The digital world was abuzz when news broke out: another Google Core Update had been launched. But with the increased integration of AI in content creation, a pressing question arose – how will AI-driven SEO sites fare in the face of these changes?

Introduction to the Update

On 22nd August 2023, Google’s search status dashboard indicated that a new Core Update was underway, marking the second of such updates in 2023, with the first taking place in March. For those unfamiliar with Google’s terminologies, a core update is a comprehensive adjustment to the search engine’s algorithm. It’s not about targeting one particular change; it’s an all-encompassing tweak.

Google insists that if your page experiences a ranking shift post the update, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a fault on your end. The emphasis remains on delivering top-tier content to users.

Initial Observations and Impact

The immediate aftermath of such announcements always brings forth a sense of unpredictability. SEMrush, a popular SEO tool, showed a surging volatility rate, reaching between 9.1 and 9.3 in the last 30 days. This score, ranked between 0 to 10, represents the turbulence in search engine rankings.

For those wanting to track the volatility of their website during such seismic shifts, SEMrush offers tools that help you monitor the effects on your specific domain.

Navigating a Core Update: The Do’s and Don’ts

Firstly, it’s crucial to resist the urge to panic. Jumping to conclusions can lead to rash decisions, which might worsen your site’s performance. Instead, consider auditing pages that have experienced a drop in rankings. Google itself recommends this step, and there are numerous tutorials available to guide you through this process.

However, it’s important to remember that recovery from a core update’s impact might require patience, often stretching until the next core update rolls out.

The E-A-T Factor: A Major Consideration

One of the hot topics of the year revolves around the acronym E-A-T, which stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This factor has gained traction, with many sites adopting personas to enhance their perceived authority. However, opinions vary on its true significance, with some attributing ranking successes to backlinks and others to E-A-T.

It will be fascinating to monitor how AI-driven sites, like the test website cheaperbirds.com, fare in the wake of this update. Interestingly, some argue that AI content often surpasses human-created content in quality.

Recovering from a Core Update

For those who experience a hit, there are guidelines and step-by-step instructions available, covering aspects from content quality assessment to E-A-T evaluation. However, it’s paramount to manage expectations. While changes might be implemented immediately, tangible results could be postponed until the subsequent core update.

Lastly, be cautious about the plethora of analyses that will emerge post-update. Drawing correlations between ranking factors and Google updates requires extensive data and an adept analytical approach, a combination that’s rare.

Conclusion

The world of SEO is ever-evolving, and while tools like ChatGPT AI offer remarkable insights and assistance, the focus should always remain on offering valuable, high-quality content. The August 2023 Core Update has set the stage, and only time will unveil the full spectrum of its implications.