Hamsterdam Part 26: SEO News Recap from 10/2 to 10/8
By Ethan Lazuk
Last updated:
A weekly look-back at SEO news, tips, and other content shared on social media & beyond.
Quote source: Google Search Central
Opening notes:
*Feel free to jump down to the recap, or keep reading for an introduction and summary of the week’s news!
Introduction to week 26: “All the Pieces Matter.”
The Google October 2023 core update rolled out this week. Ordinarily, a core update alone is noteworthy. But coming on the heels of two fairly large updates already in the last two months (the August 2023 core update and September 2023 HCU), this is a particularly tumultuous time for search rankings.
Add to that the ongoing variations of SGE, changes in SERP features, and other minor announced or unannounced updates, and there’s plenty to think about when strategizing for SEO or interpreting website performance data.
That said, the fundamentals are forever relevant.
Who created the content, why it was created, and how it is presented, these are simple concepts at their core, yet they involve many factors.
It’s seldom one thing. It’s a whole picture. All the pieces are pertinent. All the pieces matter.
Buckle up for a full week’s recap.
Summary of the week’s SEO news and content
- The week started off strong with a lot of chatter about the September helpful content update and tips on recovery. A lot pointing to UX and on-page ads, in addition to whether the content was of sufficient quality for readers (and that quality could be recognized by Google’s ranking systems).
- And then …
- Another core update! (There was also a Google spam update the day before that, which impacts all languages but especially certain ones. But hopefully you don’t have to worry about that. ;))
- Many were a bit surprised by how quickly the October 2023 core update came on the heels of the August core update and the September HCU. Different theories floated around, along with amusing responses from Google.
- Shortly after the core update launched, Google also had an indexing bug for a few hours. Additionally, indented results have been removed, yet I personally see many instances of the same domain appearing either back-to-back or within the top few results for queries. Speculation about future deduplication ensues.
- We also saw a new implementation and iteration of SGE.
But don’t just take my word for it! All of this info and more is contained below in the weekly recap.
Notes:
- If the article times out on mobile, my apologies. Please try viewing on a desktop or WiFi.
- I’ve cut back on the amount of info I include; if you’d like to see more, scrolling through my likes on X or following the people in this recap is probably the best place to start. 😉
Missed last week’s recap? Don’t worry, I got you! Read Part 25 to catch up.
Okay, time for (home)work.
Jump to a section of this week’s recap
- Top posts
- News, Google updates, & SERP tests
- SEO tips & tidbits
- Fundamentals & resources
- Articles, videos & case studies
- Local SEO
- Technical SEO
- Content marketing
- SEO tools, AI & reporting
- Humor section
- Miscellaneous & general posts
Enjoy the recap below! And please support content you find valuable with a like or follow. 🙂
Top posts
These are key news items, tips, or other content I felt were relevant to highlight for the week, particularly if you just want a quick glance.
SEO news, Google updates, & SERP tests
These are newsworthy events in the SEO world from the last week or SERP tests to be aware of.
SEO tips & tidbits
This section has actionable tips, cool tidbits, or other findings and observations that can be teaching moments.
SEO fundamentals & resources
If you’re new to SEO, this section includes essential information, concepts, or resources to learn more about.
Google: Even High Quality Pages Can Still Not Be Indexed By Google Search – Barry Schwartz
Articles, videos, case studies & more
These are longer-form content shared on social.
Local SEO
If you’re into local Search, this section is for you!
Technical SEO
Yep, it still matters. 😉
Content marketing
What’d SEO be without content?
Why Articles Should Be Optimised Before Publishing – Barry Adams
Tools, AI & reporting
Here’s a recap of updates to tools, and new tools, along with tips for reporting on data.
Humor
Humor is subjective; hopefully, you find these funny as well!
General Marketing & Miscellaneous
This is for great content that isn’t necessarily SEO (i.e., PPC, PR, dev, and social friends check it out!) or even marketing-specific.
Marketing Strategist, Sell the Benefits Not the Product (Watch on TikTok)
Marketing Trends (LoFi Content) by Camille Moore (Watch on TikTok)
Great job making it to the end. You rock!
Show your support for creators: If you liked any of the content shared above, please support that person by liking their post or following them. 🙂
Hungry for more? Check out the past weeks of Hamsterdam.
Or sign up for the newsletter! (Until I get the form back up and running, feel free to shoot me an email to get added to the list.)
Want to work together on your brand’s SEO?
I’m currently taking clients for SEO and content audits and strategy consulting, and soon training. You can learn more about me on my about page.
Get in touch: hit me up on social at @EthanLazuk, by text or call at 813-557-9745, or via email at ethan.lazuk@gmail.com.
Cheers!
Leave a Reply