If you’ve ever wondered, the most accurate answer is: too often.
Last year, Google changed its website ranking algorithm more than 1,000 times. Some changes were so bad that huge websites noticed a significant drop or jump in visits because Google moved them up or down to positions they usually weren’t at. Of course, such major changes were quickly corrected by Google engineers.
Why is it changing so often?
The answer is quite logical: more and more people are trying to trick Google’s algorithm to quickly reach the first position and profit from it. With each successful attempt, Google changes the algorithm and prevents such things.
In addition to the bad changes, of course, there are good ones, such as improving site readability, adding new tags, and enhancing the site and text “understanding.”
Also, changes in technology, such as enforcing SSL, lead to changes in the algorithm itself and a million (more likely a billion) other things.
How can I still be first after these changes?
Simply put, the rules have remained the same no matter how many times Google changes the algorithm. It is essential to keep up and monitor and implement certain things on your site to constantly be first or continuously progress.
Currently, the main things without which SEO cannot be imagined are:
- AMP
- Meta tags
- Structured data
Can I do SEO once and have it last forever?
A well-made site with all current standards (in terms of site design) can help you for a long time, by long, I mean 2-3 years, provided that you always have fresh material and add texts to your site.
Keep in mind that technology is changing daily (literally), and if you don’t apply the principles that Google requires (yes, requires, there is no negotiation, either accept and implement or send you to the other side), your site has a huge chance of finding itself in big trouble.
In addition, even if the SEO is done 100% without any mistakes, and everything is followed ideally, know that you have competition that works non-stop, and new sites are constantly opening, which may also have good SEO but are more regular or more active, so they will take a better position instead of your site because they are more up-to-date. So it’s not just about technique, being the best requires constant work.
