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Knowledge Base » Blog » SEO

The latest Google algorithm updates

Updated on: 2025-03-27  
(20 min. read)
Google Algorithm Update
Google Search receives billions of queries every day in 150 supported languages. To provide searchers with results that match their queries, it utilizes dozens, if not hundreds, of algorithms. All of these systems are continuously improved and updated to ensure that the content delivered in search results is better tailored to users' needs. You can read about all the updates in our article.

Continuous change defines SEO practices—optimization for search engines (and for users as well). Every Google algorithm update affects the evaluation of websites. Tracking the latest information on updates is essential to properly adjust websites and the content published on them to achieve high rankings.

Below, we present algorithm updates and newly introduced systems that influence the evaluation of websites and the creation of Google rankings, ultimately leading to changes in search engine results page positions.

Latest Algorithm Update - March 2025 Core Update

19/12/ - 26/12/2024
Google has confirmed the rollout of a core algorithm update starting on March 13th, 2025. As with previous core updates, this one is expected to impact search rankings globally. The complete rollout may take up to two weeks. We recommend monitoring your site's performance closely during this period and reviewing Google's best practices for content creation.

December 2024 Spam Update

19/12/ - 26/12/2024
Google introduces another update to its algorithm – this time, changes will be implemented in the ranking system for spam detection. The timing of this spam update, immediately following the December 2024 core update and coinciding with typical holiday fluctuations, may complicate the diagnosis for websites experiencing traffic declines.

This is the seventh and likely the last algorithm update from Google in 2024. The previous spam update was fully rolled out on June 27, aiming to combat manipulative link-building practices.

December 2024 Core Update

12/12/ - 18/12/2024
Just a week after rolling out the November 2024 Core Update, Google has officially begun deploying another update—the December 2024 Core Update. The rollout started on December 11, 2024, and is expected to take approximately two weeks to complete.

As with previous updates, this one could significantly impact website rankings. Google encourages site owners to focus on content quality, user experience, and technical best practices, emphasising that there are no specific fixes for sites negatively impacted other than improving overall site quality.

November 2024 Core Update likely introduced significant changes to search result personalisation. This could explain discrepancies observed between data reported by Google Search Console and third-party tools like Ahrefs or Semrush. While these tools typically align with Google’s reported trends, larger-than-usual differences have been noted post-November update, indicating a shift in how Google tailors results.

November 2024 Core Update

11/11/ - 5/12/2024
Google recently initiated its November 2024 Core Update, a broad search ranking adjustment aimed at refining search result quality. This is already the third core update rolled out by Google this year. The update focuses on surfacing highly relevant content, although its specific impact on site owners remains largely unpredictable. 

SEOs were particularly eager for this update, as it was preannounced at the Creator Summit. Google held a summit where affected web creators were advised not to expect immediate recovery from previous setbacks, particularly those impacted by the 2023 Helpful Content Update (HCU). Google representatives emphasised that while gradual recovery is possible, some sites may never regain their previous rankings.

Interestingly, some SEO specialists observed fluctuations in search results (SERP) about a week before the official announcement, suggesting that the rollout may have started earlier than communicated.

August 2024 Core Update

15/08/ - 03/09/2024
The August Core Update introduces several significant changes aimed at improving search results. The primary goal of this update is to showcase more valuable content that genuinely benefits users, rather than content that is merely optimised for search engines. The August 2024 Core Update is also designed to increase the diversity of sources in search results, with a greater inclusion of content from lesser-known publishers. The full implementation of the update is expected to take around a month.

Google has taken into account the feedback gathered following the September 2023 Helpful Content Update, resulting in the prioritisation of valuable content from smaller, independent publishers in the August 2024 Core Update. This addresses concerns that such sites were previously underrepresented. It’s important to note that a drop in rankings doesn’t necessarily indicate issues with a website – it could be due to other sites better meeting users' needs. Minor drops shouldn’t cause concern, but significant declines warrant closer examination.

June 2024 Spam Update

20/06/- 27/06/2024
The implementation of the June Spam Update, which lasted a week, aimed to identify and penalise websites using unethical SEO techniques to artificially boost their rankings in search results. The update also sought to enhance Google’s spam detection capabilities.

The June update could have a significant impact on the search rankings of websites that violate spam policies. It’s worth remembering that search engine spam detection systems are continuously in operation, and when they are improved, the company from Mountain View announces their update. More information about the automated spam detection systems in search engines is available on Google’s website.

March 2024 Core and Spam Update

05/03/ - 15/03/2024
After a relatively long period without any announced updates, Google is serving us the first combo of the year. This new update promises to be more impactful than ever. But let's take it one step at a time.

First, the Helpful Content Takes Center Stage. The "Helpful Content" system is now fully integrated with Google's main ranking systems. This means an even greater emphasis on unique and high-quality content.

Second, Spam Gets Hammered. Google is also rolling out new spam policies to tackle low-quality content. These changes aim to significantly reduce the amount of junk and duplicate content you see in search results.

Google estimates that these updates will lead to a 40% decrease in worthless and duplicate content, which means you can expect to see some major shifts in search rankings over the coming weeks. The core algorithm update will take about a month to fully roll out, while the spam update should take around 2 weeks.

With the new spam policies, Google is taking decisive action against practices that exploit the reputation of inactive domains to generate large volumes of unoriginal, low-quality content. Google will actively identify and block content on external websites designed to manipulate search engine rankings.

It's crucial to note that these policies do not extend to quality native advertising, sponsored articles or content generated using artificial intelligence. As long as they offer genuine value to users and aligns with the website's subject matter, it will not be penalized.

As a result, websites found engaging in prohibited practices risk experiencing a decline in rankings or even complete removal from search results. Creators and owners of websites have until May 5, 2024 to adapt their content and practices to adhere to the new guidelines and avoid potential penalties.

The deployment statuses of this and other algorithm updates can be verified in real-time on Google's information page about introduced changes and any search engine issues: https://status.search.google.com/summary.

November 2023 Reviews Update

08/11 - 7/12
When the November Core Update was underway, Google simultaneously served us another update, the Reviews Update. This is the latest official information about the review system update. From now on, changes to this system will occur regularly and will not be announced by the company from Mountain View. The conclusion of the update implementation was announced on December 7.

The review system is responsible for evaluating pages that publish reviews of products or services. Since April 2021, Google has announced eight updates to the review system. The latest Reviews Update has a global impact and affects, among others pages in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Russian. Websites focused on creating reviews should adhere to Google's guidelines for producing high-quality product reviews.

November 2023 Core Update

02/11 - 28/11/2023
On November 2nd, Google announced another, already the fourth main search engine update this year, the November 2023 Core Update. The implementation of changes in systems and algorithms took 26 days.

October 2023 Core Update

05/10 - 19/10/2023
Just a day after announcing the rollout of the spam detection system update, Google started another search algorithm update - October Core Update. Its implementation took two weeks.

Major updates are typically related to changes in how Google's search algorithm matches search results to user queries. Following the recent updates to helpful content systems and spam detection, this is another step towards removing non-useful content from SERPs that doesn't meet the search engine's quality standards.

October 2023 Spam Update

04/10 - 20/10/2024
A week after the conclusion of the September 2023 Helpful Content Update, Google announced another update. Through Google Search Central on X.com (formerly Twitter), it was conveyed that the update pertains to spam detection systems.

Automatic spam detection systems are constantly operating in the Google search engine. The goal of the update is to improve spam detection capabilities and eliminate various forms of spam and hacking attacks, primarily in the following languages: Turkish, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Hindi, and Chinese. The implementation of the Spam Update 2023 will take several weeks.

Website owners should familiarize themselves with Google's guidelines regarding spam in the search engine to ensure that their websites comply with them.

September 2023 Helpful Content Update

14/09 - 28/09/2023
A week after the conclusion of the August Core Update, Google announced another update. Through Google Search Central on X.com (formerly Twitter), they conveyed that the algorithm change pertains to the helpful content system. The Helpful Content Update aims to assist users in finding high-quality content that is useful and meets their needs. Google anticipates that the update will take two weeks to roll out.

Along with the implementation of the system update, changes have been introduced to the documentation regarding Helpful Content. Below, we present the most significant ones:

  • Google is signaling a shift in its approach to AI-generated content. Right in the first paragraphs, there's information about content created 'for people.' Previously, the emphasis was on content written 'by people for people.' It appears that it won't matter whether texts are generated by artificial intelligence, as long as they bring value to the user and are helpful.
  • Content on websites doesn't have to be written by experts; it just needs to be verified by them. 'Is this content written by an expert' has been changed to 'Is this content written or reviewed by an expert’.
  • New guidelines regarding content removal or date changes have emerged. Google will pay even more attention to whether only dates on pages are being updated without making substantial changes to the content. Additionally, it will scrutinize whether new text is added and old text removed, solely to give the impression of a 'fresh' page.
  • Information regarding third-party content (such as sponsored or affiliate texts) on the main website or subdomains has been updated. Google is reminding its users that these contents can be taken into account in the ranking signals for the entire website.

What should you do if you notice a decline in rankings on your website? Google recommends independently verifying the content and improving or removing those that seem to be unhelpful. You can find tips on creating helpful content from Google here.

August 2023 Core Update

22/08 - 7/09/2023
The August Core Update aimed to improve Google's overall way of evaluating content. The update was extensive, lasting for 16 days, and caused significant ranking fluctuations in many industries. However, compared to previous updates, there weren't as many significant changes observed. Many specialists noticed more significant shifts in domain visibility in July, when the algorithm change was not confirmed by Google, than after the August Core Update.

The process of implementing algorithmic changes was completed on September 7th. A few days before the conclusion of the update rollout, voices in the SEO community on Twitter began to report further significant SERP fluctuations. This was also confirmed by algorithm change detection tools, such as SEMRush Sensor, which continued to indicate strong turbulence in search results in the United States for two days after the rollout concluded.

The changes in search results after Google's August algorithm update reported by Semrush Sensor.

According to SimilarWeb data, the websites most affected were in the e-commerce and marketplace sectors (Amazon, eBay, and Etsy), followed by the financial sector. Their report indicates that the medical industry experienced the lowest fluctuations.

Google algorithm update. What does it mean?

The question about the Google algorithm update is worth being prefaced with a brief introduction to how Google works. The search engine relies on multiple algorithms that analyze websites to facilitate the presentation of the most relevant results in response to a user's query. The exact workings of these algorithms are not fully disclosed, and the functioning of the search engine varies depending on factors such as industry, location, and language. The algorithm learns from user interactions, meaning that search results are also influenced by their behaviors, preferences, and physical location.

To facilitate finding relevant information, Google uses various ranking systems. Many factors influence these systems, but only a few have been officially confirmed by the California-based giant. Some of these factors include:

  • On-page content
  • Technical optimization
  • Mobile-friendliness
  • Page loading speed
  • Domain factors
  • External linking

Google updates its algorithm to adapt to changing trends and user preferences, ensuring that users receive up-to-date and the most relevant search results. These changes also help eliminate SEO abuses. The development of algorithms is an ongoing process, and some changes can be significant enough to impact the rankings of websites in search results. Among the updates with the most significant impact on site evaluations are core updates. The implementation of such changes is typically communicated by Google in advance, and their rollout can be extensive, lasting from several days to several weeks. Some updates are targeted at specific aspects of the algorithm, such as mobile indexing or content quality assessment.

Algorithm updates can have a significant impact on a website's rankings in search results, which is why it's important to stay updated with the latest updates and take steps to improve your site's rankings. A drop in visibility can result in less traffic to your site, leading to lower conversions and sales.

How to deal with drops related to an algorithm update?

If your website experiences a drop after an algorithm update, it's important to stay calm and analyze the reasons behind it rather than take drastic actions. A drop doesn't necessarily indicate issues with your site, but rather Google adjusting its algorithm to meet user needs. It's possible that rankings may return to their previous positions after a few days. Sometimes, it's worth waiting a few days for the rankings to reshuffle.

However, if your website consistently drops in rankings, it's necessary to conduct an analysis and see if there are any improvements you can make. But before you dive into the analysis, wait for Google's official confirmation of all the changes being rolled out.

  • Learn what the update is about. Although Google rarely provides specific guidance, it's worth keeping track of information about changes from the official source, the Google Search Central. SEO experts also analyze the causes of drops through trial and error, so it's valuable to look for information on forums or top industry websites like Search Engine Land.
  • Check if websites similar to yours also experienced a drop. Compare your site with those that maintained or gained rankings after the update. Analyze their link profiles and published content.
  • Compare your website to those ranking in the top 10 search results for selected keywords. Google might now serve a different type of content for specific queries to better align with user intent.
  • Conduct a content audit, focusing on titles and headers, thematic coverage of published content, and keyword density. Check for duplicates and keyword cannibalization. Verify if you have pages with thin content, which means low-quality content that is unattractive to users.
  • Analyze your link profile, ensuring you have diverse sources of backlinks and that your links don't come from suspicious websites.
  • Check your site's loading speed with PageSpeed Insights and make sure your site is responsive.
  • Verify the Core Web Vitals metrics for your site, both for desktop and mobile versions.
  • Use the Google Search Console to check for reported errors.

Recovery can be a challenging and time-consuming task, and the pace of returning to pre-update positions will be much slower than the rate of decline. Typically, you have to wait for the next major search engine update to see results. Sometimes, regaining visibility may be impossible when Google determines that other sites deserve higher positions. Therefore, focus on maintaining the efficient operation and optimization of your website regularly to avoid issues related to Google algorithm updates.

How can you protect yourself from the negative effects of a Google Core Update?

If you want to better prepare for the upcoming Google Core Update, monitor forums related to updates in the USA, as they tend to experience updates first. However, it's not ad hoc actions, but a well-thought-out SEO strategy that should prevent any update from significantly affecting your website's visibility on Google. Creating unique content following E-A-T guidelines, building domain authority, and acquiring high-quality external backlinks are elements that require ongoing effort as part of your website's development. Accessibility, responsiveness, ease of navigation, and page loading speed within your website are the basics of a smoothly functioning website. Implementing SEO actions with your users in mind will result in better evaluations by algorithms, and updates shouldn't be a cause for concern.

However, don't base your strategy solely on SEO. Investing in the development of diversified customer acquisition channels will help protect you from future algorithm updates.

The Most Important Google Algorithm Updates

Google's early search engine relied on the PageRank algorithm, which was based on a single straightforward indicator. Since then, the algorithm has evolved, considering hundreds of factors when ranking web pages. The overarching goal of all these changes is to provide British users and others with the most relevant information, while also combating spam and unethical practices.

Below is a brief overview of updates that have had a significant impact on how web pages are ranked in search results:

  • Panda (2011): Elimination of low-quality content and spammy websites.
  • Penguin (2012): Combating dishonest link-building practices.
  • Hummingbird (2013): Improved understanding of user context and intent during searches.
  • Pigeon (2014): Tailoring search results to the user's location (local SEO).
  • RankBrain (2015): Introduction of an AI-based system to better understand the meaning of queries, especially complex, new, and unique ones.
  • Mobilegeddon (2015): The beginning of changes that favored mobile-responsive websites.
  • BERT (2019): Advanced artificial intelligence to grasp meanings and intents from word combinations.

April 2023 Reviews Update

12/04 - 25/04/2023
The product reviews update for Google Search started on April 12th and took 13 days to fully roll out. This update is related to the evaluation of content considered as reviews or recommendations. These criteria apply not only to product reviews but also to reviews of services, places, movies, games, and other reviewed items. If you create such content, it's important to familiarize yourself with the guidelines for creating high-quality product reviews.

March 2023 Core Update

15/03 - 28/03/2023
The March update of Google's main ranking system began on March 15, 2023, and concluded 13 days later, on March 28. This is the first significant change of the new year, affecting all types of content in all regions and languages, with the aim of improving the quality and relevance of search results.

According to Amsive Digital's summary, the biggest positive changes were observed on e-commerce and shopping-related websites during the March core update. Giants like Amazon and eBay gained from this update. Among the websites that were analyzed, those in the categories of "Society" and "Tourism" suffered the most significant losses. The update also affected the visibility of health-related websites, with larger players losing ground to smaller sources.

February 2023 Product Reviews Update

21/02 - 7/03/2023
The first Google algorithm update in 2023 focused on content related to product reviews and recommendations. For the first time, the product review system in the search engine was implemented globally and expanded to include reviews in languages such as Spanish, German, French, Italian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Russian, Dutch, Portuguese, and Polish. In Mordy Oberstein's analysis of the update's results, he noted the style of pages that benefited from the February changes. Among the rewarded content, many were written in the first person, which suggests that first-hand product reviews are considered more valuable.

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