Google: Site Command Rankings Can Be Impacted By Core Updates

Jun 15, 2021 - 7:51 am 0 by

Google Site Command

I do a ton of site command searches, I do this to find content on specific sites, and I've noticed over the years is that the results I get from Google before and after a core update can be impacted for those site commands. So I asked Google if I am crazy for thinking this or if this makes sense. Gary Illyes from Google didn't say I was crazy.

Here was my question:

Gary Illyes from Google replied saying that while generic non query attached site commands are not really impacted by these updates, site commands with queries attached to them are. Here is his response:

(1) site: on its own isn't directly (it's using a different, disconnected ranking path)

(2) site:+query is affected (it's using the normal ranking path)

The first example is just a site command like, site:google.com and you want to see the pages returned, it can also be site:google.com/folder.

The second example is more like site:google.com [query goes here], like this:

click for full size

Over the years, I have seen some sites, often ones hit negatively by a core update, show less relevant results from the site query command.

I always wondered if it was about an indexing issues, but maybe it is more of a ranking issue? Maybe, maybe it is about a page or set of pages no longer have enough authority to rank, even though that page on that site may have been the most relevant page? I would have thought site command should relax those rules (or whatever you call them)_ because site commands are super restrictive. Sorry for the rambling, but hopefully you see where I am going with this?

Forum discussion at Twitter.

 

Popular Categories

The Pulse of the search community

Follow

Search Video Recaps

 
- YouTube
Video Details More Videos Subscribe to Videos

Most Recent Articles

Google Updates

Record-Breaking Google Search Ranking Volatility Continues Into October

Oct 3, 2024 - 8:01 am
Bing Ads

Microsoft Advertising New Ad Experience, Diagnostics & Performance Snapshot

Oct 3, 2024 - 7:51 am
Google

Google Testing Search Instead For Section

Oct 3, 2024 - 7:41 am
Google

Google: SEOs Can Help Shape Client Policies & Decisions On AI Bots

Oct 3, 2024 - 7:31 am
Google Ads

Google Ads With Images & Map Carousel

Oct 3, 2024 - 7:21 am
Bing Search

Happy 14th Birthday BingBot

Oct 3, 2024 - 7:11 am
Previous Story: Google Launches Search Console Insights After A Year Of Testing