Google Core Updates
Google core updates are significant, broad changes to Google’s main ranking systems, usually released several times a year. They are not aimed at specific sites or tactics but change how Google assesses content overall, which can cause noticeable ranking shifts across many industries.
What a core update is
Google makes changes to search almost every day, most too small to notice. Core updates are different: they are larger adjustments to the systems that evaluate relevance and quality. Google announces them on its Search Status Dashboard and its Search Central channels, and a rollout typically takes around two weeks.
Google often explains core updates with an analogy: imagine a list of the top 100 films made in 2015. If you refreshed it today, some films would move up or down, not because they got worse, but because new films exist and tastes have changed. Core updates similarly reassess pages against everything else available.
How core updates differ from other updates
| Type | Focus |
|---|---|
| Core update | Broad reassessment of relevance and quality |
| Spam update | Targets breaches of Google’s spam policies |
| Specific system updates | Changes to individual systems, such as the reviews system |
A drop after a core update is not a penalty. Google has said there may be nothing “wrong” with pages that decline: others may simply be judged more relevant or helpful. A manual action, by contrast, is shown in Search Console.
Notable core updates
- August 2018: widely nicknamed the Medic update by SEOs because many health sites were affected.
- March 2024: one of Google’s largest, which incorporated the helpful content system into core ranking and took over a month to roll out.
- Further core updates have followed regularly since, each assessed by SEOs through ranking data and Search Console trends.
How to respond to a drop
- Wait until the rollout is complete before drawing conclusions, as rankings fluctuate during it.
- Compare performance before and after in Google Search Console, looking at which pages and queries lost visibility.
- Check whether the drop is small, which may just be normal movement, or large and widespread.
- Review affected pages honestly against Google’s guidance on helpful content and E-E-A-T.
- Look at what now ranks above you and what it does better for the searcher.
- Make meaningful improvements to content quality, not quick cosmetic edits.
Recovery expectations
Google has said that improvements may be reflected over time, but significant recovery often happens at the next core update, which can be months away. There is no guarantee of a full recovery, especially if the wider landscape has changed. Sites that keep improving steadily tend to fare better than those making panicked changes after each update.
Common mistakes
- Making drastic site-wide changes in the middle of a rollout.
- Assuming a technical problem caused the drop without evidence.
- Deleting large amounts of content without assessing its value first.
- Chasing theories from forums rather than reviewing your own data.
Further reading: Google on core updates.
Key Takeaways
- Core updates are broad changes to Google’s main ranking systems.
- They usually roll out over about two weeks, several times a year.
- A drop is not a penalty and may reflect others improving.
- Wait for the rollout to finish, then analyse affected pages and queries.
- Lasting recovery comes from genuine quality improvements over time.
Related Terms
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