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On August 15, 2024, Google began rolling out its August 2024 core update, which is expected to take about a month to fully deploy. This update is notable for its aim to showcase more useful content from small and independent websites in search results.
According to John Mueller, Search Advocate at Google, this update takes into account feedback the search giant received following the September 2023 helpful content update, which negatively impacted many smaller publishers. The goal is to continue improving search result quality by surfacing genuinely helpful content while reducing the visibility of content created solely to rank well.
For Shopify merchants and SEO professionals, this update underscores the importance of creating original, relevant, and high-quality content tailored to user needs. Sites that have made improvements since the last core update may see a positive impact on their rankings as Google strives to “surface the best of the web.”
If your site is adversely affected by this update, Google advises focusing on crafting helpful, reliable, people-first content rather than attempting specific technical fixes. Negatively impacted rankings don’t necessarily indicate anything wrong with your pages, and some recovery may occur between core updates.
As always, closely monitor your site’s performance over the coming weeks to assess the impact of the August 2024 core update. By prioritizing user experience and valuable content, you’ll be well-positioned to benefit from Google’s ongoing efforts to enhance search result quality.
