Google Medic Update (2018)
Large swings for health, finance and other YMYL sites; sparked the E-A-T conversation.
DateAug 1, 2018
PlatformGoogle SEO
TypeBroad core
Who it affectsYMYL sites
What happened
The August 2018 broad core update caused large ranking swings, particularly for health, finance and other ‘Your Money or Your Life’ (YMYL) sites, which led to its nickname. It prompted wide discussion of E-A-T (expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness) from Google’s quality rater guidelines.
Who it affected
YMYL sites.
What it means for marketers today
On topics that affect health, money or safety, show real expertise: named authors with credentials, sources, accurate and updated content, and a trustworthy business identity.