Google Defends Its Communication Strategy for Search Updates

Intro

In a recent clarification, Google has addressed ongoing concerns surrounding its communication about search algorithm updates. According to Google's Search Liaison Danny Sullivan, the company conducts nearly 5,000 annual updates, most of which are minor adjustments. This high frequency of tweaks has led to significant discourse about transparency and the effect on search rankings.

In a recent dialogue about search updates, SEO expert Glenn Gabe highlighted how Google's incremental changes following a major update could cause unexpected volatility. Gabe pointed out that site owners don't anticipate dramatic shifts after a core update is supposedly concluded. He noted significant impacts from updates released on May 3rd and 8th, which appeared to reverse the results of the earlier changes.

Responding to Gabe's concerns, Google's Search Liaison Danny Sullivan explained that Google conducts approximately 5,000 search ranking updates annually across various algorithms and components. Many of these are minor tweaks that often go unnoticed. Sullivan elaborated that providing detailed notices for every update would be overwhelming:

"If we were giving notice about all the ranking system updates we do, it would be like this:

Hi. It’s 1:14pm — we just did an update to system 112!

Hi. It’s 2:26pm — we just did an update to system 34!"

This constant stream of notifications wouldn't be practical or particularly useful for webmasters, given the sheer volume of adjustments involved.

Sullivan emphasized that Google's communication is focused on major core updates rather than on every minor change. The company believes that creators can benefit more from a long-term SEO strategy, providing quality content rather than reacting to daily fluctuations. However, he acknowledged that the cumulative effect of these small changes can lead to notable shifts in search traffic, which some businesses and publishers find challenging to navigate.

Sullivan continues:

“This type of constant ‘hey, we did an update’ notification stuff probably isn’t really that useful to creators. There’s nothing to ‘do’ with those types of updates.”

These minor updates can still lead to shifts in rankings and traffic as they accumulate. Sullivan noted that algorithm adjustments aren't the only factors influencing search results; the inherent volatility of web content also plays a significant role. Google's systems are constantly adapting to new data as web pages change, publish fresh content, or become outdated.

For businesses and content creators, understanding the rapidly evolving nature of Google's search algorithms is vital. This reinforces the need for a sustainable, long-term SEO strategy focused on providing high-quality, relevant content instead of relying on short-term responses to individual updates. However, this approach still leaves some industry professionals calling for greater transparency around these changes to help manage their impact on rankings.

Ultimately, Google maintains that communication will remain centered on broad core updates, while smaller changes will continue to occur behind the scenes. Businesses should thus be aware that search rankings may fluctuate even after a major update as Google's systems constantly incorporate new information and refine search results accordingly.