The Google algorithm updates this year brought with them different stressors. There were fewer pandemic-related stresses and more recession-related stress. This year we received ten Google algorithm updates, which is the same amount as in 2021. We had two helpful content updates this year. This was a new ranking system.
Similar to last year’s, Google also released two major algorithm updates towards the end of 2013.
Google has confirmed the algorithm update summary
This timeline shows all confirmed Google algorithm updates for 2022. It allows you to see the changes over time. Note that the two previous updates are still incomplete. I’ll update this story when these updates are complete.
Google’s core updates in May and September were major updates
May 2022 Core Update. Google’s first core update, the , was released on May 25, 2022. This update was released . It took fifteen days for it to be fully implemented. This update was large and quickly rolled out to many of the queries that data providers monitor. After the first update we did experience some volatility shifts. The largest were . This should have been the last set of volatile behavior you’d see after that initial core update.
Core update September 20,22. Google’s September 2022 core update was released on September 12, 2022. It took the update two weeks to release and ended . Although this update was faster than other updates , it had less impact. Although there were some issues with rank, consensus is that this update was less than previous Google core updates.
We are any core updates before year’s end.
Google’s two new helpful content updates appeared calm
Google has released the new helpful content update to its algorithm. This update aims to degrade content written for search engines, and not to assist people.
Update of helpful content for August 20, 2022 Google’s new helpful content update was released on August 25, 2022. Google’s helpful content update targets websites with a high volume of insatiable or useless content. The content was written specifically for search engines and not humans. The update was released . It took fifteen days for it to be implemented. Although this update didn’t feel widespread, Google stated that it and did not create a major shakeup.
December 2022 helpful content update. Google published the second helpful content updates, December 2022. Although this update has not been completed rolling out, it will be. This update was rolled out over X days and ended on December X 2022. This update was not as widespread and impactful than core updates, product reviews updates or other updates.
Google updated its March, July and September product reviews.
Google released three product updates for 2022, despite only two updates to its core technology. This is one product review update more than 2021.
The March 2022 Product Reviews Update was released on March 23, 2022 by Google. It is the March 2022 Product Reviews Update . The update was released . It took 19 days for it to be rolled out. This was technically the third product review update in history. The first was launched , and the second was launched .
Google has released the third product reviews update. It said that this update builds on the previous two updates and will improve Google’s ability to “identify high-quality product reviews.” Alan Kent, Google, stated, “This will allow us to make sound buying advice available to users and reward creators who are genuine in their help.”
Based on data provided by data providers, this than the .
July 2022 Product Reviews Update. Google published the on July 27, 2022. The update was only six days long and ended . The tracking tools showed very and while certain sites did seem to be affected by the update, there wasn’t much SEO talk about ranking changes. We actually saw an increase in traffic on August 3, but this was only after the update had been completed.
September 2022 Product Reviews Update. Google published the on September 20, 2022. The update was also released in six days and ended on . Although this update was smaller than the previous two, it overlapped with an update to core.
Fear caused by Google’s link and spam spam updates
As with spam alerts, content creators and SEOs are anxious that their websites or content might be affected.
October 2022 spam updates. On October 19, 2022 the first spam update was published, the October 2022 update. The update was released in 48 hours and ended on . SpamBrain is an artificial intelligence that Google uses to detect spam better and rank it higher in Google Search. Although this spam update was not large, it targeted spam content and not normal content for normal purposes.
December 2022 link-spam update. Google then released the link spam update, December 14th 2022. Although this update is still in progress, I’ll update the story when it finishes. This update was rolled out in X days and ended on December X 2022. Google is using SpamBrain AI for the first time to identify and eliminate link spam. The impact it had on rankings and links was evident.
Google page experience updates for desktop
This year’s page experience update was a one-page version. It was meant to make the desktop experience more user friendly. The took nine days to complete. It was released on February 22, 2022. The update will contain all current signals from the page update for mobile, except that the page must be mobile-friendly. Google stated that all page experience elements for mobile will be available, except the mobile-friendliness condition, which is quite obvious.
Google updates, algorithm modifications, tweaks, or topic changes
Google Search had another busy year with changes in 2021, which I expect will rise to higher numbers for 2022.
The evolved into the . Both are still part of the core algorithm. Speaking with Hyung Jin Kim (VP Search, Google) at SMX was a great way . Google started using areas, such as featured snippets. Google has also changed to support multilingual and transliterated pages.
Google has documented some of the and confirmed that the 2018 and 2010 page speed algorithms are .
Google has replaced the . and added “Expertise,” an extra E to the E-A-T.
We also did an in-depth dive into how Google’s .
Do you feel excited about 2023? I do.
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