Dave Rathmanner on Algorithm Updates, March Core Update, and Ranking Signals
May 1, 2024
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Join Nate Matherson in a lively discussion with Dave Rathmanner, an SEO expert with insights into algorithm changes and strategies. They explore challenges faced by small websites post Google updates, focusing on content-heavy sites and the impact of display ads and affiliate links. Dave questions the effectiveness of Google's new page-level content evaluation and recovery from penalties, emphasizing the balance of ads and content quality. The discussion delves into strategies for ranking success, the importance of unique and valuable content, and the challenges faced by sports betting websites in the SEO landscape.
Recent algorithm updates heavily impact small sites relying on organic traffic and display ads/affiliate links.
Google's shift towards page-level content evaluation challenges recovery and emphasizes quality over optimization.
Deep dives
Impact of Recent Algorithm Updates on Websites
Websites focused on gaining traffic from search engines, particularly small sites monetized with display ads or affiliate links, have been significantly affected by recent algorithm updates. Sites lacking product or service with heavy reliance on content have been hit the hardest, especially those with lower domain authority and organic traffic.
Analysis of Algorithm Updates and Recovery
Algorithm updates like the helpful content update and subsequent ones since September 2023, including the March core update, have caused substantial drops in search rankings for sites. Recovery has been challenging, with no observed bounce backs yet, despite speculation around page-level signals replacing domain-wide classifiers.
Key Insights on Website Characteristics and Drops
Websites over-optimized for SEO, overloaded with ads or affiliate links, and lacking core product or service have experienced significant drops due to recent updates. Site structure and emphasis on content relevance seem to be critical factors influencing visibility and rankings post-algorithm updates.
Information Gain and Unique Content Creation
The concept of 'information gain' in creating unique and valuable content for users is a key focus for improving website performance. Providing insights beyond existing content, such as personal experiences, exclusive data, or diverse perspectives, can enhance content quality and engagement, potentially leading to better search visibility.
Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Dave Rathmanner for the forty-eighth episode of the Optimize podcast. Dave is an experienced SEO consultant known for his deep insights into search engine algorithms and strategies. He is also an entrepreneur who is actively building a portfolio of websites across various niches, including the gambling sector. In today's episode, Nate and Dave explore the latest SEO challenges and updates, focusing particularly on the impact of recent Google algorithm changes on small and content-heavy sites. Dave shares his expertise on the struggles of smaller websites, especially those that rely heavily on organic traffic and monetize through display ads or affiliate links. Dave also touches on the broader implications of Google's shift towards evaluating content on a more granular, page-level basis, which was intended to assess the helpfulness of content more accurately. Despite these changes, Dave expresses skepticism about the effectiveness of this new approach, noting that recovery from penalties remains elusive for many. Throughout the discussion, Nate and Dave analyze various factors that could influence a site's standing with Google, from the nature of its content and its optimization strategies to the balance of ads and affiliate links. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions!