Heads Up! Another Broad Core Algorithm Update Released: Florida Update 2

Google has acknowledged a new core algorithm update rolled out this week which the SEO community online is calling "Florida Update 2." Here's what we know so far.

As they do “several times a year,” Google has made another “broad core algorithm update” to their search rankings. Google acknowledged this in a tweet.

This week, we released a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year. Our guidance about such updates remains as we’ve covered before. Please see these tweets for more about that:https://t.co/uPlEdSLHoXhttps://t.co/tmfQkhdjPL

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) March 13, 2019

As they’ve grown accustomed to with some recent updates, they’ve linked to a previous twitter thread where they’ve given the following general advice about how rankings change as algorithms are updated. Their chief advice is that there is no “fix” for changes in your rankings as a result of broad algorithm updates and that you should continue “focusing on ensuring you’re offering the best content you can.”

We understand those who do less well after a core update change may still feel they need to do something. We suggest focusing on ensuring you’re offering the best content you can. That’s what our algorithms seek to reward….

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) October 11, 2018

When asked on Twitter when this particular update started, Google’s Danny Sullivan answered that it began yesterday on March 12th.

It began yesterday. cc: @rustybrick

— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) March 13, 2019

While there doesn’t seem to be much consensus as to what this update entails, according to Search Engine Land and SEO Roundtable there are some musings that this may be further targeting sites in the health/medical space, similar to the previous algorithm update from last summer. Google has previously denied that the August algorithm update was specifically targeted at health/medical sites, however, so it is difficult to say.

While there seems to be some disagreement as to if this update has a name or not, SearchEngine Journal and WebmasterWorld are referring to this update as “Florida Update 2.”

We’ll keep an eye on this story as it develops and add updates when we know what this is affecting.