How to Monitor Google Algorithm Updates

Nowadays, Google makes thousands of minor changes to its search algorithm every year. While Google algorithm updates are done to benefit users and their search experience, they often cause stress for businesses whose rankings change.

To best prepare you and your business for these algorithm updates, Knucklepuck’s SEO team recommends taking a proactive, hands-on approach.

How Does the Google Algorithm Work?

Let’s start with some essential vocab: a search engine algorithm is a complex mathematical instruction that tells computers how to search. Google’s algorithm is incredibly complex, ranking the relevance of search results against searcher requirements and expectations.

When you type a word or phrase into Google, it scans billions of pages to find the keywords in your query. As the engine searches, it assigns a rank to each page based on a number of factors, including:

• Content quality
• Keyword relevance
• Page speed
• Mobile friendliness
• Authority

All of these and other factors are weighed when determining where a page appears on the search engine results pages (SERPs). Pages most relevant to your query are ranked higher and appear higher on the SERPs, even in prominent search result features.

Why Tracking Algorithm Updates Matters

Google is constantly adjusting its algorithm to deliver the best possible results. While most of these updates go completely unnoticed, major algorithmic updates, such as Panda, Penguin, and even the rollout of Google’s AI Overviews, could affect your website’s positioning in the SERPs.

If your business relies on search rankings for online success, it’s crucial to monitor these updates to avoid being caught off guard by a significant drop in rankings, traffic, and sales.

How to Track Google Algorithm Updates

Clients often ask Knucklepuck how we anticipate and track Google updates. Our SEO Team recommends the following to best track these changes.

Set up Google Alerts

Setting up a Google alert via www.google.com/alerts/ is one of the easiest ways to monitor algorithm shifts. You can customize alerts based on:

• Phrase
• Topic
• Frequency
• Source
• Quality

For example, Knucklepuck has several alerts set up related to the topic “google algorithm update.” As industry movers and shakers publish new content on this topic, we get an alert email.

The biggest benefit of this approach is the news comes to you — no action is necessary once the alert is set up.

Follow Industry Leaders

The SEO industry has many thought leaders that include both companies and key individual players. Some big names in SEO are:

• Danny Sullivan (GoogleSearchLiaison)
• Barry Schwartz (RustyBrick)
• Marie Haynes (Marie_Haynes)
• Lily Ray (LilyRayNYC)
• John Mueller (JohnMu)

Some notable newsletters and blogs to track algorithm updates are:

• Moz
• Search Engine Land
• Search Engine Roundtable
• Google Search Central Blog

These influencers and publications are known for their thought leadership in the tech SEO space, so if a major change occurs, they will likely report on it. Subscribing to their newsletters or signing up for their email lists is another easy way to get algorithm news.

Get on X (Formerly Twitter)

X is one of the most relevant social media platforms in the SEO world. It can serve as an excellent Google algorithm checker, especially if you know where to look. We recommend following influencers, including Googlers, and relevant hashtags (#GoogleUpdate and #GoogleAlgorithm, for example).

Monitor Google Search Status Dashboard

Google now has provided its own search status dashboard, which allows you to stay on top of any updates to the systems that power Google Search. Their rankings dashboard is particularly useful to stay on top of algorithm updates.

Watch Google Analytics

It’s important for webmasters to regularly monitor Google Analytics, a Google tool that tracks website traffic and other metrics. This will help you get a feel for what to expect and what normal fluctuations look like (like fewer people searching for your business of a Saturday).

If you know what “normal” looks like, bigger changes in traffic and conversions will stick out, and alert you to possible algorithm changes.

Check Your Rankings Tools

Besides official Google tools, webmasters can also use available rankings tools. While Google claims these can provide you with inaccurate information, marketers still have top picks for tools that help them stay on top of algorithm updates, including Algoroo, SEMRush Sensor, and Mozcast.

Staying on Top of Changes with Knucklepuck

Some companies prefer to monitor Google algorithm changes and other important SEO metrics themselves. Some depend on the expertise of a digital marketing agency like Knucklepuck. Either way, staying up-to-date on the details can help your business avoid a precipitous drop in website traffic.

If you’d like our help, all you have to do is get in touch. We have a process in place to address these algorithms as they arise and we’re ready to optimize your SEO efforts.