If you’re anything like me and have at least once optimized a domain, you’ve probably heard the term Google core updates a few times.
In my case, I have heard (and even experienced) the term thousands, if not millions, of times.
Trust me, once you’ve seen how much a single update can drop your rankings overnight, you start paying a lot more attention to what these updates actually mean.
What are Google Core Updates?
First things first, let’s start by explaining what the Google core updates are for those who have never heard of them.
In simple terms, Google Core Updates are big changes that Google makes to its search algorithm. This algorithm decides which websites show up first when someone types something into the search bar.
So yeah, these updates matter a lot if you want people actually to find your content.
However, these aren’t just minor twists. Core updates can shake up search rankings across the entire web. One day, your article might rank on the first page, and after an update, it could disappear without warning. That’s why I always keep an eye on when these updates happen and what they focus on.
Google doesn’t usually give away all the updates’ details, but the goal is always the same – to show users more helpful, relevant, and trustworthy content.
So, the best strategy? Well, Google says it’s to focus on creating quality content that people genuinely find useful. However, I don’t think it’s even possible to develop a step-by-step guide on overcoming the Google Core Updates.
I think the best strategy would be to just learn about the update, what changed, see how your domains are doing first, and then go from there. At least that’s what I’m doing with mine.
What Changed with Google 2025 Core Update?
The Google Core Update 2025 rolled out from March 13 to March 27, 2025, and was a broad core update aimed at improving the relevance and quality of search results across all regions and languages.
Sounds like a simple update? Well, actually, this Google Core Update really shook up search results. Whether you run a blog, a business site, or anything in between, your traffic may have jumped or dropped without warning.
I looked into what changed more specifically to figure out what happened with my domains (because they were affected), and here’s what I found.
E-E-A-T Became Even More Important
Google now pays even more attention to something called E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). That’s just a fancy way of saying they want content written by people who actually know what they’re talking about.
So if you’re writing about serious topics like health or finance (they call these YMYL – “Your Money or Your Life” topics), you’d better show proof you’re legit. That means adding author bios, showing real experience, maybe even linking to case studies or your work history.
Google Got Pickier About Forums and User Comments
Reddit is still ranking high, but many smaller forums have dropped in visibility. Why? Google seems to be filtering out low-effort, generic posts and only keeping forums with detailed, helpful discussions.
Crackdown on AI and Auto-Generated Content
This one is a big one. Google hit hard on websites that rely too much on AI-written or auto-generated pages. AI is increasingly being used in black hat tactics to manipulate search rankings, and without a human touch, those pages have likely dropped to the bottom of Google.
Every Country, Every Language Was Affected
This 2025 core update wasn’t just for English sites or one country. Whether you’re writing in Spanish, Lithuanian, or Japanese, the rules have changed for everyone.
No Quick Fixes If You Dropped
According to Google, just because your rankings dropped doesn’t mean you did something wrong or got penalized. It just means Google found other content that fits the user’s needs better now. But sadly, you most likely won’t bounce back right away. You’ll need to greatly improve your content and wait for the next core update to see results.
Core Google Updates vs Google Updates
Let’s clear up a question I get asked all the time: “Was that a core update or just an update?”
Core updates are major shakeups. Google does it a few times a year, affecting websites across all industries. It’s not about targeting one site but changing the whole search system. These updates change how Google understands and ranks content based on things like quality, trust, and expertise (yes, that E-E-A-T thing I mentioned).
If your traffic suddenly spikes or tanks, and Google made an official announcement, it’s most likely a core update. I always take those seriously and re-check my content.
What about the other updates? They’re happening all the time. Quiet, behind-the-scenes fixes that usually target specific stuff, like spam, slow-loading pages, or mobile usability. Google rarely talks about these publicly because they’re smaller and only affect a small group of sites at a time.
If you see a slight dip or bump in traffic for a day or two, it’s probably one of these minor changes and definitely not the end of the world.
Now, let’s talk about overlapping updates. Yes, Google tries to minimize the overlap of updates to help SEO understand what’s happening with each of these updates, but things don’t always go as planned, now do they?
For example, I remember that in December 2024, the core update started on December 12th and finished rolling out on December 18th. Shortly after, Google launched its December spam update on December 19th, completing the rollout on December 26.