April 2023 SEO Updates: What You Need to Know

April was a quieter month in the SEO world, but there were still a few important updates that businesses should be aware of. Here’s a roundup of the latest news:

Google’s April 2023 Reviews Update

On April 12, Google released its latest reviews update. This update expands the scope of the reviews algorithm to include reviews of products, services, and things. Previously, the reviews algorithm only evaluated reviews of products.

The update is designed to reward high-quality reviews that are informative, helpful, and unbiased. Google is looking for reviews that provide users with valuable information about the product or service being reviewed. Reviews that are simply promotional or that contain unsubstantiated claims will be devalued.

To learn more about Google’s reviews algorithm and how to write high-quality reviews, visit the Google Search Central website.

Google Retires Mobile-Friendly, Page Speed, and Secure Sites Ranking Signals

In April, Google announced that it is retiring the mobile-friendly, page speed, and secure sites ranking signals. These signals were originally introduced as part of the Google Page Experience Update in 2020.

Google says that the mobile-friendly, page speed, and secure sites signals are now redundant with other ranking signals. For example, Google’s Core Web Vitals metrics already measure the user experience of mobile pages and page speed.

While these signals are no longer individual ranking factors, they are still important for improving the user experience of your website. By optimizing your website for mobile devices, improving page speed, and making sure your website is secure, you can improve your chances of ranking high in search results.

Google Analytics 4 Data Availability

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google’s analytics platform. GA4 offers a number of new features and improvements over the previous version, Universal Analytics (UA).

One of the biggest changes in GA4 is that it no longer collects data using the same cookies as UA. This means that if you’re currently using UA, you’ll need to start collecting data in GA4 in order to continue tracking your website traffic.

Google is giving businesses until July 1, 2024 to migrate to GA4. After that date, UA will no longer collect data.

If you’re not sure how to migrate to GA4, WebSuited can help. We offer a variety of GA4 migration services to help you get started with the new platform.

Apple Business Connect

Apple Business Connect is a new tool that allows businesses to customize how their information appears across all Apple apps and services. It’s similar to Google’s Business Profile but with a few more features.

With Apple Business Connect, businesses can:

• Update their business information, such as their address, phone number, and hours of operation
• Add photos and videos of their business
• Promote special offers and events
• Accept online payments
• And much more

Apple Business Connect is a free tool that’s available to all businesses. To get started, visit the Apple Business Connect website.

These are just a few of the latest SEO updates that businesses should be aware of. By staying up-to-date on the latest news, you can ensure that your website is optimized for search engines and that you’re reaching your target audience.

If you have any questions about SEO or need help with your website, WebSuited can help. We’re a team of experienced SEO professionals who can help you improve your website’s ranking in search results. Contact us today to learn more about our SEO services.