Sites are Recovering from HCU! Here’s what they did…

Summary

The video discusses the August Google core algorithm update and how websites are recovering from the previous September's Helpful Content Update. It highlights the importance of removing low-performing pages to improve SEO, as Google now considers a high percentage of low-traffic pages as a red flag. The speaker shares strategies for identifying and dealing with unhelpful content, including content pruning and updating, to enhance a site's quality and traffic. The video also promotes the speaker's SEO agency, offering a discount for a free audit.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The August Google core algorithm update is rolling out, impacting sites recovering from the previous September update.
• 📈 Websites that recovered well systematically removed low-performing pages, as seen with GuitarChalk removing 23% of their content.
• 🚫 Google is prioritizing the removal of low or zero traffic pages, viewing them as a red flag and a waste of resources.
• 📊 A high percentage of low-value pages can negatively affect a website's ranking, prompting Google to increase this ranking factor.
• 🤖 With the influx of AI-generated content, Google is seeking efficient ways to detect and demote spammy content.
• 🔗 The speaker's SEO agency, The Search Initiative, offers a discount and free audit for website SEO issues.
• 🗓️ The September 2023 Helpful Content Update affected many websites, including the speaker's, prompting a need for recovery strategies.
• 🔍 Google's documentation suggests a site-wide signal affects rankings, contradicting their FAQ which emphasizes page-level signals.
• 🗑️ Removing unhelpful content is recommended by Google for recovery from penalties, which can be identified and addressed through specific strategies.
• 🔄 The process of content pruning involves identifying and removing or redirecting low-performing pages to improve a site's overall quality.
• 🔄 The Search Initiative's method for dealing with underperforming pages includes content update as an alternative to 301 redirects, especially for pages without backlinks.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the August Google core algorithm update discussed in the script?

The main focus of the August Google core algorithm update is the recovery of sites affected by the previous September update, with an emphasis on removing low-performing pages from websites.

What did the websites House Fresh, ThatFitFriend, and GuitarChalk do to recover from the Google update?

These websites recovered by systematically removing low-performing pages, with GuitarChalk reportedly removing 23 percent of their content.

Why does Google consider a high percentage of pages with low or zero traffic as a red flag?

Google views a high percentage of pages with low or zero traffic as a red flag because it indicates a waste of resources and can be a sign of spammy content.

How does the amount of AI-generated content affect Google's approach to content evaluation?

The influx of AI-generated content has led Google to prioritize efficient methods of detecting spam, such as scanning for websites with a high proportion of low-value content.

What is the recommended action from Google to recover from a site-wide penalty due to unhelpful content?

Google recommends removing unhelpful content as a way to recover from a site-wide penalty, which could improve the rankings of other content on the site.

What is the contradiction mentioned in the script regarding Google's Helpful Content Update?

The contradiction is between Google's documentation stating that the Helpful Content Update is a site-wide penalty versus another document stating that core ranking systems work primarily at the page level.

How did James Dooley's strategy for dealing with underperforming pages lead to a significant increase in traffic?

James Dooley's strategy, which focuses on content pruning, led to a 350 percent increase in traffic by identifying and removing pages that Google doesn't favor, and then redirecting them to more relevant pages.

What is the process for identifying and dealing with low-performing pages as described in the script?

The process involves using Google Search Console to download and analyze click data, filtering out low-performing pages, and then either 301 redirecting, merging content, or deleting them.

What is the difference between James Dooley's and The Search Initiative's approach to handling low-performing pages?

While both approaches involve identifying low-performing pages, The Search Initiative offers an additional option of content update, where they refresh and improve the content of a page if they believe it can be recovered.

How does the script suggest leveraging seasonal trends to earn links for a website?

The script suggests anticipating what journalists are likely to write about during specific seasons and providing them with relevant content, which can result in earning valuable backlinks.