Google Core Update: History of Major Updates

The world of SEO is constantly changing, especially when it comes to modifications in Google’s algorithms. These updates, also known as Google Core Updates, have a significant impact on Google’s SERP rankings and search results, affecting a website’s organic traffic.

In this article, you’ll learn what Google Core Update is and what it’s for, as well as explore its implications and importance for those working in SEO for websites, impacting content and user experience. Keep reading for more details!

What is Google Core Update?

A Google Core Update is a significant update to the search algorithm that Google rolls out periodically. These changes aim to improve the relevance and quality of the search results shown to users by readjusting the factors that determine web page rankings in the organic results displayed by the search engine.

But why are they important? These updates clearly represent a change in how Google values the information offered by websites and ranks them. This often affects existing results and organic traffic, either positively or negatively, making it essential to stay updated and optimize content according to Google’s recommendations so that users find the site useful.

You can track these updates on Google’s search status dashboard, where you can view not only the latest Core Updates and their respective dates but also Spam Updates.

Google Core Update August 2024

The most recent Google Core Update took place on August 15, 2024, bringing with it several significant modifications that impacted various websites in different ways. This update emphasizes content quality and user experience, which may positively or negatively affect many websites’ organic traffic, something we’ll show you a bit later.

The main changes introduced by this update were:

• Emphasis on result quality: Google prioritizes original, useful, and relevant content, even from small or independent sites.

• Focus on user experience: It appears that pages optimized solely for SEO are no longer as valued as those providing a good browsing experience.

• User feedback: This update seems to take into account feedback from creators and users, modifying its influence on sites negatively impacted by previous updates.

Impact on websites

Following these updates, websites often experience fluctuations in rankings and traffic. The truth is that Google doesn’t penalize directly, but the changes reflect a new way of assessing content quality based on user queries. The main recommendations remain the same: create high-quality, user-focused content to offer useful, reliable, and creative answers.

Our SEO agency team has noticed that some client websites have experienced minor ups and downs around the time the Core Update of August 15 was implemented, as shown in this example:

On the contrary, we have noticed that, thanks to a series of optimizations and implementations we worked on over the past months, the impression and click rate on MD Marketing Digital’s website has had a positive impact.

It seems that, finally, Google has pulled the right levers to reward the work focused on improving content quality and relevance.

Google Core Update March 2024

The Google Core Update on March 5, 2024, brought revolutionary changes to Google’s algorithm, reflecting a wide variety of modifications, similar to what Penguin’s launch represented back in 2012.

This update not only enhanced the core ranking algorithm but also introduced a new ranking system that prioritizes the trustworthiness of published content. Why is this? Simple: the arrival of AI (artificial intelligence). The goal is to elevate high-quality content and integrate it into the main search results.

The key components of this new Google update include:

• Core ranking algorithm: Fundamental adjustments to further prioritize content quality and relevance in search results.

• Helpful content system: The integration of this initiative allows the ranking algorithm to highlight genuinely helpful and valuable content for users.

• New spam policies and SpamBrain improvements: More stringent policies against various forms of spam, reinforced by improved SpamBrain AI.

What impact has this had on the SEO and digital marketing community? The truth is that the SEO world has felt these changes significantly, as low-quality content has begun to be massively removed from Google’s search results. This underscores the need and importance of focusing on quality and trustworthiness.

How to protect yourself from these updates?

The best way to recover from and protect yourself against this update is to closely follow Google’s guidelines and remove any useless content from your site, as this is considered by search engines when recommending a site and assigning an Authority Score. This is a numeric value referencing the site’s overall quality and SEO, demonstrating authority and security.

Another great recommendation is to avoid spam tactics and focus on E-E-A-T, meaning creating quality content that demonstrates Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness.

Google Core Update November 2023

The Google Core Update on November 2, 2023, kept the SEO community on edge as it implemented significant adjustments to the ranking algorithm. At this point, it was already becoming clear that Google’s trend was focused on quality content that enhances the user experience for better site rankings.

It’s also worth noting that evergreen content (timeless, not trends that come and go) and directly adding information in search results through PAA (People Also Ask) or “More questions” sections also gained prominence in Google’s SERP.

Beneficiaries and those negatively affected by the Core Update

While it’s not entirely accurate to categorize sectors as “beneficiaries” or “negatively affected,” many sites have seen significantly positive results from these changes. The case of Wikipedia and/or dictionaries stands out, as Google positioned excerpts from their content in the search results seen in the SERP’s PAA.

In the case of the most affected sectors, we must mention media and news sites that, above all, are not up-to-date. If they are up-to-date, Google will only prioritize those most relevant to users.

These results in news pages are partly due to the QDF (Query Deserves Freshness) factor. This is a Google algorithm that adjusts search rankings based on the freshness of content required by a search query. When an unexpected event occurs or a topic is trending, Google prioritizes new and timely content over older and possibly outdated pages.

Google Core Update October 2023

The Google Core Update on October 5, 2023, stood out for refining the search experience for shopping-related queries. Google recalibrated its algorithm to highlight the relevance and usefulness of content in this specific context. The emphasis was placed on two key aspects:

• Useful and up-to-date content

• Accuracy of the provided information

This means that websites offering valuable and relevant content for shoppers are more likely to stand out in search results. The importance of keeping content up-to-date and relevant to visitors was further emphasized, as accuracy and updates are key factors in meeting user needs.

Google Core Update August 2023

Finally (though not really, because there are older ones), let me introduce the Google Core Update from August 22, 2023. This update began suggesting changes regarding the quality and evaluation of site content. Additionally, Google emphasized two main aspects: domain authority and link quality. Instead of simply valuing the reputation of the site providing the link, the update emphasized the importance of the link offering value to the user.

Does this mean that links are everything? Not exactly, but they do matter. Links should expand information, support arguments, simplify concepts, or direct users to relevant products, services, or resources. The key is to understand that the quality of the contribution the link provides to the user is more important than the reputation of the site offering it.

This change reflects Google’s evolution toward a more user-centered approach, where relevance and usefulness are the main criteria for determining the quality of search results.

Google Core Update March 2023

During the Google Core Update on March 15, 2023, a significant increase in ranking volatility was observed, marking a notable deviation from previous updates. This marked increase in volatility was evident on both desktop computers and mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones.

Additionally, it’s worth highlighting that higher volatility scores were detected in the Shopping and Arts & Entertainment sectors.

Google Core Update September 2022

The last update of 2022 (September 12) impacted the same areas as the Google Helpful Content Update. In this case, emphasis was placed on penalizing content that:

• Was made using AI (Artificial Intelligence)

• Lacked unique value for the user

• Was created to meet search engine needs

To reinforce this, questionnaires were sent to assess content reliability and quality, helping publishers understand whether they were meeting the new expectations established by the update.

This update only deepened the problem left by the May Core Update, which led many sites to start cleaning up useless content.

Google Core Update May 2022

The May 25, 2022, update mainly affected search results by focusing on improving the effectiveness of user searches. Its main focus was E-A-T (Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness) of content. Rich snippets displayed by Google’s SERP, as well as FAQs, gained more importance, as did images and videos.

The goal was to enable Google to capture relevant content from an article and place it in FAQs or the featured snippet. In this regard, it’s entirely possible to say that specialized content began to gain ground over generalist content (mostly made with AI), negatively impacting e-commerce sites.

Google Core Update November 2021

Let’s now move on to the Google Core Update that took place on November 17, 2021. At this point in history, with a pandemic still looming over us, the SEO community was closely monitoring reports from Google Analytics (GA4) and Search Console to assess the impact on websites.

SEMrush reported that the update was 12% more unstable than the July one, with a greater impact on mobile devices than on desktops (23% more). The healthcare industry experienced a 41% increase in result fluctuations, and 16% of the top 20 ranked URLs before the update saw a decline in their rankings.

Fluctuations were also detected in the healthcare, finance, and travel sectors, but not in sales. For example, the

 most popular sales sites experienced changes in their top 10 positions. We could talk about losers and winners, but the truth is that these drops aren’t definitive, and changes are seen day by day. Therefore, it’s a matter of optimizing sites, polishing content, and removing anything that isn’t useful to users.

Google Core Update July 2021

The GCU that took place on July 1, 2021, was designed to improve the user experience on sites, generating changes and modifications noted by many SEO specialists. Some of these changes include:

• Variation in keyword positioning

• Loss of site visibility

• Fluctuating rankings in recent days

• Decrease in impressions and clicks

But why does this happen? Essentially, Google is prioritizing sites that offer quality content that matters to users. It focuses on factors such as Core Web Vitals, which include LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift), and FID (First Input Delay). These factors directly benefit the user experience on a website, which is reflected in its ranking in search results.

To access this data, it’s as simple as using Google’s tool called PageSpeed Insights, which now includes a function integrated into the Lighthouse extension.

Google Core Update June 2021

The Google Core Update of June 28, 2021, brought significant changes in search result visibility. For example, when searching for the word “correctional,” Wikipedia and online dictionary reference results are now prioritized over other content, such as “The Juvenile Correctional Center,” among other examples.

Among the main factors to highlight in this new update, it is worth noting:

• User experience: The algorithm began prioritizing pages that offer a positive experience and unique, quality content. Pages must be functional, reliable, and optimized for mobile devices.

• Mobile optimization: Sites better optimized for mobile devices gain more significant benefits in terms of rankings, as a very high percentage of users access them from such devices.

• Safe navigation with HTTPS: It’s becoming mandatory for websites to be secured with SSL certificates “HTTPS” to ensure user safety. Google may choose to de-index sites that don’t comply or, alternatively, affect their traffic and rankings.

• Guidelines on intrusive external elements: It is recommended to avoid intrusive pop-ups that may affect the user experience.

Google Core Update December 2020

On December 3, Google launched what was its final Core Update of 2020. This represented a significant change in the search algorithm.

Unlike updates like Panda and Penguin, which focused on specific aspects such as content quality and link profiles, the Core Update affects the entire Google algorithm. It’s a comprehensive rewrite that influences all aspects of search rankings.

What’s the issue with all this? You might be asking… and the truth is that, considering this, it’s very complex to determine the true reason why a website might lose or gain traffic after a Core Update.

Google Core Update May 2020

The Google Core Update of May 4, 2020, introduced many changes in search results, and SEOs noticed the appearance of new results that Google prioritized even more, such as images, rich snippets, and videos. Additionally, there was a noticeable emphasis on local results in each country, with Google once again focusing on health, finance, and legal sites.

It’s been noted that some sites have benefited from this, such as Pinterest and Amazon, seeing a noticeable increase in traffic, while niche sites have been negatively affected.

Google Core Update January 2020

We finally made it! The first Google Core Update of January 13, 2020. Initially, site owners could see early reactions in their site rankings, such as how their keywords were positioned, among other things.

Changes were observed in the appearance of new modules or result types in SERPs, such as images, rich snippets, video modules, and local modules. Google targeted YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) pages, such as health, finance, and legal sites, with adjustments in previous updates for these types of sites.

How to work correctly following Google’s Update guidelines?

In conclusion, Core Updates represent significant changes to Google’s search algorithm, aiming to improve the quality and relevance of results for users. Are they always positive? Well, that depends on which website owner you ask, as the impacts often vary from site to site.

Honestly, I think Google doesn’t offer much information about the specific nature of these updates, beyond the general recommendation to create high-quality content that appeals to users.

What’s left is to adjust the site as much as possible to Google’s requests and focus it on the user’s needs. That’s why SEO and digital marketing professionals must stay updated and alert to the changes being introduced.

If you focus on content quality, user experience, and compliance with Google’s guidelines, you’ll be able to navigate these changes successfully and maintain your site’s competitiveness.

At MD Marketing Digital, we are clear about this!

Many sites can modify their content and achieve positive results, while others haven’t been as fortunate. To achieve results that meet your expectations, you can count on our help!

At MD Marketing Digital, we specialize in SEO and web design tailored to meet user needs. We can provide assistance to help your site and its content reach high levels of quality.

Interested? Contact us to start working together!