Google’s Helpful Content update is now rolling out.

Here are 3 DOs and 3 DONTs when analyzing the impact of algorithm updates on your site:

DO rule out seasonality when facing a traffic dip/spike.

To be certain it’s not seasonality, compare organic traffic:

- week over week
- Month over month
- Year over year

DO look at potential user intent shifts.

Many core algo updates lead to a better/different understanding of what users want to achieve with a search.

Look at who ranks better when you lose ranks (and vice versa).

Search for patterns across keywords that changed in rank.

DO look at changes on the keyword and the URL level.

Sometimes, a domain loses ranks for irrelevant/unimportant keywords. Traffic changes but revenue is steady.

URLs = topics

Keywords = intent

DONT draw conclusions when updates are still rolling out.

The dust needs to settle.

Google typically gives guidance on the webmaster central blog or Twitter.

All the shuffling during the roll out only causes confusion.

DONT go with your first assumptions.

Humans are very good at seeing things where there are none.

Gather as much data as possible, compare your conclusions to the ones of others, and look for commonalities with other sites.

DONT panic when your site dips. If you haven’t been aggressive with your tactics and over-optimized like crazy (you know when you did), calmly plan how to correct.

it’s not uncommon for updates to reverse.

Drastic overcorrectiona can be more harmful in the longterm than small changes.

#google #data #seo #algorithms