To help provide a strong start to the new year, we at Brath have chosen to compile a concise yet highly valuable list of all the core updates that Google launched during 2019.
(NOTE! Please note that many more algorithm updates occurred over the past year, but these are not categorized as so-called “core updates”.)
Feel free to use the list and our linked articles to quickly check that nothing obvious related to your site’s SEO has slipped through the cracks, as this will give you a more stable foundation and better conditions heading into 2020.
By looking back, you may also gain insight into the likely direction Google has set for the future, something that could become a decisive factor in the battle against less-prepared competitors.
Clearer than ever before is the fact that high-quality content aligned with search intent has become one of the most important pieces of the puzzle for generating organic success.
Much also suggests that various forms of trust signals are becoming increasingly important in Google’s eyes overall, not only within the money and health segments.
We also recommend reading the blog post that Google published on August 1, 2019, which includes helpful information about their different core updates. As a webmaster, you will find practical advice there on how to proceed if your site has taken a significant hit after a major algorithm update.
With that said, let us now move on—chronologically—and present all of Google’s core updates from 2019.
March 2019 core update
On March 12, the first core update of 2019 was released. This update also marked the beginning of a new guideline from Google, where they decided to start naming their core updates. The reason behind this decision was Google’s desire to create better structure and reduce confusion as much as possible going forward.
Aside from stating that the March update was not as extensive as many other core updates and that it aimed to improve rankings for sites that had previously been undervalued, Google has otherwise been very tight-lipped about what the update actually involved.
However, much points to it affecting medical-related areas, as a number of sites reported significant recovery following the rollout, particularly after the initial Medic update.
June 2019 core update
On June 2, Google announced for the first time in history that a core update was on its way, shortly before rolling it out the following day, June 3.
If the March update slightly rolled things back for sites with weak trust signals, June did the exact opposite. Once again, a large number of sites within health and medicine felt Google’s wrath as the search engine continued its pursuit of safer and more relevant search results for users.
The period following the June core update was marked by a great deal of tweaking, which you can read more about in our article “A series of major Google updates all triggered by the same thing”.
September 2019 core update
On September 24, 2019, Google rolled out the third core update of the year.
Just like in June, this update is also associated with acronyms such as “YMYL” (Your Money or Your Life) and “E-A-T” (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). However, in connection with this update, we also sense an increased emphasis on high-quality content.
In our article “Google Core Update September 2019,” you can read more about its implications.
October 2019 – BERT
Google’s final major core-related update of 2019 was launched on October 25 and was named “BERT”.
Although Google’s BERT update does not carry the label “core update,” it is still considered a core-type algorithm update. One reason for this is that it is regarded as one of the largest updates since “RankBrain”.
BERT is essentially about improved language understanding and how this enables Google to deliver even more accurate search results to everyone.
However, Swedish search results were not affected by BERT until December 9, 2019, as you can see in the tweet below.
If you are interested in learning more about this update, we recommend reading our article on “BERT.”
Future core updates
In an ever-changing SEO landscape, it is crucial to never lose focus and always stay alert. As always, our goal at Brath is to both anticipate and continuously monitor future core updates from Google as closely as possible.
Through this and many other efforts, our ambition is to always provide the best possible SEO services to our clients, while also sharing our insights here on the blog whenever time allows.
We hope that you, as readers, are also looking forward to tackling the SEO challenges of 2020 with great anticipation.
