Google August Core Update Helpful Content Surge Charts

This Google August 2024 core update has been shaking things up since it began to rollout. We saw some early signs of some sites hit by the September 2023 helpful content see some signs of life. Then some saw reversals of sorts, but maybe that was the search ranking bug that got fixed a few days later.

Now while Google told us to wait to see the full effects, we don't like to wait.

Many of those sites that have seen some life, continue to see ranking improvements, as the days go by. Will those last? Will they reverse? Will they get better? That you need to wait to see. But for now, many of those sites that saw surged (not all - some saw those surges vanish) are continuing to see increases.

Here are some charts, without specifying the sites themselves, that are seeing increases as posted by Glenn Gabe, Lily Ray and Marie Haynes - but many of you are also noticing this and posting them in the comments here on this site.

I should note, as of yesterday, Sunday, Glenn posted of the almost 400 sites he is tracking that was bit by the helpful content update back in September, 73 have shown some signs of life. So most are dead still but many are bouncing back a bit.

Here are some of those charts:

I pulled some Semrush charts for some famous sites hit...

Housefresh (note, I am told this site was not impacted by the helpful content update, but more from past core updates - sorry for any confusion):

Retrododo:

Here are more from those posts on X, click through, there is a lot more to the thread:

In addition, there are some full or near full reversals I'm seeing based on the August core update. First, that HCUX site I shared the other day now has surpassed where it was before the Sep HCU(X). And then https://t.co/TAOZoRCtWr (which was impacted by core updates and not the… pic.twitter.com/0gSqLQIMqA

— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) August 25, 2024

One of the best recoveries I've seen yet.

It's a blog about hairstyles with an international presence.

I haven't dug yet in to see how much/what they improved, but the site looks good now. pic.twitter.com/6qD8OpQZtk

— Lily Ray 😏 (@lilyraynyc) August 23, 2024

I don't know that we can call this an error on Google's part. Although, I must say that Google could have communicated better with site owners impacted by HCU. It was so devastating for so many. And many are still left with very little idea of how to improve or whether recovery… https://t.co/u0038RKXDR pic.twitter.com/WQ9FAzSyOb

— Marie Haynes (@Marie_Haynes) August 22, 2024

Here is a good video from Glenn on what he was seeing as of late last week:

So while the March 2024 core update resulted in just more devastation for all of these sites, at least the August 2024 core update is showing promise for some of those sites.

We will continue to track this and keep you posted, throughout the update.

Forum discussion at X.