SEO Sydney Experts – October ’23 updates what you need to know

Google’s October 2023 Core Update: Important Insights

It is official! Google has finally announced its much-anticipated October 2023 core update, currently being rolled out. How has it affected your website, and have you won or lost rankings? The Oct update is the second core Google update this year, and it’s a major one – here’s what we know so far.

Search algorithm core updates by Google, especially extensive updates, represent a considerable shift in the algorithm, and they are all aimed at enhancing the calibre of search outcomes. In other words, these core updates will reflect what you see on the first page of Google. The update is worldwide and takes into account all content written online. For many businesses, these core updates can be absolute hell as their rankings and online presence can slide, affecting sales, inquiries and revenues.

While Google keeps their core ranking algorithm a secret and only lets out little snippets of information to tease us, we have to examine what we are given and try to put the pieces together in a digestible format to understand what’s going on in Google land. As far as we can tell, the update’s main thrust is that Google has indicated a central emphasis on refining the relevance of search results within the October 2023 update. This means that pages with content that aligns directly with users’ search expectations will rank higher in the results. On the flip side, those pages with waffle and irrelevant information will start to see a slide in their rankings. Overall, as we have always said regarding Google, content is king. If you see a ranking drop or minor fluctuation in the rankings, don’t panic, as this has happened many times before, and there are ways to rectify and restore rankings.

There are a few things you can do to improve your chances of ranking higher in the future:

• Make sure your content is high-quality and relevant to your target audience. So, for example, if you are a cosmetic surgeon specialising in facelifts, ensure the service page is on topic and all about facelifts. And, if you’re a divorce lawyer, you must cover all the areas you practice in and write specific pages about these services like mediation, wills and estates, etc.
• Use keywords strategically throughout your content, but never over-optimise by repeating keywords randomly. I’ve always said you must write for your audience rather than for Google.
• Create backlinks to your site from high-quality websites – a no-brainer, but your SEO agency should be able to implement this in their backlinking campaign. But remember that all backlinks are not created equally, and some are not good. It’s quality over quantity, so be aware of this.
• Keep your content refreshed, which means updating content so it remains relevant.

You’ll be fine by implementing the above, sticking to the same organic routine and never trying to spam Google. Remember, Google wants to give the best possible results, and you must ensure that your website’s on-page content is as relevant to the search queries as possible.

Other considerations:

-the rollout will take two weeks to implement

-the rollout will target specific pages on your website, not necessarily the whole website.

-the only way to guarantee (to a certain extent) your rankings is via great, super-informative and highly relevant content. Spend time on your copy, and never plagiarise.

For any inquiries about the October 2023 core update, contact our in-house SEO Sydney experts. I can help you get your rankings back if they have been affected by the update.

Social Media Platforms Are Constantly Evolving with New Features

Social media platforms are highly popular, and the user rate is growing exponentially. And these platforms are constantly adding new features to keep users engaged. Here are some of the latest October 2023 updates from Instagram, Threads, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok:

Instagram

• Translations for broadcasts: Instagram is working on a feature allowing users to translate broadcasts into different languages. Perfect if you have a business with offices in other countries or a product you want to sell worldwide.
• AI summary for Direct Messages: Instagram is also working on a feature that will use AI to summarise long DM conversations.
• Voice message playback speed: If you are bored listening to long-winded messages, you can adjust the playback speed.
• Threads chronological following feed: Are you on Threads? It was all the rage a couple of months ago but has lost momentum and uptake, but Instagram’s new messaging app is getting a chronological following feed. This may or may not be relevant to your business, but at least it’s a development.
• Threads post translations: Threads is also getting a post-translation feature, the same as Instagram.
• Threads desktop version: In their effort to make Threads more popular, Instagram is considering launching a desktop version.

Twitter

• Video downloads: Have you got your Twitter Blue subscription? If so, you can download videos.
• 50% off ad packages: Twitter is also offering a 50% discount on ad packages. I’m not a huge fan of advertising on Twitter – never have been, but if it’s your market, go for it!

LinkedIn

• AI writing tool: LinkedIn is working on an AI tool that will help users write posts, which is excellent if you are struggling with content or need to write some articles.
• AI assistant: If you need a hand finding jobs, connecting with people, and managing your profile, then LinkedIn will launch an AI tool to help you.

TikTok

• Text-only posts: TikTok is now allowing users to post text-only posts. TikTok is all the rage now, and I feel it has taken over YouTube and Instagram, so make sure you are aware of TikTok and start publishing content on this platform. It’s super-easy to sign up, and you’ll be well on your way to getting a massive following if you do it properly.

Also Read: TikTok SEO: Optimising Your TikTok Videos for better search rankings.

As far as I can tell, these are just a few of the new features and updates that are being worked on by social media platforms. As stated above, I strongly suggest investing time and energy into TikTok.

How will these new features impact social media users?

Every new change on the social media platforms takes time to adjust by the user base. But, if it saves you time and makes publishing content easier, then the uptake will be positive. I like how they integrate AI into these platforms, especially on LinkedIn, which can be a powerful business marketing tool.