Is a big Google search update happening? Chatter thinks so.

Have you checked your Google organic search traffic this morning? If not, you may want to. It seems Google may have tweaked their search ranking algorithm, your site may be ranking higher or lower or the same depending on if this update has impacted your web pages. Google has not yet confirmed the update but based on a lot of chatter in the search community, it seems like an update is indeed happening.

To be clear, it seems like there were two updates in the past twenty-four hours. The large update seems to be around core web search, which kicked off earlier this morning or late last night. The second update was likely around local rankings in Google.

Google core search ranking update

Again, Google has not confirmed that there was an update – we’ve emailed them this morning and we hope they get back to us soon. The search community overall seems to be debating that there was an update but there is a huge number of ‘SEOs’ who are saying they do indeed see ranking changes in their verticals. It also doesn’t seem to be a specific industry but rather across all industries and verticals.

Search ranking tracking tools also see an update, such as Mozcast, SERP Metrics, Alogoroo, and Accuranker. In fact, Mozcast is showing higher temperatures then they have in a long time:

Our gut tells us this is not a Penguin update but rather a core search change but again, we are waiting on hearing back from Google.

Google Local Pack ranking quality update

Yesterday, again based on industry chatter, this mostly from the Local Search Forums community, there seems to have been a ranking update.

Most the local SEO experts are saying this is related to a quality update based on Google removing a lot of spammy local results. Local results have thus shifted and changes because removing a local result due to quality issues will result in different local results showing up. Not all are convinced this is purely a quality update but rather an update the local ranking algorithm.

Just like with the core web search ranking update, we asked Google for a comment on this update and hope to report back soon when we hear back from Google.