Key Takeaways
- Google is constantly updating its search algorithm with updates, and tweaks
- Core updates occur roughly every 3 months
- Google focuses on uplifting content that’s helpful, relevant, and reader-focused.
This page provides a rundown of the most recent relevant Google Search ranking updates. If you’re interested in learning more about the history of Google algorithm updates and how Google improves search, check our Guide to Google’s Major Algorithm Updates. We provide a deep dive into the largest updates that have shaken up the SERPs.
Additionally, Google maintains an index of all recent algorithm modifications here: Google Search ranking updates.
December 19, 2024 – Spam Update
The unexpected December Spam Update was significant. According to Google, the update targeted sites violating its search spam policies—but notably, it did not focus on link spam or reputation abuse.
However, the actual results were widespread and impactful. Many SEO professionals are struggling to figure out if the damage stems from December’s earlier Core Update or the Spam Update. Google’s stance? If your site is doing anything potentially spammy, assume the Spam Update is responsible. Otherwise, the Core Update might be the culprit.
Regardless of the cause, SEO communities and forums are on fire with stories and data about sites being deindexed and de-ranked after the update. Some report traffic losses of up to 70%, while others claim the update promotes spam sites instead of reducing their presence.
Remember that holiday traffic can be volatile, which may skew some data, but de-ranked pages are a clear sign of the update’s effects.
If your site was impacted, we recommend patience and a thorough review of your content and practices for anything that might be flagged as spammy.
The update was fully rolled out by December 26, 2024.
December 12, 2024 – Core Update
Immediately after its launch, businesses across various industries saw their traffic hit hard, with tools like Semrush and Mozcast recording significant volatility.
This update followed closely on the heels of November’s rollout, coinciding with advancements in Google’s AI Gemini (Gemini 2.0) and the December Spam Policy Update. The timing and nature of these changes have fueled speculation that Google is laying the groundwork for a more AI-driven search landscape.
Addressing concerns about the back-to-back updates, Google stated:
“If you’re wondering why there’s a core update this month after one last month, we have different core systems we’re always improving.”
The update, completed in 6 days on December 18, 2024, left the SEO community bracing for what could be an era of more frequent updates and harder-to-navigate volatility.
November 11, 2024 – Core Update
On November 11, Google launched another Core Update, much to the chagrin of online retailers and e-commerce marketers everywhere. They were hoping for stability leading into the year’s busiest shopping period. The update rollout extended past the holiday weekend into early December.
According to a Google representative, this update aims to refine the quality of search results:
“This update is designed to continue our work to improve the quality of our search results by showing more content that people find genuinely useful and less content that feels like it was made just to perform well on Search.”
Notably, this Core Update coincided with a change to Google’s site reputation abuse policy, signaling a stricter stance on manipulative practices.
Additionally, Google’s shift toward “routine and continuous” updates was underscored by the quick arrival of the December 2024 Core Update, hinting at an era of ongoing and unpredictable ranking volatility. As these updates become less of a “major event” and more of a constant presence, SEO professionals must adapt to this new reality with more dynamic and flexible strategies.
The update was fully rolled out after 23 days and 13 hours on December 5, 2024.
August 15, 2024 – Core Update
On August 15, Google launched the August 2024 Core Update. Unlike with other updates, Google stated its aim with this rollout to benefit the small and independent websites affected by the September 2023 helpful content update: “As always, we aim to connect people with a range of high-quality sites, including small or independent sites that are creating useful, original content, when relevant to users’ searches.”
Additionally, Google updated its help page about core updates with more in-depth guidance for those who may see changes after an update.
The update was fully rolled out after 19 days on September 3, 2024.
August 15, 2024 – Ranking Issue (Fixed)
On the same day, the core update began, an unusual ranking fluctuation was observed across multiple search engines. Google stated that the issue was unrelated to the core update and was linked to an internal issue.
The problem was fixed after four days, but many sites reported temporary ranking fluctuations during that period. With the simultaneous core update, rankings were still changing over the coming weeks.
June 20, 2024 – Spam Update
In comparison to the ground-shaking 45-day March update, the June 2024 Spam Update is best described as routine. Google offered no specifics on this update and encouraged affected site owners to review spam policies. As part of this update, Google highlighted a crackdown on auto-generated content, particularly in affiliate-heavy niches.
The update was complete by June 27, 2024.
March 5, 2024 – Spam Update
Alongside the March Core Update, Google rolled out a Spam Update aimed at reducing low-quality content and spam in search results. This long-awaited update introduced new spam policies targeting expired domain abuse, scaled content abuse, and site reputation abuse. These spam tactics had been going on for some time, and many were wondering when they’d receive the hammer.
Additionally, this was Google’s earliest stance on AI content and outlining penalties for AI-generated content. The update focused on improving ranking quality by prioritizing helpful, original information.
The rollout was completed on March 20, 2024, impacting sites using manipulative tactics.
March 5, 2024 – THE Core Update
Google’s March 2024 Core Update launched on March 5 and took a whopping 45 days to roll out, completing on April 19—marking it as one of the most significant updates to date. Google warned webmasters and SEO professionals to “buckle up” in 2024, and this was the big change they wanted people to be ready for.
This upgrade, alongside a spam update, was intended to improve search results by limiting the visibility of low-quality, unoriginal, and spammy content. And they officially integrated the principles of the Helpful Content Update into the core algorithm to promote more useful, user-focused material.
Google said the goal was to reduce unhelpful content in search results by 40%. In actuality the update had a 45% reduction of low-quality, unoriginal content in search results. What this looked like was over 800 websites being completely de-indexed in the early days of the roll out. Industry experts identified that this update targeted thin content, including poorly written AI-generated material, and websites using manipulative SEO tactics.
Google continues to urge web creators to focus on E-E-A-T principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) emphasiizing human written content that delivers useful information and real value to users.
November 8, 2023 – Reviews Update
Google’s November 2023 Reviews Update came just four days after the core update. It expanded its focus to include all types of review content, not just product reviews like previous review updates. The goal was to evaluate pages individually for quality, and Google also stated that the system would continue being refined without further notifications.
This update emphasizes firsthand experience and in-depth analysis, and websites with well-written, genuine reviews should see a boost in rankings, while others may experience traffic fluctuations.
The rollout finished in early December 2023.
November 2, 2023 – Core Update
On November 2, Google launched another Core Update, with the rollout stretching over 25 days. This update came packed with several components aimed at boosting the quality of search results.
- First, there was an upgrade to their content assessment systems, promoting valuable content from a wider variety of sources and pushing authoritative, informative sites to the top.
- Second, the update renewed the focus on high-quality reviews, boosting expert-driven, well-researched content.
- Google also enhanced visibility for so-called “hidden gems”—helpful information tucked away in less traditional places like forum threads or niche blogs.
- Finally, the local ranking algorithm got an improvement, particularly around non-navigational queries, with a strengthened “openness signal.” If your site felt the impact, this could be the cause.
The rollout wrapped up around November 27, 2023.
October 5, 2023 – Core Update
On October 5, Google announced another Core Update, only six weeks after the previous August Core Update.
Many are speculating this core algorithm update was rolled out to adjust something missing from the previous update. Google simply said, “It’s a general improvement in how we rank.” When asked what’s new in the update, John Mueller, Google’s Senior Search Analyst / Search Relations team lead, stated, “Bits and bobs.” So, in typical Google fashion, they remain cryptic.
If you think a core update hit your site, Google has offered a list of questions to consider while reassessing their content.
The rollout was complete as of October 19, 2023.
October 04, 2023 – Spam Update
Google periodically updates its spam detection systems, including its AI-based SpamBrain, to better spot and prevent spam.
The October 2023 Spam Update seeks to enhance coverage across various languages and types of spam. This update targets spam in languages like Turkish, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Hindi, and Chinese, among others. The Spam Update aims to reduce the visible spam in search results, particularly addressing cloaking, hacked, auto-generated, and scraped spam.
The rollout will take several weeks. Websites experiencing losses after a spam update should review Google’s spam policies.
September 14, 2023 – Helpful Content Update
Google Search’s “helpful content” system sends out a signal that automated ranking systems use to make sure that search results show original, helpful content written by people for people.
This update primarily impacted websites focusing more on capturing traffic than offering distinct value. Even if the content on these sites was well-phrased and perfectly optimized, it didn’t bring anything new to the table. Hence, Google has decided to de-emphasize such websites. Presently, there’s no indication of this decision being reversed, meaning businesses must adapt to align their sites with this update.
If you’re noticing a dip, refer to Google’s help page for creating helpful, reliable, people-first content.
Update complete as of as of September 28, 2023.
August 22, 2023 – Core Update
On August 22, Google announced a Core Update that took a whopping 16 days to roll out fully. The launch started relatively calm. Significant SERP fluctuations became apparent around August 25th, then once more a few days before the completion of the rollout.
The August Core update was big but didn’t feel as much because of the constant volatility we’d seen across Google for the previous several months. However, one of the most noticeable outcomes of the update was a steep decline for websites practicing “Parasite SEO”; as a result, sites with real experience saw an increase.
Brands, businesses, and organizations must be aware of Google algorithm updates since they can affect their site’s performance in search results, organic traffic, conversions, and revenue.
If your site is hit by a core update, Google has offered a list of questions to consider while reassessing their content.
The rollout was complete as of September 7, 2023.
April 12, 2023 – Reviews Update
The Reviews Update began its rollout on April 12, 2023, and took 13 days to complete. The changes to the Reviews System dropped “Product” from its terminology and sought to evaluate any content that can be considered a review or recommendation about products, services, and things.
Google’s old model of content quality E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) was expanded to “Double-E-EA-T” — the extra E stands for Experience. This update seeks to offer reviews that share their personal experience a ranking bump. Their review update documentation states:
“The reviews system works to ensure that people see reviews that share in-depth research rather than thin content that simply summarizes a bunch of products, services or other things.”
An important note is that the updated reviews algorithm does not evaluate third-party customer reviews, like those in product reviews sections.
If your site notices a dip in related content, Google has offered a guide to write high-quality reviews.
The rollout was complete as of April 25, 2023.
March 15, 2023 – Core Update
On March 15th, Google announced a Core Update that will take two weeks to fully roll out. March 16th saw SERP volatility reach numbers comparable to the September 2022 core update.
Brands, businesses, and organizations need to be aware of Google algorithm updates since they can affect their site’s performance in search results, organic traffic, conversions, and revenue. Core updates are significant algorithm updates and can result in positive or negative changes in rankings. The latest update has been reported to be quite impactful compared to previous ones, and its effects will be analyzed further as the dust continues to settle.
If your site is hit by a core update, Google has offered a list of questions to consider while reassessing their content.
Update complete as of March 28, 2023.
February 21, 2023 – Product Review Update
This is now the sixth Product Review Update that Google has rolled out since April 2021.
Google’s goal with its product reviews system is to improve the recognition of high-quality reviews that offer insightful analysis and original research created by experts or enthusiasts who have first-hand knowledge of the products and topics.
This update had a significant effect on product review websites, and while the original updates only affected English websites, this update impacts Spanish, German, French, Italian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Russian, Dutch, Portuguese, and Polish.
Update complete as of March 7, 2023.
December 14, 2022 – Link Spam Update
SpamBrain, an AI-based spam-prevention system, has been launched to fight link spam and neutralize the impact of unnatural links on search results.
The December 2022 link spam update will take two weeks to fully roll out and affect all languages, potentially causing changes in ranking. The goal is to nullify links obtained primarily for the artificial manipulation of search rankings.
Update complete as of January 12, 2023.
December 5, 2022 – Helpful Content Update
Google Search’s “helpful content” system sends out a signal that automated ranking systems use to make sure that search results show original, helpful content written by people for people. This Google resource tells you more about the helpful content update and what you can do to evaluate your content and make it better.
Update complete as of January 12, 2023.
October 19, 2022 – Spam Update
Google periodically updates its spam detection systems, including its AI-based SpamBrain, to better spot and prevent spam. If a website experiences a change after a spam update, it should review Google’s spam policies to ensure compliance. Non-compliant sites may see a drop in rankings or no appearance in results at all. Making changes may improve the site’s ranking over time if it complies with the policies. During a link spam update, removing spammy links may result in losing any ranking benefits they generate, which cannot be regained.
Update complete as of October 21, 2022.
September 20, 2022 – Product Reviews Update
Google periodically updates its automated ranking systems to prioritize high-quality product reviews over those with thin content. These updates, called product review updates, evaluate the content on a page-level basis. However, they may also consider a site’s overall content if it has a substantial amount of product reviews. While structured data may help identify product reviews, it’s not the only factor considered. It’s recommended to follow Google’s guidelines for writing high-quality product reviews. However, it’s important to note that the ranking of your content can also be affected by other factors.
Update complete as of September 26, 2022
September 12, 2022 – Core update
Core updates are big, system-wide changes that Google makes to its search algorithms and systems every few months. The goal of these updates is to shake up the rankings and help give users results that are helpful, relevant, and reliable. Google seeks to reward helpful, reliable, people-first content first and foremost.
Update complete as of September 26.
Did your site see a dip in traffic after a core algorithm update? Read our 4 Steps to Take After a Google Update Hits Your Rankings.
August 25, 2022 – Helpful Content Update
This was the first release of Google’s “Helpful Content Update,” which tilted the algorithm to prioritize pages that provide a “high level of user engagement and informative content.” The goal of this update is to provide users with the most helpful and relevant results for their searches, making it easier for them to find the information they need.
To ensure you’re creating content, Adhere to Google’s established guidelines for creating valuable and user-focused content.
July 27, 2022 – Product Reviews Update
Google’s “Product Reviews Update” evaluates the quality of product review content on a page-level basis. It prioritizes high-quality reviews that provide insightful analysis and original research written by experts or enthusiasts who are knowledgeable about the topic. Structured data can help identify product reviews, but it is not the sole determining factor.
To learn more about creating successful product review content, Google documented how to write high-quality product reviews.
May 25, 2022 – Core Update
Google’s core updates, named the May 2022 Core Update, aim to improve the quality of its search results by making changes to the algorithms that determine the relevance and ranking of pages. The aim is to provide searchers with the most helpful and pertinent information, ensuring the search engine remains current and effective.
Update complete as of June 9, 2022.
March 23, 2022 – Product Reviews Update
Google announced an update to product review rankings that will enable them to identify high-quality reviews. Learn more about the delicate balance to provide better product reviews on the Search Central Blog, and get Google’s advice on how to write them.
February 22, 2022 – Page Experience Update for Desktop
This update incorporated page experience into its desktop ranking system, dubbing this the “Page Experience Update.” The same page experience signals used in mobile ranking will be applied to desktop ranking, including Core Web Vitals metrics (LCP, FID, and CLS) and other elements such as HTTPS security and the absence of intrusive interstitials.
Additionally, Google Search Console will report performance metrics to help site owners understand the performance of their desktop pages regarding page experience.
December 1, 2021 – Product Reviews Update
They rolled out a new update to promote high-quality product reviews, including two new best practices: provide evidence of products being tested and links to multiple sellers.
Google added December’s updates to April’s to create unified guidelines for product reviews.
November 17, 2021 – Core Update
Google Search Central announced another broad core update. They referred webmasters to a core update guidelines document last updated in August 2019.
November 3, 2021 – Spam Update
Google released a spam update as part of its regular efforts to improve search results. Webmasters were advised to continue following Webmaster Guidelines.
July 28, 2021 – Link Spam Update
July’s algorithm update aimed at identifying and nullifying link spam began to roll out. The update impacted multiple languages and sponsored, guest, and affiliate content links. Learn more about qualifying links and how to deal with links that might have a commercial nature post link spam update.
July 1, 2021 – Core Update
Google released the July 2021 Core Update. As always, core updates are designed to ensure that Google Discover delivers relevant and authoritative content to searchers. They typically produce widely notable effects, such as drops or gains, on the SERPs.
June 28, 2021 – Spam Update
The second part of Google’s spam update began and was expected to be completed on the same day. Webmasters could also learn “How Google keeps you safe on Search.”
June 23, 2021 – Spam Update #1
As part of their attempts to improve results, Google announced a spam-fighting algorithm upgrade. Although they enhanced their detection capability by more than 50%, hacked spam was still prevalent in 2020 due to the enormous number of vulnerable websites.
This update was launched, with a second one to follow in a week.
June 15, 2021 – Page Experience Update
The long-awaited Page Experience update finally launched. This update incorporated page experience into its Mobile ranking system, weighing metrics like Core Web Vitals metrics (LCP, FID, and CLS) and other elements such as HTTPS security and the absence of intrusive interstitials.
April 8, 2021 – Product Reviews Update
The product review update was an algorithm update designed to better recognize product reviews that offer in-depth analysis and original research authored by knowledgeable experts or enthusiastic individuals.
December 3, 2020 – Core Update
Google released the December 2020 Core Update, the third core algorithm update of the year — with a noticeable gap between updates.
