Fred update

The Fred Update is a series of tweaks to Google’s algorithm that target content quality.

Definition

With the Fred Update, the Google search engine adjusted its algorithm in 2017 to focus more on the quality of websites. This has had a particular impact on websites that contain poor content that doesn’t add value. At the same time also on pages that contain an unusually large number of advertising banners.

Background

The name of the update is based on a joke that Google employee Gary Illyes allowed himself: On the short message service Twitter, he answered a user’s question by saying that from now on, all updates should be named Fred.

The Fred update created momentum in the SERPs, especially shortly after it was introduced.

With the help of a professional online marketing agency, you no longer need to fear search engine algorithm updates. This ensures that you get the quality that Google expects from you through a strategically thought-out analysis and optimization of the relevant ranking factors. However, you should also place great value on an individual website with good content for your customers and visitors. An excellent structural design of the source code also ensures increased visibility, because Google can thus more quickly grasp the necessary information for your users. You will benefit from satisfied visitors, a higher dwell time as well as an increasing visibility.

The Fred Update and SEO

To improve the technical quality of the website, webmasters should, for example, carry out a mobile optimization. Because the technical and content quality of the page is important.

The optimisation of content quality requires particularly good content with added value for users. The texts should be professionally prepared, orthographically correct and easy to read. Content-related important information should be immediately visible for the readers without having to scroll.

Among other things, improving load times can help improve the technical quality of your website. It also makes sense to set up SSL encryption– if it is not already in place.

In addition to quality copy, unique images are also elemental to keeping readers on your website. They add value to the content and also provide variety for users. Pages that consist of lead deserts appear monotonous, quickly become boring and can lead to high bounce rates.

Length of content: On average, the number of words has increased steadily over the past few years. Therefore, a well-worded text with numerous words can lead to a good ranking in the SERPs.

While Google has not taken a position on the algorithm changes in the wake of the Fred update. However, Gary Illyes has signaled that webmasters should focus on Google’s webmaster guidelines and create websites primarily for their visitors and not primarily for search engines – this is a mistake many webmasters still make!Optimization tips at a glance:

• Mobile optimization
• Page Speed Improvements
• SSL encryption
• Content with added value for readers
• Important information immediately visible
• Follow Google Webmaster Guidelines
• Create websites for users and not for search engines

Who does the Fred update affect?

Especially commercial websites are targeted by the Fred Update! According to the study, pages on which users received little or no information about their search query were often at a disadvantage, as were pages on which there was proportionally less content than advertising space.

Also affected were websites with many affiliate affiliations and sites with outdated or low-quality content.

Conclusion

After the Fred update, a picture emerged that is very typical of a Google update: many rankings dropped by 40 to 100+ positions.

By optimizing the quality of your site – i.e. good content, added value for the user, better loading times, SSL encryption – you also improve the ranking of your site again.