On January 13, Google announced a core algorithm update called the January 2020 Core Update.
Immediately, site owners took to social media to express their dismay on (yet another) major change that could affect the years of hard work they’d put into reaching a top spot on Google’s SERPs.
Some posted despairing memes. Others begged Google “not to be cruel.” Yet others worried how their keyword rankings would be affected as the new update rolled in.
— Heba Said (@HebaSaidSEO) January 13, 2020
So, what is the January 2020 Core Update?
Should you be worried about it? Most importantly, what changes should you make to your site so you don’t lose your Google rankings?
Let’s explore this massive update in today’s brand new blog.
Should you be worried about @Google's January Core Update? What should you do to maintain your rankings? Find out in this new guide by @JuliaEMcCoy Click To TweetJanuary 2020 Core Update: All You Need to Know (Plus Tips on How to Survive It) – Table of Contents
January 2020 Core Update, Explained
Experts and Content Creators Speak Up about the January 2020 Core Update
The Top Sites Impacted by the January 2020 Core Update
How to Optimize Your Site to Survive the January 2020 Core Update
5 Aspects of Content That Ranks Well on Google
1. Originality
2. Comprehensiveness
3. Expertise
4. User-Friendly and Trustworthy Presentation
5. User Value
5 Tips to Update Your Content and Continue Ranking Well Despite Major Google Updates
1. Write Content You Can’t Find Elsewhere
2. Improve Content Found on High-Ranking Sites for Your Keyword
3. Proofread to Perfection
4. Step into Your Audience’s Shoes
5. Forget Keywords
Moving Forward after the January 2020 Core Update
January 2020 Core Update, Explained
Google’s number one goal is to provide value to users. Because of this, it has made thousands of changes per year in recent years.
However, not all of these changes are noticeable. Most of them are tiny tweaks.
The January 2020 Core Update is different. According to Google, this update will have more noticeable and actionable effects for content producers and webmasters.
source: Google Webmaster Central Blog
The January 2020 Core Update is different. According to Google, this update will have more noticeable and actionable effects for content producers and webmasters. Click To TweetWhat it boils down to is Google making a brand-new list of the top sites with the most value in 2020.
If your site takes a hit and falls in the SERPs, it’s not because it’s a bad site. It’s simply because users are changing. There are a ton of new sites online. And there are sites which have been online for some time, but whose value was never fully discovered.
Source: Search Engine Journal
Overall, the January 2020 Core Update is going to shake up the SEO world. Let’s look at what webmasters and content creators have to say about it.
Experts and Content Creators Speak Up about the January 2020 Core Update
Users reacted differently when the news of the January 2020 Core Update was released. Some were dismayed.
— Jon Tromans (@JonTromans) January 13, 2020
Others were confused.
@JohnMu YOU PEOPLE HAVE ROBBED US OF OUR HARD WORK and Thousands of dollars spent on content.
CONFUSED @Google @googlewmc
— Kingsley Felix (@Iamkingsleyf) January 14, 2020
Still others decided to laugh it off.
I miss the days when these updates had cool animal names
— Da Schnitzi (@DaSchnitzi) January 13, 2020
Of course, top marketers and SEO experts had their own opinions.
Rand Fishkin’s interest was on the bolded ads, favicons, and brand icons featured in the update.
My theory on why this took so long to get to desktop: Google knows it obscures ads & thus increases ad CTR (according to @jumpshotinc data from 2019, the mobile change yielded ~15% more ad clicks), and wanted to wait until a quarter in which they needed to show that growth. https://t.co/5bMQoCLbS2
— Rand Fishkin (@randfish) January 13, 2020
SEMrush listed three prominent changes the update included.
What’s new in #Google?
January 2020 Core update
Brand icons & black ad labels are live on desktop SERPs
Brand new SERP features
New options in the rich results testMore fresh industry news in our first Google News Digest of 2020 https://t.co/7DyriMZo9A.
— SEMrush (@semrush) January 20, 2020
A few days after the release of the update, Glenn Gabe tweeted his findings on the “volatile” splash it had made.
The Jan 2020 core update volatility seems to be calming down, which makes sense. Danny announced on Thurs that the update completed, although we could see the effects for a week or two. But to me, major volatility should be done. Here are some of the trackers showing volatility: pic.twitter.com/b3nGzW8O31
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) January 18, 2020
Will this update affect you? According to Danny Sullivan, it will, no matter where you live.
It’s a global update. It has (and does always unless we say otherwise) rolled out globally.
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) January 16, 2020
The Top Sites Impacted by the January 2020 Core Update
In the few days since the January 2020 Core Update rolled in, various sites in different sectors showed significant change in SERP rankings. Let’s look at the winners and losers (so far).
1. Sites with Improved Rankings Since the January 2020 Core Update
According to data from Sistrix, sites in the health sector enjoyed gains since the update rolled in. OnHealth.com and verywellhealth.com saw a 37.7% and 34.72% change, respectively.
Source: Sistrix.com
Other sites with improved ranking include a football site, a movie tickets site, and two news sites. Could this have to do with trending news (the British Royal Family and the Holocaust) and entertainment content?
2. Sites with Lower Rankings Since the January 2020 Core Update
The sites which took the biggest hits since the update are carmagazine.co.uk and boxofficemojo.com.
Source: Sistrix.com
The data shows car buyer and finance sites also taking hits since the update rolled in. Could this be because of the pricing information within the sites? It’s interesting to note that boxofficemojo.com (a movie site just like fandango.com) also shows information related to money.
How to Optimize Your Site to Survive the January 2020 Core Update
Like tons of content creators and webmasters, you’re likely scratching your head over all this information. Luckily, Google has some advice on how to optimize your site for the update.
Source: webmasters.googleblog.com
Clear as mud?
Let’s go deeper into what it takes to create the kind of content Google always ranks well, no matter what changes it makes to its algorithms.
5 Aspects of Content That Ranks Well on Google
When you add these killer components to your site, you don’t have to spend hours analyzing why one movie site enjoyed gains since the January 2020 Core Update, while another movie site took a serious hit.
1. Originality
Take a look at this piece on cats purring by WebMD.
The article is informative, plus it comes from a trusted domain. On the other hand, look at this one from WHISKAS.
A piece like this isn’t counted as plagiarism, as nothing is copied word-for-word from WebMD. However, almost everything is the same. There’s no originality and nothing new added to it.
The result? Although WebMD ranks 422 on Google global engagements, Whiskas ranks 1,752, 296.
2. Comprehensiveness
Comprehensive content dives deep into a topic rather than merely scratching the surface. It provides statistics, charts and graphs, guidelines, and relevant images. After readers go through the article, they feel they’ve gained an insider view into the topic.
Length is an important factor to consider when it comes to content comprehensiveness. It’s almost impossible to dive deep into a topic with a 500-word blog. According to various sources of data, the best length is between 2,000 and 3,000 words.
3. Expertise
When searching for medical advice online, what would you prefer to read? A blog written by a well-known doctor or one by an anonymous person who simply rewrites information they find online?
Expertise is important to Google rankings. Sites owned by people who’ve established authority in their industry do much better than random sites without clear credentials.
4. User-Friendly and Trustworthy Presentation
Imagine reading through a site teaching you how to use English grammar and noticing typos and the misuse of adverbs. Even if this site were owned by an authority in language, you’d still click the back button to look for something else. This shows how important it is for content to be free of sloppiness and errors.
Presentation also affects user experience. For instance, think of how annoying it is to read a blog and have a ton of distracting ads crop up. Or imagine opening a site on your mobile device just to find it’s not optimized for mobile users.
5. User Value
Google’s number one goal, as mentioned, is to give real value to real people. This is what all the updates boil down to.
So, ranking well on Google isn’t about keywords. It’s not even about meta data, rich snippets, and title tags (although they help). What ranking well on Google IS about is making people’s lives a little better each time they visit your site.
Content that continually ranks well on Google has these 5 killer components: 1) Originality 2) Comprehensiveness ☑ 3) Expertise 4) User-friendly, trustworthy presentation 5) User value ❤ Click To Tweet5 Tips to Update Your Content and Continue Ranking Well
So how do you take the five aspects of good content mentioned above and add them to everything you write? Use these smart tips.
1. Write Content You Can’t Find Elsewhere
Choose a blog on your topic that ranks highly on Google. Read it thoroughly. Then, ask yourself this question: “What can I add to my blog that isn’t dealt with here?”
For instance, look at this piece from Wired titled Why Do Cats Love Boxes So Much?
To add unique information to your blog on this topic, you could dive a little deeper and do some research on how cats in the wild “withdraw and hide.” Provide information and details beyond what everyone else has already written about.
2. Improve Content Found on High-Ranking Sites for Your Keyword
Type your keyword into Google. Then, go through the sites that rank highest on the SERPs. Are they good? In-depth? As a reader, what satisfies (and dissatisfies) you about each article or blog? Your next step is to find ways to make your content an improved version of the highest-ranking content on Google.
3. Proofread to Perfection
Follow this five-step guide to ensure your content sparkles every single time.
- Go over your content quickly to get a first impression.
- Scrutinize each paragraph to see if it supports your big idea.
- Attack your blog’s organization – ruthlessly pull sentences and paragraphs apart until they flow well.
- Read it out loud to nail your tone of voice.
- Read it again, this time from bottom to top.
4. Step into Your Audience’s Shoes
Why did users look up your topic? What do they fear, dream, desire? When you know your audience, you’ll know what they’re looking for in your content.
5. Forget Keywords
Write naturally. Use keywords because you’re dealing with the topic they surround, not because you need to reach a 3% keyword density.
Want to survive @Google updates? 1) Write content you can't find elsewhere. 2) Improve on high-ranking content. 3) Proofread to perfection. 4) Step into your audience's shoes. 5) Forget keywords. ✅ Click To TweetMoving Forward after the January 2020 Core Update
The bad news is the January 2020 Core Update is huge.
The good news is it doesn’t matter.
Yes, your site can take hits and lose rankings. But in the long run, if you focus on becoming your users and knowing what they need, your site will always do well in Google search. You’ll rise above the January 2020 Core Update, or whatever updates rock the SEO world in the future.
Looking for expert blogs, articles, and more that are original, trustworthy, and comprehensive? We write content that ranks well in Google, no matter the updates. Check out our pricing.
