The latest Core algorithm update from Google is set to be one of the largest and longest on record. Since its announcement on 5th March 2024 we have seen many small changes appearing in both how the search results are presented and what type of content or website is appealing to Google.
In this post we outline the three major changes we have seen so far:
Trust Signals
Trust signals are elements on your site, both on-page and off-page, that show the user (and to search engine crawlers) that they can have confidence in your brand and product. These can be technical signals for Google, from a simple secure certificate to contextual outbound links, or they can be more visible on page signals.
We are seeing organic gains for websites that present these trust signals clearly. Displaying accepted credit card icons across the website and purchase journey are an example of simple improvements that many websites miss.
However, it is the written and contextual reviews that we believe are the most important signal here. Google has long pushed for ‘experience’ signals and these human written first person reviews are now crucial to both the consumer, and Google’s understanding of the product or service in consideration.
The Rise of Reddit – and other forums
The demonstration of user experience remains a common theme across all three of these major changes. Since Google added the ‘E’ to E-A-T, the search engine has clearly stated its desire for human-first, experiential content.
With Reddit, Google is heavily leaning into those questions- analyse any major subreddit and you will see those subjective questions:, ‘How Can I’ , ‘Does It’ , ‘How to’ ,’Where is’.
Whilst other forums like Quora have had a late renaissance in the organic listings, it is Reddit that stands out as the clear winner, with a 300% increase in top 3 Organic listing positions.
Whilst YouTube and video results offer more opportunity for searchers to ‘see’ things, with Trust Signals including reviews they can get first hand opinions on subjective questions like the fit, or the use case.
More Video Results in SERPs
Video results in Google’s organic listings are not new. Back in May 2022, Google announced they added a new dedicated video report to its Search Console. But what has changed is the volume and type of results for which there is a video result.
Short videos, from YouTube and from TikTok have increasingly become prevalent within search results. As of April 2024, YouTube ranks for nearly 1 billion keywords in Google US, and this has increased 232% since as recently as November 2023 (Source: Semrush). More dramatically, the rise of TikTok as a top three answer has rocketed 730% over the past 12 months.
What Should Brands Consider with these Changes?
Brands that have lent into these first person signals, integrating them into the customer journey will be the early winners in this algorithm update.
These changes are just one small part of a successful SEO strategy. The core elements of SEO, like mobile friendliness, strong commercial pages and fast loading remain evergreen cornerstones for success.
Where We Come In
We are an SEO Consultancy providing holistic SEO for challenger brands. Get in touch today to discover how we can bolster your organic performance today.
