A few times each year, Google makes big changes to our search algorithms and systems. We call these core updates, and we announce them on our list of Google Search ranking updates.
Most sites don’t need to worry about core updates and might not even notice when one happens. But if you see a change in your site’s traffic that corresponds to the body, once with a core update, this page can help; it explains how core updates work and what you can do to review and improve your content.
How Do Core Updates Work?
Core updates help us ensure that people searching online receive helpful, reliable results. These updates are broad and do not target specific sites or pages. As web content changes, we update our systems to keep up.
A core update is like updating your list of favorite restaurants as new places open and experiences change, shifting your favorites. Lower-ranked spots are not bad — they just moved down because new choices entered the top list.
Check If There’s A Traffic Stop In Search Console
If you notice your site’s ranking has dropped and suspect it may be due to a core update, use Search Console to determine if you need to make any changes.
- Ensure the core update has fully rolled out. Refer to the search status dashboard and note the start and end dates of the update.
- After the core update finishes, wait at least a week before analyzing your site in Search Console, then compare this week’s performance with the week before the update started. This helps you see what has changed.
- Review your top pages and queries, assess, and look at your top pages and search queries. Check how they ranked before and after the core update to see if the drop is small or large. Sections 2 to 4. There is no need to take drastic action (in fact, we recommend avoiding changes to content that’s already performing well).
If your ranking drops sharply, such as from position 4 to 29, conduct a thorough review.
- To further understand ranking changes, check each search type separately. This helps you see if the drop happened in web search, Google Images, Video, or the News tab.
Assessing A Large Drop In Position
If your whole site has dropped significantly in rankings for a while, move to a self-assessment to see whether it has dived overall. Not just certain pages, Dash offers helpful, reliable, and people-first content. Keep these points in mind:
- Start by reviewing your entire site carefully and try to be objective. You can also ask trusted people who are not connected to your site to assess it using the provided questions.
- Examine the pages most affected. Compare them to the self-assessment questions. For instance, competitor pages may be serving users more effectively.
Things to Keep in Mind When Making Changes
- Avoid quick fixes, such as removing a page element, just because you heard it might hurt SEO. Instead, focus on changes that benefit your users and deliver lasting value.
- Aim to improve your content in meaningful ways. Rewriting or reorganizing your site can make it easier for users to read and use.
- Only delete content as a last resort and only if you believe it can’t be improved. If you’re considering removing entire sections, it may mean those parts were made for search engines rather than people. In that case, deleting unhelpful content can help your good content do better.
How Long Does It Take to See an Effect in Search Results?
After making improvements, it may take days or several months to see changes in search results as our systems need time to recognize the updates. If there are no changes after a few months, wait for the next core update.
However, you don’t always have to wait for a major core update to see results from your improvements. We consistently update our search algorithms, including smaller core updates. These aren’t announced because they are less noticeable, but they can still help your content move up if you’ve made improvements.
