Thanksgiving has been a whirlwind of search rankings as the November 2023 core update completes its rollout 26 days after it launched.

This update now holds the record for the longest rollout, dethroning the August 2023 core update’s 16 days. It also overlapped with the November 2023 reviews update, creating some confusion on which content was affected by what update.

If you’re one of the people who are asking that question, it’s always wise to go back to basics and:

• Create helpful, people-first content: Google’s advice has always been to focus on the user when producing content. This means that content should be well-written and useful and answer any questions users might have.
• Audit and self-assess: Google also encourages website owners to evaluate their content objectively. You can also consult third-party individuals to tell you the truth about the quality of your content.
• Check your competition: You’re not the only one affected by a core update. So, check your rankings, how you compare with the competition and if there’s something they’re doing that you aren’t.

You can check for the status of core updates in Google’s Search Status Dashboard.

This is the fourth core update this year. Here are the previous core updates that we’ve covered this 2023:

Unlike other types of updates like helpful content, spam and reviews, we can only make an educated guess about what changed. Therefore, it’s crucial to take a close look at your rankings, organic traffic and leads as updates like this complete its rollout.

More SEO News You Can Use

Google Adds Two New Structured Data: We’re treated with another batch of new structured data for website content. For creators that have first-hand experience and leverage their identity, the ProfilePage structured data, which Google says will be used by its Perspectives and Discussion and forums features. The DiscussionForumPosting markup, on the other hand, “allows Google Search to better identify forum sites and online discussions across the web.” This is used by, well, forums and discussion websites, where several people typically share first-hand perspectives. This seems like part of the larger revamping of Google Search to bring users a more personalized search experience. Read more from Google’s blog post.

AI As a Threat? Don’t Worry About It, Says Google: If you’re worried about artificial intelligence (AI) overshadowing human content creators, Google’s team offers reassurance. In their latest Search Off The Record Podcast, they discuss AI as a handy tool for sparking ideas, not a threat to human creativity. “AI is great for certain things and is rubbish for others. It’s a tool like everything else. I feel like that’s an overrated thing,” said Gary Ilyes. So, don’t use AI tools as an end-all, be-all for producing content. With Google’s AI content policy and the October 2023 spam update, we should take it as a reminder that the ultimate difference-maker would be how we use AI tools to create helpful, people-first content.

Don’t Overthink Site Quality, Either: In the same podcast episode, Google’s team simplifies site quality, suggesting it’s easier to understand than many think. “So I would go to a search engine’s documentation… it’s not rocket science,” Ilyes said. They stress the importance of focusing on what genuinely helps the user rather than getting caught up in complex metrics. The key takeaway? Site quality boils down to creating content that’s truly useful and offers something unique rather than just following what everyone else does. There’s no tool that can help you with that, only human understanding. Check this Search Engine Journal article for a deeper dive.

You Can Now Ask Bard About YouTube Videos: Bard once again upped its AI talent with its new update, expanding its understanding of YouTube videos. “We’re expanding the YouTube Extension to understand some video content so you can have a richer conversation with Bard about it,” said Google in its update log for Bard. For instance, you can ask how many eggs are required based on a YouTube video about oliva cake. We’ve covered several Bard upgrades this year (here, here and here), making it a valuable AI tool for interacting with web content.

LinkedIn’s Content Moderation Goes AI: LinkedIn is getting better at moderating content, now using machine learning for efficient review. Their new system quickly identifies policy-violating content, cutting detection time by 60%. “We’re committed to enabling our members and customers to safely engage and connect with content,” the social media platform said in its blog post. This approach, blending AI ****** with human insight, streamlines the process, allowing quicker action on inappropriate content. Read their full announcement here.

Editor’s Note: “SEO News You Can Use” is a weekly blog post posted every Monday morning only on SEOblog.com, rounding up all the top SEO news from around the world. Our goal is to make SEOblog.com a one-stop-shop for everyone looking for SEO news, education and for hiring an SEO expert with our comprehensive SEO agency directory.