What Are Google Core Updates? 

A core update to Google’s search algorithm is a significant refresh of how Google assesses and ranks content online. These are not just minor tweaks but rather substantial modifications to the core ranking system, impacting numerous factors that determine a website’s visibility in search results. The main driving force for these large scale changes is Google’s dedication and commitment to enhance the quality of search results and fulfill the broad and evolving intents of its users. As the amount of content online grows and user expectations shift, these updates are needed for Google to maintain its position as the leading search engine by delivering the most relevant, authoritative, and trustworthy information.

However these aren’t the only updates that Google makes to the algorithm, some estimates suggest that on average as many as 10 updates per day take place, meaning the search engine is constantly evolving. 

How often does a core update happen?

Happening several times per year, these core updates can have a big and sometimes volatile impact on how websites perform in search rankings. Websites that were previously ranking well might see significant drops, while others may experience substantial gains. This volatility stems from the fact that Google is reassessing its entire understanding of what constitutes high quality content across the vast expanse of the internet. 

These core updates can touch upon various aspects of evaluation, including how Google understands the relevance of content to specific queries, the weight it gives to different ranking factors, and its ability to identify and demote low-quality or unhelpful content. Consequently, businesses and website owners must pay close attention to these updates and continually strive to create valuable, user-centric content that aligns with Google’s evolving quality guidelines to maintain or improve their search visibility.

In the past, algorithm updates were relatively rare in the early years of Google. These would roll out targeting specific issues, early iterations were focused on dealing with spammy techniques and rebalancing search to reflect better answers to user queries. Over time, updates became more frequent, and focused on a broader range of improvements other than just cleaning up spam, some of the most notable updates include:

  • Florida
  • Big Daddy
  • Caffeine
  • Panda (this had various iterations)
  • Penguin (this had various iterations)
  • Hummingbird
  • Pigeon
  • Mobile Update or “Mobilegeddon”
  • Mobile Speed Update
  • BERT

These are just some of the updates that had notable impacts, it’s worth noting that there are many unconfirmed updates, where volatility took place in the SERPs but no official confirmation came from Google.

Why Does Google implement Core Updates?

Google rolls out broad core updates to its search algorithm to improve the relevance and quality of search results for users. These updates allow Google to better understand evolving web content and user search intent, ensuring that the most helpful and trustworthy information rises to the top. By refining its ranking system, Google aims to reduce the visibility of low-quality and spammy content, while also incorporating new technological advancements and insights gained from user interactions.

Ultimately, core updates are essential for maintaining a dynamic and fair search ecosystem. They enable Google to adapt to the ever-changing online landscape, integrate new ranking signals, and enhance its AI and machine learning capabilities. These updates also help to counteract manipulation attempts and ensure that websites earn their rankings based on the genuine value they provide to users, ultimately leading to a better overall search experience.

How do Core Updates Differ from Minor Updates?

Alongside its core updates, Google also implements frequent, smaller adjustments to its ranking algorithm. These minor updates, like their larger counterparts, are aimed at refining the quality and relevance of Google’s search results. However, they differ primarily in their scope, typically influencing a much smaller fraction of indexed web pages. While a core update might impact 5% to 10% of all searches, a minor update may only affect around 0.1% to 1%. In fact, the majority of these smaller tweaks are so subtle that many in the search community often don’t even notice them.

These less impactful updates are far more common than core updates, occurring on a daily basis, driven by the ongoing insights of Google’s engineers and search specialists. In contrast, core updates are substantial changes, planned well in advance and requiring several weeks for complete rollout across Google’s vast search infrastructure.

What does a Core Update mean for SEO?

A Google core update can cause significant shifts in a website’s organic performance, most notably through shifts in search rankings. Websites can see substantial gains or losses in their positions for target keywords, leading to direct consequences on their organic traffic volume. This volatility can be particularly noticeable during the weeks long rollout of the update as Google reevaluates the entire search landscape. The long term impact depends on how well a website aligns with the updated algorithm’s criteria for quality and relevance.

Beyond rankings and traffic, core updates can also influence keyword performance and a website’s presence in SERP features such as featured snippets. While not direct penalties, sites relying on outdated or low quality SEO tactics may see significant drops in performance. A crucial aspect often reinforced by these updates is the importance of E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), particularly for YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content. Ultimately, core updates emphasise the value of high quality, helpful, user focused content and a positive user experience. Websites aiming to thrive in Google search must prioritise these elements and continuously monitor their performance following core updates, adapting their strategies as needed for long-term success.

If you’ve lost visibility after a Core Update what can you do?

Seeing a sudden drop in your website’s search rankings and visibility can understandably cause panic. However, it’s crucial to resist the urge to implement immediate, drastic changes, as such knee jerk reactions can often be more detrimental in the long run. Google’s recommendation is to exercise patience and allow a few weeks to pass before making any significant alterations to your site. Ranking fluctuations are a natural occurrence, especially in the aftermath of algorithm updates, and the initial volatility may subside as things stabilise. Of course, if you’re aware that things have been done which aren’t providing a useful experience that meets intent then things should be improved.

If you’ve been impacted and things haven’t changed direction after allowing things to settle and the update fully rollout some things to do include:

  • Review and Analyse the Data – once you’re sure that a Google Core Update has indeed hit your site’s rankings, your first step should be a thorough data analysis. Start by identifying the specific pages that experienced a drop off in their rankings. Next, look for patterns in the affected keywords, are there any common themes or categories? Finally, investigate whether the traffic loss is concentrated in particular types of search queries or specific geographic regions. This detailed examination of your data will provide valuable insights into the nature and scope of the update’s impact on your site.
  • Understand what the update did – each Google algorithm update is implemented with a specific goal in mind. To understand the reasoning behind any ranking shifts you see, it’s essential to consult the Google Search Central Blog, where Google typically publishes guidelines and official announcements regarding the latest updates. Core Updates, in particular, commonly emphasise factors such as content quality, the alignment of content with user search intent, and the site’s ability to showcase E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness). By understanding the focus of the update, you can strategically make improvements to your website that align with Google’s stated expectations and aim for better performance in search results.
  • Make your content more useful – if your site has experienced a drop in rankings following a core update, simply updating the publish date of your content is unlikely to yield significant improvements. Google focuses on genuine value and comprehensive information over superficial edits. Instead of a quick fix, your content likely requires a substantial overhaul. To regain lost ground, focus on making your content more comprehensive. If it lacks depth or detail, expand upon it by adding new insights, up to date statistics, expert opinions, and relevant examples. Also, be sure your content directly addresses the search intent behind relevant queries. Understand what users are truly looking for and tailor your content to meet those specific needs, whether it’s a quick answer, an in-depth guide, or a comparative analysis.
  • Sort out any technical SEO issues – even if your content is strong, underlying technical SEO issues can hinder your rankings. Conduct a comprehensive sitewide technical audit to identify and address problems such as slow page speed (optimise images, enable lazy loading, check code, and consider better hosting), a poor mobile experience (ensure proper layout, button sizing, and avoid intrusive elements), thin or duplicated content (merge, improve, or remove low-value pages), and internal linking gaps (strategically link pages to improve navigation and site structure). 
  • Make sure your E-E-A-T game is strong –  showcasing expertise and trustworthiness is vital for strong SEO. Show off your authority by including detailed author bios, linking to professional profiles, and highlighting relevant credentials. Back up your content with citations from reputable sources, industry studies, and factual explanations, and strive to incorporate original data or research. Earning industry recognition through features on authoritative sites and expert collaborations further strengthens your credibility in Google’s eyes. Additionally, use structured data such as FAQ, How To, and Author schema to enhance Google’s understanding of your content and potentially improve visibility in search results.
  • Patience is key – each core update comes with its own unique goals, seeing what performs in the weeks and months following an update will give you an idea of what Google wants to see. Analysing data and making sure you understand where your site has been hit, will allow you to focus on what to improve, as well as helping to inform how you position your products and services to meet user intent. 

Do search engines other than google have algorithm updates?

Yes, other search engines besides Google also implement algorithm updates to enhance the quality and relevance of their search results. These updates, both major and minor, are a continuous process aimed at improving user experience. While the core goal of delivering valuable information is shared, the specific weighting of ranking factors and algorithmic nuances can differ among search engines.

Bing: Microsoft’s Bing also frequently updates its algorithm, focusing on content quality, user intent, E-E-A-T, technical SEO, and user engagement. A significant recent trend is the integration of advanced AI, like OpenAI’s GPT-4, into the search experience, leading to features such as AI-powered answers and conversational search. Bing also emphasises visual content and local search improvements.

Yandex: As the leading search engine in Russia, Yandex has its own regularly updated algorithms, with notable updates often having specific names. Their ranking factors include content quality, user engagement, backlinks, technical SEO, and a growing emphasis on personalisation and localisation. Yandex has also heavily invested in AI and machine learning to better understand user queries and combat spam, with a particular focus on relevance within its primary regional markets.

Other search engines like DuckDuckGo and Baidu also deploy their own algorithms and implement updates. While detailed information on these updates might be less readily available in English, they share the fundamental objective of refining search results. Ultimately, understanding the specific algorithms and update patterns of the search engines relevant to your target audience is key for comprehensive online visibility.

If you think you’ve been impacted by a Core Update from Google, then you should get in touch and we will dig into the data and find what’s holding back your site’s performance.