Danny Sullivan of Google has confirmed the launch of a core algorithm update on Monday. This update will be officially called ‘’May 2020 Core Update.’’
When it comes to naming updates. Google has been ahead of its competitors within the SEO industry. They have followed the month/year naming pattern.
Second Core Update of The Year
It is the second confirmed update of 2020 from Google this year. The first one was launched in January. This seems to have taken place ages since a lot has changed since then. This virtually answers any queries about whether Google will pause core updates as of now, following the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. The answer is no. This isn’t a bad thing and we will explain why it isn’t in this post.
What is The Major Purpose of Core Updates?
Broad core updates are specifically designed for producing noteworthy changes across search results across all countries, in all languages. Websites will certainly notice drops or gains in search rankings after a core update is rolled out. Usually, changes in search ranking reflect the relevancy of content. If the content has more relevance since the last update it will get a better ranking. The opposite may also happen. There can be new content that didn’t exist during the last update. It will be reassessed against content which was existing earlier. Since this is the first update since the outbreak of the pandemic, May 2020 Core Update is likely to be more volatile.
First Core Outbreak Following The Outbreak of COVID-19
The last core update was rolled out in the second week of January this year. During that time, hardly anyone was aware of coronavirus and COVID-19. The world has changed greatly since coronavirus was declared a pandemic, which caused a shift in the search behavior of users. On Monday, Google stated that there have never been so many changes for one topic as it had been for COVID-19.
COVID-129 has changed what people actually require from search results of Google. Whether it is seeking details related to the virus, or places providing remote services, or where to buy essential products online. There are many things that are gaining relevancy which wasn’t as relevant to searchers before.
On the other hand, categories which were highly significant aren’t being searched too much. For instance, searches related to travel, tourism, live entertainment, and in-person events have all experienced a dip. Following the launch of this new update, Google is facing a challenge of staying abreast of the way the world is searching. Over a time period, experts will see if people find it easier to search for the information they require via Google Search.
Is This Update Good For The SEO Job market?
If the May 2020 Core Update lives up to its potential, it could be a boon for SEO professionals. Following the economic slump, companies are laying off their staff and clients are pausing services. Services offered by SEOs are really valuable any time an algorithm update is rolled up. The more volatile an update, the greater will be the value of services offered. This means that SEOs can soon find themselves in high demand in the days to come. It will be interesting to see how many companies will have ample space in their budget for SEO once this update is launched fully.
