Numerous Google Updates have highlighted the search engine’s attention on users and the online user experience. It has evolved by including new features, making numerous basic algorithmic advancements, and changing the SERP format.

Increasing website authority, page loading speed, user navigational experience and quality content with appropriate keywords have been prioritised in Google updates.

On July 22, the Medic update’s initial version was released. The update was released week after week, reaching its peak on August 1st and 2nd, 2022. In August 2018, Google pushed out the Google Medic Update. The upgrade was announced just one week after Google changed its 200-page Quality Rater Guidelines. This document aids Google personnel in choosing the best pages to rank. In other words, this is the methodology Google employs to evaluate the quality of your content. 

Let us Understand The Google Medic Update.

The truth is that some SEOs will inevitably discover quick cuts. This typically entails finding methods to raise your website’s ranking without putting out the effort to add content for users. To make this impossible is Google’s continuing battle.

This was Medic’s ultimate objective, just like any other algorithm modification. It is a continuous effort to assist users in finding the content that most closely matches their needs. The google medic algorithm was introduced to push the search engines, enhance user experience, and improve the authority and expertise of offering quality search results. It is performed with the help of the core algorithm factors that helped to ensure quality search results and rank better. 

Its Impact and Best Practices Are Applicable to Sites

The Google Medic upgrade, meanwhile, didn’t affect all websites in the same way. Because it disproportionately influenced health, leisure, fitness, and medical material, it was dubbed Medic. Large impacts were also felt in the business, technological, and legal spheres. Google never expressly stated that they were targeting these industries, but the evidence shows that this is where the most impact was felt.

In a survey of more than 300 websites, SEO Roundtable found that over 42 per cent of the affected sites were in the categories of medicine, health, fitness, and healthy living. The update ranked sites with high domain authority, and sites with low domain authority were hit hard by the medic update. 

i) Your Money, Your Life Content 

Anything that can significantly affect consumers’ lives is considered YMYL material. After the Medic update, Google has a higher expectation for this material. We hope this makes some sense, to some extent. Conversely, Google must ensure that the advice included in YMYL content is sound. It considers ranking indications such as:

• If experts write the content
• Content is sufficient and relevant
• Whether the content offers actionable advice and valuable insights

In a nutshell, the algorithm had affected those sites that would solicit information, such as personal identification details and bank numbers, which can be used for theft. 

ii) Education, Authority, Trustworthiness (E.A.T. theory)

The YMCL theory is based on and interconnected with the EA.T. theory framework. It requires high standards, like expertise, authority, and trustworthiness. 

Expertise: This has to do with who you are and what makes you an authority in your profession.

Authority: What proof do you have that others in your field consider you an authority figure?

Trustworthiness: How can you demonstrate that your content is reliable, accurate, and well-researched?

How To Recover From the Google Medic Update? 

Search engines are committed to delivering authoritative and relevant information to the users and enhancing the search intent. The users want high credibility and authoritative information to improve their user experience. 

Each website should have an About page that emphasises your company’s qualifications and lists any honours or distinctions it has won. If you’ve got it, showing it off is the golden rule in this situation. Despite certain sites having quality content, they may be hit hard by the Google Medic update or algorithm. The reasons are as follows: 

• On further investigation, sites showed no About page, little external reputation, and no authoritative information that could boost their credibility. 

On the other hand, the website that comes in first after the Medic update has expert author profiles and high authority signals. All the highly ranked sites focused on improving their E.A.T. and garnering high authority. The sites had a credible reputation, available proof of expertise, and a solid collection of reviews, along with more credible authors. 

How To Rank Under Google Medic Update

As such, it is impossible to provide a checklist that will ensure success in the face of any algorithm modification.

Instead, the following are the key considerations you need to make to provide your content with the best chance of ranking after the Google Medic update.

1. Understanding Search Intent

The purpose of a user’s search is known as their search intent. Based on the search query and how users engage with specific results, Google has become much more adept at determining this over time. Fortunately, you need to be concerned with the following four types of search intent:

• Transactional: When people wish to make a specific purchase
• Navigational – Where consumers want to locate a particular website,
• Commercial research is conducted by users interested in a product but isn’t quite ready to buy it.
• Informational – Users searching for informative content are doing so to find an answer to a question or fix a problem.

It makes you understand the search intent, which helps to offer better search results, and informational content. The search engines and algorithms aim to provide search results and useful content that resonates with the search queries. 

Additionally, Google has added the idea of “useful purpose” to the Quality Rater Guidelines, asking raters to rate the quality of the content but also consider whether the page has a beneficial purpose or use to being on the site. What would a visitor to the site gain?

The Medic upgrade, in our opinion, improved the “match” between objectives and outcomes. If that’s the case, the “issue” is that creating a website user wants to frequent is still the greatest improvement tip. You’ll succeed if your website responds to users’ search queries and understands their intentions.

2. Content Volume

Generally speaking, a piece of content’s performance on Google is correlated with its length. It’s inaccurate to say that long content will do best when all other factors are equal. The more accurate statement is that your information must be extensive enough to address the user’s inquiry fully. This will typically be lengthier, but it doesn’t mean that longer content is necessarily the best.

When planning your content, consider the length of the top-performing pages for your target keywords. Great if you believe you have more to say.

3. Quality Content

It is vital to ensure that your content matches the search query that resonates with the users. Ensure your quality matches user intent to rank high and do well with the Google Medic update. The E.A.T. theory aims to deliver users the most trustworthy and authoritative content. And although creating high-quality content continues to be a primary concern, marketers and content creators must also pay close attention to whether or not that content meets the user’s intent.

3. Boost your E.A.T. Content

You can do certain actions to confirm your credentials. Finally, remember that you’re attempting to persuade Google that your content possesses knowledge, credibility, and authority.

To begin developing your brand and establishing yourself as an authoritative voice, you may, for instance, add more details to your author bio and about page.

You can also look for reviews, citations, and backlinks to help show that other experts in your field see you as an authority.

Key Takeaways from Google Medic Update

• Google introduced its latest broad core algorithm: Google Medic Update, in August.
• The health and fitness industries seemed to be hit hard by the Google Medic update, followed by some under in YMCL category. 
• It is pivotal to focus on content alignment and user intent. For tips on how to improve, pay close attention to Google’s Quality Raters Guidelines. 
• It is vital to focus on factors like Page Speed, site responsiveness, navigational experience, and high authority. 

Conclusion

We hope the above-listed facts helped you understand the algorithm more thoroughly. We expect the pointers to help you to build a site that is more user-friendly, with high authority, and quality content. 

While there is no known cause or solution to increase lost traffic, you can position yourself for future rankings by adhering to the revised Quality Raters Guidelines.

As discussed in the guide, focus on improving E.A.T. content to rank higher and enhance the search intent with quality search results. Put more effort into creating a high-quality, technically sound website. Fill it with factual information that speaks to the requirements of your reader. These efforts will bring more quality results with time!