Navigating the impact of Google updates on your website traffic can be tricky, but Google Analytics 4 (GA4) offers tools to help you dissect the situation. Here's a simplified breakdown:

When a Google Search update happens:

• Impact: Organic traffic might fluctuate, but the effect varies across websites.
• Goal: Understand if your website was significantly impacted.

Tools in your arsenal:

1. Google Search Console: Provides basic update announcements and potential impact hints.
2. Google Search Ranking Updates Page: Lists recent updates for informed analysis.
3. GA4: Offers deeper insights with various reports and features.

Steps to analyze with GA4:

1. Compare timeframes:

   • Choose periods before and after the update (e.g., one month each).
   • Utilize reports like Traffic Acquisition filtered to Google organic traffic.
   • Look for significant increases or decreases in organic sessions compared to the baseline.

2. Refine your analysis:

   • Acquisition Overview Report: Compare organic traffic trends visually with weekly flow.
   • Custom Exploration:
     • Build a free-form report with sessions as the value.
     • Add date & hour dimensions to track hourly traffic changes.
     • Filter to organic source medium for clarity.
     • Use the line chart with anomaly detection to identify unusual spikes/drops.

Remember:

• Interpret anomalies cautiously: Not all fluctuations are directly linked to updates.
• Consider other factors: Email campaigns, holidays, etc., can affect traffic.
• No definitive answer: GA4 provides clues, but conclusive proof might be elusive.

Bonus:

• Use the Search Ranking Updates Page to stay informed about future updates.
• Analyze positive impacts to understand what Google rewards and replicate those strategies.

By following these steps and remaining analytical, you can leverage GA4 to better understand the impact of Google updates on your website traffic.