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Why real-time search algorithm updates may be bad news

With real-time algorithm updates becoming the norm in place of manual releases, what issues might arise? Columnist Patrick Stox examines some potential effects of faster algorithm updates.

Patrick Stox on March 18, 2016 at 12:45 pm

Every update of Panda and Penguin in recent years has brought joy to some SEOs and sorrow to others. As the algorithms become real-time, the job of an SEO will become harder, and I wonder if Google has really thought of the consequences of these updates.

So, what potential issues may arise as a result of faster algorithm updates?

Troubleshooting algorithmic penalties

Algorithmic penalties are a lot more difficult to troubleshoot than manual actions.

With a manual action, Google informs you of the penalty via the Google Search Console, giving webmasters the ability to address the issues that are negatively impacting their sites. With an algorithmic penalty, they may not even be aware that a problem exists.

The easiest way to determine if your website has suffered from an algorithmic penalty is to match a drop in your traffic with the dates of known algorithm updates.

[Read the full article on Search Engine Land.]

Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Marketing Land. Staff authors are listed here.