Official Google Update Thread - December 2017

[HTMLBasicTutor]

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Do you have a speculation about when Google will update?

• Do you think there has been a backlinks update?
• Do you think there has been a PR update?
• Are you seeing Google fluctuations?
• Do you think there has been an algorithm update?

You may want to start with a basic understanding about Google updates before posting in this thread.
http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/whats-an-update/

ADMIN NOTE: Please keep in mind that this is a DISCUSSION thread. It is NOT a debate thread.

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Have you noticed longer snippets yet?

Google has officially extended the search results snippets to a maximum character length of 320 characters. They confirmed with me late on Friday...

...Google is telling webmasters to not go ahead and change their meta descriptions. Danny wrote "don't go expanding your meta description tags." He said the longer snippets are "more a dynamic process" Google automatically makes based on the content on that page and your query...

Google Extends Search Results Snippets To Max 320 Characters
Dec 4, 2017 Barry Schwartz

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Anyone notice any thing?

There is currently both a lot of chatter in the SEO forums and many of the tools are lighting up around major changes in the Google search results. It is rare for there to be this must chatter this late in December in any of the forums...

...It seems like the update touched down on Tuesday, December 12, 2017....

Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update: The Maccabees Update
Search Engine Roundtable
Dec 15, 2017

Dec 12 I had an up swing in traffic then the 13th it was back to normal. Haven't checked stats for the 14th yet.

[HTMLBasicTutor]

I haven't done much searching the last couple of days so haven't noticed this. What about you?

Yesterday, I did my typical search for a local business to get their phone number so I can call them to place a food order, which I do on average once a week and the knowledge panel showed up differently. It had both a shopping card panel and then below the local panel. Others in the local space are noticing that their local knowledge panels are no longer showing up for some keyword searches and in some cases, two knowledge panels (which has been rare) is now showing up for them....

Did Google's Knowledge Graph Panels Algorithm Change Yesterday?
Search Engine Roundtable
Dec 14, 2017

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Further to update suspected earlier this month:

That update we've been tracking for over a week that I nicknamed the Maccabees Update, well, Google somewhat confirmed it. They sent us a statement to Search Engine Land saying "we released several minor improvements during this timeframe, part of our regular and routine efforts to improve relevancy."...

Google Confirms Search Ranking Updates But Calls Them Minor & Many
Dec 21, 2017
Search Engine Roundtable

[LMD]

Everything has been topy turvy, keys bouncing around, new inside pages found and ranking well, the index page not doing as well as before - all in the last month or so. Talk about turmoil. I think deepsand's description of Google's algo (prior to caffeine) best described what was going on back then (I wish I could find it), and although different circumstances, right now, seem to be more volatile, IMO.

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Hmm, a glitch or money doesn't buy rankings?

So we've been covering the Google Maccabees updates for some time, did an analysis of it and Google somewhat confirmed there were many minor updates in that time frame. One of those updates may have hit many celebrity web sites....

Google Maccabee Updates Hurt Many Celebrity Web Sites
Dec 27, 2017 - Search Engine Roundtable

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Anyone been hit with this update/manual action targeting link spam and unnatural links?

...webmaster forum chatter around another update that may have started around December 26th or so. The dates are a bit fuzzy, but the theme is that more SEOs on the "black hat" end of the game are complaining about their rankings. This is unrelated to the Maccabees update that seemed to target more white hat techniques.

This one seems to have targeted unnatural links, links built through link spam, PBNs, or other forms of black hat link development.

Update: This may be manual actions or algorithmic or both, it is too early to tell right now...

New Google Update Targets Link Spam & Other Unnatural Links?
Dec 29, 2017 Search Engine Roundtable

[janjane]

I think google is releasing another Fred update, lots of webmasters are complaining about drops of there traffic anyone knows exactly what that is?

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Originally Posted by janjane

I think google is releasing another Fred update, lots of webmasters are complaining about drops of there traffic anyone knows exactly what that is?

Did you read any of the updates in this thread before posting?

[HTMLBasicTutor]

A new month and a new year of updates... Official Google Update Thread - January 2018