Google recently made significant changes to its HowTo and FAQ rich results. FAQs are now exclusive to certain businesses, while HowTos have been demoted to desktop only and are set to disappear entirely. This means that ranking for HowTo rich results will no longer have a positive impact, and most of us are not authoritative enough to rank for FAQs. As a result, those who relied on these features for quick wins must find new ways to regain their lost visibility.
While Google specifically mentioned that websites using structured data would be affected, we have observed that the impact of the rich results demotion extends even to websites that do not use structured data. To understand why this is happening, we need to consider how Google populates rich results information. It appears that Google uses easily identifiable HTML to gather this information.
For example, the above featured snippet is sourced from a page with no structured data. We have confirmed this by using the Schema Validator and Rich Results Test. However, there are instances where search results display pages that appear to use HowTo structured data. The holder of Position 1 may use breadcrumb markup instead of HowTo markup, while the result in Position 2 does use HowTo markup. This phenomenon is not new, as we have observed products gaining rich result features without the use of structured data as early as January 2022.
It seems that this update has affected websites both with and without structured data. The August core algorithm update may have introduced other changes, but if you noticed any significant changes in early August, it is more likely that the rich result demotion is responsible.
To demonstrate the impact of this update, let’s take a look at some data from one of our clients. Our client, an industry leader, had over 1,200 People Also Ask positions in July. However, this number dropped to about 750 in August, indicating a decrease of around 40%. These changes primarily affected SERP features rather than organic listings. We compared the top 20 keywords for the client and found that only around 20 keywords were lost from July to August. The People Also Ask feature was particularly affected, especially for queries where HowTo or FAQ results would be ideal.
The mobile SERP features also experienced a similar drop, with about 10 fewer total keywords in the top 20. It is worth considering whether these demotions of rich results are part of Google’s efforts to prioritize Search Generative Experience (SGE) in its SERPs. Google has confirmed that these changes are intended to improve user experience, and we should expect further simplification of search results.
How to recover from the changes to rich results
Now, let’s discuss how we can recover from the impact of these rich results changes. Despite the differences between websites using structured data and those that do not, the recovery strategy will be similar. The first step is to identify the keywords that have been lost or dropped and their associated pages. This can be done by comparing rankings or traffic data. SEO tools or Search Console can be used to export the necessary data into spreadsheets for analysis.
Next, we need to assess the intent behind the dropped keywords, focusing on both desktop and mobile results. Platforms like Semrush can be used to analyze rankings and determine keyword intent. The intent can be categorized as informational, transactional, commercial, or navigational. By understanding the intent behind the keywords, we can better tailor our recovery strategy.
It is crucial to analyze how the SERPs have changed and align our recovery strategy with these changes. Using platforms like Semrush, we can identify the available SERP features for our target keywords and match them to their intent. Some examples of SERP features include images and image packs, videos, featured snippets, reviews, local packs, and site links. By focusing on these features, we can adapt our content accordingly and enhance our chances of recovering our visibility in the SERPs.
To prioritize our recovery strategy, we should start with the keywords that have experienced the biggest losses and make the easiest updates to our content. For example, we can add more images, incorporate structured data or alt text for images, review and update existing content, optimize our Google Business Profile, and add trusted reviews to our website. These updates can be implemented quickly and have a significant impact on our visibility. More extensive updates can be planned for a later stage.
In conclusion, recovering from the rich results update requires a structured approach. By identifying the lost keywords, understanding user intent, and adapting to changes in SERP features, we can regain our visibility and improve our search rankings. If you need assistance with your SEO strategy or recovering from these changes, consider partnering with Bridgewell Marketing. Our team of SEO experts can help you navigate the evolving landscape of search and optimize your website for better rankings. Learn more about our SEO services at https://bridgewellmarketing.com.
