Google Medic Update – August 1, 2018: How It Affects SEO for Different Types of Clients
On August 1, 2018, Google rolled out a significant algorithm update known as the Medic Update. This update impacted many websites, particularly those in the health and wellness sector, but it also had broader implications for other industries. The name “Medic Update” was coined because a large number of affected sites were related to healthcare, fitness, and wellness. However, it wasn’t just medical sites that saw fluctuations; other sectors also experienced changes in search rankings.
In this article, we’ll break down the Google Medic Update, explain how it affects different industries, and offer actionable SEO strategies for clients in various fields. By understanding what this update includes and how it can impact your site, you can take steps to maintain and improve your search rankings.
1. What Was the Google Medic Update?
The Google Medic Update was a core algorithm update focused on E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). This means Google sought to improve the quality of the information presented to users, particularly in industries that deal with sensitive topics like health, finance, and law—what Google refers to as Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) pages.
Google’s goal with this update was to ensure that high-quality, authoritative sites ranked better than those with lower levels of credibility, especially in sectors where inaccurate or misleading information could have serious consequences.
2. Which Industries Were Most Affected by the Medic Update?
While the update primarily affected health and medical websites, it also had an impact on industries such as finance, law, e-commerce, and others. Websites providing advice or information in these areas were scrutinized more heavily for their expertise and authority.
- Healthcare & Medical Sites: Health-related websites saw significant fluctuations in rankings. Google aimed to promote sites that had verified medical professionals contributing content and reputable sources for their information. Many smaller or less authoritative health blogs saw declines in rankings.
- Financial Websites: Like the healthcare sector, financial advice also falls under the YMYL category. Sites that offer financial guidance or investment advice were affected, with those demonstrating strong credentials and trustworthiness performing better in search rankings.
- E-commerce Sites: Sites that sell products in health and wellness (e.g., supplements or fitness gear) were particularly impacted. E-commerce websites needed to demonstrate not just product quality but also authority and trust in their product descriptions and content.
- Legal Websites: Law firms and legal advice platforms saw shifts in rankings based on the authority of their content. Websites that lacked authoritative authorship or clear information about the legal professionals behind the advice saw declines.
3. How Your Site May Be Affected by the Medic Update
For any business or client affected by the Medic Update, the changes were primarily related to content quality, authorship, and website credibility. If your website falls into any YMYL categories or offers sensitive advice, here are a few things to look out for:
- Content Lacks Expertise: If your content is not written or verified by professionals in your industry, you may see a drop in rankings. Google wants content produced by people with demonstrable expertise in the field.
- Low Authoritativeness: If your site does not have a strong reputation or you don’t have backlinks from reputable sources, you may struggle to rank.
- Trust Issues: Google checks for trust signals like customer reviews, secure payment gateways (for e-commerce sites), and clear contact information. If your site lacks these, it could be negatively impacted.
4. How Different Industries Can Improve SEO Post-Medic Update
4.1 Healthcare and Wellness Websites
- Demonstrate Expertise: Use content written or reviewed by certified medical professionals. For example, include bylines and author bios that highlight the credentials of your contributors.
- Build Authority: Link to reputable external sources like peer-reviewed journals, health organizations, or government websites (e.g., the CDC or WHO). These trusted backlinks can help solidify your authority.
- Update Content Regularly: Medical advice changes frequently. Regularly review and update your health-related content to ensure it’s accurate and up-to-date.
Example Source: Healthline experienced a boost after the update because of its reliable medical contributors and well-structured, authoritative content.
4.2 Financial Websites
- Hire Certified Experts: Ensure that articles on investment advice or financial planning are written by certified professionals like CPAs or financial advisors. Include author credentials in the byline.
- Provide Trust Signals: Use SSL certificates, showcase customer testimonials, and display professional memberships (e.g., FINRA, CFA Institute) to build trustworthiness.
- Focus on E-A-T: Create high-quality content that demonstrates your expertise, such as detailed guides, case studies, and analyses from financial experts.
Example Source: NerdWallet, a personal finance site, ranks well because it consistently demonstrates high levels of expertise and authority, with contributors who are financial professionals.
4.3 E-commerce Websites
- Detailed Product Descriptions: Write comprehensive, well-researched product descriptions that include information about the safety, efficacy, or science behind the product (especially for health-related items).
- Reviews and Testimonials: Encourage customers to leave reviews, and ensure these reviews are displayed prominently. This adds social proof and builds trust with users.
- Clear Trust Signals: Use secure payment methods, have clear refund policies, and provide easy access to customer service. These signals improve your site’s trustworthiness.
Example Source: Amazon ranks well for e-commerce because it not only has user reviews but also extensive product information and secure payment options.
4.4 Legal Websites
- Prominent Author Credentials: Legal content should be authored by licensed attorneys or legal professionals. Include detailed author bios that outline their qualifications.
- High-Quality, Original Content: Offer in-depth, unique legal advice tailored to your location and clientele. Avoid generic legal advice that doesn’t demonstrate specific expertise.
- Gain Authoritative Links: Link to court cases, legal journals, or government websites. These trusted sources reinforce your content’s authority.
Example Source: Nolo is a legal advice site that ranks well because of its focus on expert contributors, such as attorneys, and high-quality content.
5. How to Measure and Improve Post-Medic Update SEO Performance
After ensuring your site aligns with the principles of E-A-T, here’s how you can monitor your SEO performance:
- Use Google Search Console: Track your website’s organic traffic and monitor any shifts in search rankings. Pay special attention to pages offering advice or recommendations in sensitive areas.
- Track Keyword Performance: Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to monitor keyword rankings. If you notice a drop in specific YMYL keywords, consider updating content to improve its relevance and authority.
- Audit Backlinks: Use tools like Moz or Ahrefs to evaluate your backlink profile. High-quality, relevant backlinks from authoritative sites can significantly boost your site’s credibility.
- Conduct Content Audits: Regularly audit your content to ensure it’s accurate, well-researched, and authored by experts. Outdated or poorly written content should be updated or removed.
The Google Medic Update was a major shift toward prioritizing E-A-T, particularly for YMYL sites. While healthcare, financial, legal, and e-commerce websites were most affected, the principles of this update apply across industries. By focusing on demonstrating expertise, authority, and trustworthiness, businesses can maintain and even improve their search rankings post-Medic Update.
For industries like healthcare, finance, and law, ensuring that content is written by qualified professionals and is backed by trusted sources is key to thriving in Google’s search rankings.