Google’s August 2024 Core Update Aims to Support Small Publishers

In the latest Google Search update, the tech giant has rolled out its August 2024 core update, which is designed to address concerns raised by smaller, independent publishers over the past few months. The update incorporates feedback from creators and aims to promote useful content from small and independent sites that are producing high-quality, original content relevant to users’ searches.

Addressing Feedback from Small Publishers

Over the past few months, Google has been receiving feedback from smaller, independent publishers who felt that recent search updates had negatively impacted their visibility and traffic. In response, the August 2024 core update specifically targets this issue by prioritizing content from small and independent sites that are creating genuinely useful and original content.

“This latest update takes into account the feedback we’ve heard from some creators and others over the past few months,” said John Mueller, Google Search Advocate. “As always, we aim to connect people with a range of high quality sites, including ‘small’ or ‘independent’ sites that are creating useful, original content on relevant searches. This is an area we’ll continue to address in future updates.”

Guidance for Impacted Sites

Google has also updated its help page on core updates, providing more in-depth guidance for sites that may see changes in their search rankings following the update. The updated guidance emphasizes that the biggest gains for impacted sites often come after another core update has rolled out, rather than immediate improvements.

“We’ve also updated our help page about core updates, which includes more in-depth guidance for those who may see changes after an update,” the company stated.

Ongoing Efforts to Improve Search Quality

The August 2024 core update is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to improve the quality of its search results by promoting genuinely useful content and demoting content created solely for the purpose of ranking well in search engines. The update also aims to better capture improvements made by websites so that Google can continue to surface the best of the web.

“This update also aims to better capture improvements that sites may have made, so we can continue to show the best of the web,” Google added.

As the rollout progresses, small publishers and SEO professionals should monitor their metrics and ensure their content aligns with Google’s focus on user value and originality. With the August 2024 core update, Google has demonstrated its commitment to supporting small, independent creators and improving the overall quality of its search results.

Best Network for Small Publishers

Trusted publisher networks (like Monetizemore) can distribute and manage Google Ad Exchange accounts without you going through the long list of requirements currently in place.

That means that you get access to premium advertisers that are paying big bucks for inventory, higher CPMs and a near definite increase in overall revenue.

If you’re a small publisher given access to Ad Exchange, you’d want to make the most out of it. Being allowed to utilize Ad Exchange is already a sure-way to increase revenues, but with the following tweaks and tips, you’ll be able to maximize its full potential.

Here are some helpful tips that could help you when running AdExchange:

#1: Always make sure that your site is compliant with Google’s policy

Even if you are already running Ad Exchange, as a publisher, you are still required to keep an eye on your site making sure all your content is compliant to avoid getting the ads disabled.

Check Google’s policy from time to time as they might release new updates.

#2: Set Ad Exchange to Dynamic Allocation

If Ad Exchange is linked to your Google Ad Manager (GAM) account, it is best to set Ad Exchange in dynamic allocation as you let it compete with your managed demand (set to price priority).

With this setup, it maximizes your ad revenue as GAM will help you earn the highest price for every ad impression.

#3: Enable Flexible Size

Flexible size allows more ads to compete for your inventory. Use the flexible size rule in Ad Exchange to specify a range of creative sizes that is accepted in your ad slot. It will result in an increased fill rate and more competitive auctions.

#4: Opt-in Rule

All certified ad technologies are opted out by default. Allowing these ad technologies will unblock advertisers that require verification.

This will create more demand and higher auction pressure. Go to “Rules” tab in Ad Exchange and click “Opt-in” from the sidebar.

#5: Setting Ad Exchange Pricing Rules

It’s a good practice to set pricing rules for each of your ad placements to increase your Ad Exchange CPM rate and ensure branded or high-quality ads get to serve in your inventory.

When setting a floor price for your ad inventory, keep in mind that increasing rates can lower the coverage of Ad Exchange. You have to make sure that you have other strong campaigns in your ad stack to fill whatever Ad Exchange is not able to with the CPM rate you have in place.

In closing

Here at Monetizemore, we’ll guide you through every step of the way to, making sure you get to take full advantage of the high CPMs and the maximum increase in ad revenue despite of any core updates. Sign up to MonetizeMore today!

source https://www.monetizemore.com/blog/ad-exchange-tips-small-publisher/