August 28, 2019, a Google algorithm update began rolling out. This came shortly after Google began demoting websites which participate in “subdomain leasing” around August 23. Google engineers also made slightly noticeable changes to the algorithm on August 1 and August 20. Some people feel the August 20 change was a test for a future rollout, which would actually make sense as the August 28 rollout was so abrupt..
What Happened in the August 2019 Google Algorithm Update?
At the moment I can tell you that this was not a “broad core algorithm update” just by analyzing the visibility of previously affected sites and large sites. However, I am still looking for examples of websites affected. At the moment, I am just not seeing a lot, but that could also be due to seasonal traffic.
Labor Day and seasonal traffic dips.
It’s Labor Day weekend in the US, and most sites are going to see a huge dip in traffic. If you have a small business or you’re a law firm, expect that traffic to drop way down. This is a seasonal traffic dip. That traffic will begin to return to normal next Tuesday or Wednesday. Of course, if you’re a business at the beach or you sell grilling supplies, you’re going to get a surge in traffic. Anyways, analyzing algorithm changes which drop just before a holiday are tricky. Webmasters affected by August’s algorithm tweak will likely need to wait until September 4th to see how their traffic is doing. If you have a loss of traffic in September, you may want to look for clues of the August 28, 2019 algorithm change.
Did you gain or lose search visibility in August 2019?
If you think you’ve gained or lost keyword positions or traffic in any of August’s algorithm changes please feel free to email me or comment below!
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