact of a core update on a website, follow these steps:

• Get a visibility overview using SEO tools to see changes in search visibility.
• Monitor traffic and rankings with Google Analytics, Search Console, and other tools for changes in clicks, impressions, and rankings.
• Analyze Google Search Console data for any manual actions and performance report changes.
• Segment data by various factors like device, location, and content type to understand performance.
• Check URL directories to see if certain areas of your site are affected differently.

If a website suffers after a Google core update, you should:

• Stay calm and methodical: Don't panic, and approach the situation with a clear mind.
• Analyze the data: Understand the changes by looking at your analytics and comparing before and after the update.
• Create an action plan: Based on your analysis, determine the areas that need improvement and plan steps to address them.
• Communicate with stakeholders: Keep clients or team members informed about the update's impact and your action plan.
• Be patient: Improvements may take time, so continue working on your website and monitor the effects of your changes.

To evaluate content quality after a Google algorithm update, consider the following:

• Review Google's guidelines for content and quality.
• Conduct a content audit to identify thin, duplicate, or outdated content.
• Focus on E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) principles.
• Ensure content satisfies user intent and fills any content gaps.

This evaluation should be done especially on pages that have lost traffic or rankings to understand how to improve them.