"Google May 2020 Core Update" affecting your xF Forum?

This may cast some light on some of Google's recent algorithm changes, related to COVID-19:

www.mariehaynes.com

The June 22/23, 2020 Google update gave a big boost to many government websites - Marie Haynes

The June 2020 Google update was not a core update. Many government and highly authoritative sites saw a boost at this time. You can read MHC's analysis here.
www.mariehaynes.com www.mariehaynes.com

  • This was not a core update. Neither was it announced or acknowledged so far by Google.
  • The update appears to have benefited many official .gov and .org websites, but there is probably more to the story.
  • As Google has described in their document on how they fight disinformation, they describe that their systems are designed to prefer authority over other factors “in times of crisis”. If this truly is related to what we saw happen in June, these changes could possibly be reversed once the worldwide pandemic situation improves.
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If you are seeing less traffic from Google after this update, we would recommend the following:
  • Thoroughly read Google’s Quality Raters’ Guidelines. Pay close attention to any examples given that are in similar verticals as you. If you are interested, you can go here to purchase our 2020 version of our summary and checklist you can use to assess your own site in the eyes of the QRG.
  • Pore over the questions that Google recommends you ask about your website in their blog post on what you should know about core updates.
  • Do all you can to keep your site technically sound.
  • If you have had a history of building links that you are worried about the webspam team seeing, seriously consider a link audit and disavow, or at minimum, ceasing in building links just for SEO. We do not feel that this update was connected to link quality, but this is worth mentioning as so many SEO’s spend huge amounts of time building links that likely are not helping the site’s ability to rank well.
  • Have an outside person review some of your pages as compared to competitors. You may think that your pages are the best of their kind, but if most people would prefer to see your competitor’s pages, this is a problem. Google wants to rank the pages that best answer the user’s query and, if YMYL, have excellent elements of E-A-T.
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askandy said:
I've worked with a guy by the name of John Locke, and he knows SEO really well. He's white-hat SEO all the way too.

Hired him to help clean-up and rank one of my friend's site, and was very impressed with his results.

One of his main focuses is local SEO, but he's got a great handle on all aspects of SEO, and may be worth contacting.

Here's his YT channel & website:
www.youtube.com

Lockedown Design & SEO

Daily videos answering SEO questions. Lockedown Design & SEO helps industrial and manufacturing companies rank higher in search engines. Tips and strategy th...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
www.lockedownseo.com

Lockedown SEO | Manufacturing & Industrial SEO | Local SEO

Lockedown SEO helps manufacturers and other industrial businesses rank in Google & get more qualified leads. SEO and web design company based in Sacramento CA.
www.lockedownseo.com www.lockedownseo.com
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What is his usual rates?
 
Try doing a search for your own type of forum
Eg
Search for
Gaming forums
Rv forums
Computer fourms
Technology forums

Do the exactly same search on Google, Bing and DuckDuck Go
Then come here and tell us the reuslts.

As at today if I search for
New Zealand Political forums
I am number one on Bing
No three on page 1 on DuckDuckGo
and on page 5 of Google behind heaps of results that are not even forums!
 
DigNap15 said:
Try doing a search for your own type of forum
Eg
Search for
Gaming forums
Rv forums
Computer fourms
Technology forums

Do the exactly same search on Google, Bing and DuckDuck Go
Then come here and tell us the reuslts.

As at today if I search for
New Zealand Political forums
I am number one on Bing
No three on page 1 on DuckDuckGo
and on page 5 of Google behind heaps of results that are not even forums!
Click to expand...
You keep posting this stuff, @DigNap15, but as I've told you before it's meaningless. Being #1 on Bing or Duck Duck Go is no accomplishment at all and it won't bring you any real traffic at all. There just aren't enough people using those search engines to matter.

search engine market share.png

StatCounter-search_engine-ww-monthly-201906-202006.png

This is not rocket science. I don't know why you seem to have trouble grasping the concept.
 
Last edited:
Anatoliy said:
First thing I would want to figure out who they are (have you lost mobile users? desktop? equally both?).
Click to expand...

I did the report slightly different, using the Audience > Mobile view instead. Gets the same result I think.

1594312637553.webp

Looks like an equal distribution of loss.
 
djbaxter said:
seriously consider a link audit and disavow.
Click to expand...
Is that mariehaynes website considered an SEO authority?

If so, I find it strange she/they are recommending a disavow.

By many accounts, I've heard Google no longer recommends using the disavow process.
 
askandy said:
Is that mariehaynes website considered an SEO authority?

If so, I find it strange she/they are recommending a disavow.

By many accounts, I've heard Google no longer recommends using the disavow process.
Click to expand...
She is considered one of the experts in Google algorithm changes and what they mean.

As for disavow, I think what Google has been saying recently is that they're not necessary in most cases but they may be helpful in certain cases, for example, where you know that some of your backlinks don't follow Google's guidelines.
 
Anatoliy said:
Wait a sec. Those are for All Users. Do for Organic Traffic.

Mobile vs Desktop should be at least 2:1, otherwise a verdict will be "not mobile friendly".
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Here's a look at Organic traffic. The ratio between mobile & desktop look about the same

May 2020

1594318667938.webp

April - May 2020

1594318779388.webp
 
arn said:
Have you said what url we are talking about? I'd be curious if u don't mind.
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I'd rather not put our URL here out of courtesy, but you can easily find out what our site is.

Just look at my profile, and look at the avatar. Search for the name in Google, and you'll surely find us :)
 
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Reactions: arn
askandy said:
I'd rather not put our URL here out of courtesy, but you can easily find out what our site is.

Just look at my profile, and look at the avatar. Search for the name in Google, and you'll surely find us :)
Click to expand...

Gotcha. Is the traffic loss mostly forums or across the non-forums as well?

arn
 
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