May 2020 Core Update
Major core update rolled out during the height of the health crisis, with a strong impact on the travel, events and local sectors.
Key points
- A major core update rolled out in the midst of the global health crisis.
- Strong impact on the travel, events and local sectors.
- High volatility in sectors already weakened by the context.
- A reassessment of relevance in an environment of upended demand.
Analysis
The May 2020 update came in an exceptional context, where search behaviors were profoundly altered by the pandemic. The sectors most affected by the crisis, travel and events in particular, also recorded strong variations, making it tricky to distinguish an algorithm effect from a collapse in demand.
This episode is a reminder that a core update reassesses relevance at a given moment, in a shifting environment. For publishers, the analysis must cross-reference SEO data and the market context in order to avoid erroneous conclusions about the causes of declines.
What to do
- Cross-reference SEO variations with the evolution of demand to isolate the algorithmic effect.
- Adapt content to the new search intents of the context on your topics.
- Monitor positions over the duration of the rollout rather than on a snapshot.
High volatility in already fragile sectors. Re-evaluation of relevance amid upended demand.