Google Releases November 2021 Broad Core Update

Published: November 18, 2021
Last Updated: November 18, 2021
Author: Lindsey Nelson

On November 17th, 2021 Google announced on Twitter that they would be rolling out a new Core Algorithm Update later that day. In Google's original announcement, they stated that the algorithm update would take 2 weeks to fully roll out.

What Does This Mean For SEO?

Generally, Broad Core Updates do result in a spike or drop in search result rankings, but that doesn't necessarily mean your site is being penalized. Google is simply reassessing content from all websites to determine which pages accurately the criteria for search ranking. As with any core update, if you've seen a drop in search rankings Google recommends reassessing the content of your website to ensure that you're following Google's quality guidelines.

How Can Sites Recover From a Core Update?

If your website is hit by one of these updates, it can be difficult to recover and your site may not recover until the next core update — despite any improvements you may make. The main thing you can do is to prepare for the next update and keep creating and improving your content. Here's how Google puts it in their documentation:

"As explained, pages that drop after a core update don't have anything wrong to fix. This said, we understand those who do less well after a core update change may still feel they need to do something. We suggest focusing on ensuring you're offering the best content you can. That's what our algorithms seek to reward."

Google Search Central

In their documentation, Google provides a list of guidelines you can follow to ensure that you're content meets the search engine's algorithmic standard. Generally, content ranks well when it demonstrates expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-A-T).

Here is a list of criteria to meet to score a high E-A-T score: