Following our blog on Google’s major new ranking shake-up, the search engines latest but unofficial algorithm has been a hot topic in the SEO world.
What Is Google’s Fred Algorithm Update?
The algorithm targets websites that use black-hat techniques, and it is updated on a daily basis. On 7th/8th March, there was reportedly between a 50 and 90 percent decline in organic website traffic which was predominantly content based sites. The search community refers to this update as Google’s Fred algorithm, it focuses on targeting low-value content.
Are You at Risk from Google’s Fred Algorithm?
The types of website that have been affected by the latest algorithm update include:
– A heavy presence of ads
– Content with affiliate links
– Low-value content
– Thin content (i.e. duplicated pages, automated content and doorway pages)
– Low-quality backlinks
– Lot being mobile friendly
Were You Affected by Google’s Fred Algorithm?
Your page rankings could drop if Google’s algorithm sees your content as low value, outdated and containing too many ads. Although the update might not be immediate, it is still important for your business to understand the affects it can have on your website. We strongly advise that you take the algorithm into account when creating new content. Businesses should also consider altering existing content according to the updates of this algorithm.
To find out if your website has been struck by this algorithm, login to your Google Analytics account. If there is a sudden decrease in rankings or organic search traffic on March 8th, it is likely that this is the consequence of Google’s Fred Algorithm.
How Can I Recover from Google’s Algorithm Update?
If you’ve noticed a dramatic decline in your organic traffic or a change to your ranking position, you should consider the following steps:
– Create a diverse range of anchor text to appeal to the search engines. Avoid the use of unnatural keywords when writing anchor text.
– Build links that are relevant to your website and services. A high number of backlinks that are irrelevant and of low quality is likely to result in a poor ranking.
– Check your backlink profile. We suggest using a tool such as Ahrefs to find and remove any questionable backlinks to your website.
– Implement high quality and authoritative content. If the content of your website is old, we recommend refreshing your content by rewriting and adding to low-quality pages. The pages on your site should meet the requirements of Google’s Search Quality Guidelines and Webmaster guidelines.
– Make sure your website is secure. You can do this by applying an SSL certificate to your site. This will encrypts data and communication.
Have noticed a drop in your website traffic or do you suspect that your site has been hit by Google’s latest algorithm? Call our team of SEO experts on 0333 320 8099 to discuss our SEO packages.
