Latest Google Core Update (November 2024) – What You Need To Know

Google has recently released the November 2024 Core Algorithm Update which affects the search engine rankings worldwide. As per usual it affects most websites as they aim to enhance the overall quality and relevance of search results for users. Here’s what we know so far about the recent core update: 

Google November 2024 Core Updates

Google announced on November 12th 2024 about their core update, but they didn’t go into detail as usual. What they did mention on LinkedIn is the update was aligned with their continuous goal of improving the quality of search results by showing content relevant to the users instead of content that was created to rank on search engines. 

However, based on our own observations, here are some of the key aspects of the latest update. 

Quality and relevancy

Google is prioritizing quality and relevancy more than ever. If you’ve been producing content with relevant user intent in mind, then your website should be safe. But if you’ve been writing content solely just to rank higher on search engines, Google may not favour your website. 

Following E-E-A-T

Besides that, Google is also following the E-E-A-T principle closely which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. This means that Google favours articles or websites that provide credible sources such as citations within the content. 

A more personalized approach

Another major update is that Google prioritizes user experience by offering a more personalized approach while searching. Users begin to notice the top 10 search results while logged in to their own usual Google account differs from the search results when incognito or logged out. 

Some say that the search results are based on your search history and the previous websites you’ve visited. Google would save your web and app activity unless you turn the option off. 

How does the update affect user experience?

It will be quicker and easier for users to access information based on what they’re looking for rather than getting vague or irrelevant answers. However, it may not be ideal if the users wish to see a variety of websites instead of the regular websites they’ve visited. 

For instance, users may prefer to gauge all of their options rather than seeing their regular go-to businesses for what they need. If the search results are all tailored based on their past searches, it doesn’t provide them with new opportunities for other options.

How does it affect SEO? 

In terms of SEO, it may be difficult for businesses to gain relevant search positions related to their product or service. It could be a gamble as with this new update, not every user has the same search results. Hence, businesses might struggle to know whether they are within the top 10 search results or not for their related keywords. 

One possible scenario that might happen from this update is Google would show the users websites they frequently visited on a higher position, making it harder for new businesses to attract repeating customers from well-known and established brand into trying their brand.

Another possible scenario is Google would show a vastly different results between two users that are searching the term for the first time, where the results are chosen based on the personalized data of each users. This would affect the numbers of clicks and conversion, especially for those that come from new users.

On another note, we’ve yet to see how and which elements would affect the personalized search results, such as the bounce rate and average duration the users spent on other website, and if the update affect the results shown in SGE or AI chat searches.

How to stop or reduce personalization on Google

1. Clear your search history 

If you have a lot of time on your hands, you can consider clearing your search history at the end of the day. But we wouldn’t recommend this approach as you might need the search history for times when you can’t remember a certain website or information. 

2. Use incognito mode 

You can also consider using incognito mode so that you get generalized search results instead of a personalized one. This would be easier as your search history won’t be saved as well.

3. Manage your privacy settings 

You can adjust your own privacy settings on your Google account through Google Privacy & Personalization. The settings allow you to choose whether Google is allowed to save your activity or search history on Google or YouTube.

Conclusion 

All in all, you could consider improving your website’s content to be aligned with the latest Google updates. As long as your content is created with the users in mind, your website should not be affected by the recent updates. Do check your analytics regularly so that you can continuously improve and update your content accordingly, and check the position of your website through incognito mode so it would show results that are not personalized to your online activity