Google has rolled out its first core update of 2025, which may cause fluctuations in website rankings! By understanding the update details, its impact on websites, and how to improve content quality and user experience, you can seize the opportunity to boost rankings and attract more traffic!
First Google Core Update of 2025 Released on March 13
On March 13, 2025, launched a Google core update, which is expected to take about two weeks to fully roll out. This is the first core update of 2025, coming three months after the previous one in December 2024.
Source: Google Search Status Dashboard
Satisfying content for searchers from all types of sites
Google stated: “This is a regular update designed to better surface relevant, satisfying content for searchers from all types of sites. We also continue our work to surface more content from creators through a series of improvements throughout this year. Some have already happened; additional ones will come later.”
Google releases multiple core updates each year, which typically bring significant and broad changes to its algorithms and systems.
With this update, some websites may see noticeable ranking and traffic improvements, while others that previously ranked well might be affected. The main factors depend on content quality, user experience, and other SEO-friendly settings.
In other words, Google encourages websites to provide higher-quality content. If your site focuses on creating user-friendly content, no special action is needed. However, if rankings drop, Google strongly recommends reviewing its guidelines on “creating helpful, reliable, people-first content.“
Simply put: Write content for people, not just for search engine rankings.
How to Respond to Google’s Core Update
When Google releases a core update, you might worry about ranking fluctuations, but rushing to make changes could backfire. Instead, adopt a steady strategy. Here are some suggestions:
1. Avoid Hasty Website Structure Changes
Don’t hastily remove or modify webpage elements just because they might hurt SEO. Such “quick fixes” often cause more problems than solutions. Instead, focus on meaningful, long-term improvements for users—such as boosting site speed, enhancing mobile experience, or improving content relevance.
2. Focus on Content Improvements
Content is the heart of your website. Consider rewriting or restructuring it to make it easier to read and navigate. Adding clear headings, paragraph breaks, bullet points, or relevant images/videos can enhance user understanding and engagement. Remember: Content should provide value to users, not just cater to search engines.
3. Be Cautious About Deleting Content
Deletion should be a last resort—only if the content is beyond saving or completely irrelevant. If you find yourself deleting entire sections, it may indicate that those pages were originally created for search engines rather than users.
Recap: Google’s 4 Core Updates in 2024
As mentioned earlier, Google rolls out multiple core updates yearly. In 2024, there were four:
| Summary | Start Date | Completion Date | Duration |
| December 2024 Core Update | Dec 12, 2024 | Dec 18, 2024 | 6 days, 4 hours |
| November 2024 Core Update | Nov 11, 2024 | Dec 5, 2024 23 | days, 13 hours |
| August 2024 Core Update | Aug 15, 2024 | Sep 3, 2024 | 19 days, 4 hours |
| March 2024 Core Update | Mar 5, 2024 | Apr 19, 2024 | 45 days |
Here’s a quick recap of last year’s updates:
March 2024 Core Update
Google’s first algorithm update of 2024 took 45 days to roll out and had a major impact on content, causing larger-than-usual ranking fluctuations.
Google reported that the update reduced unhelpful content by 40%, refining its ability to identify pages that were “unhelpful, offered poor user experience, or seemed created for search engines rather than users.”
August 2024 Core Update
The second core update of 2024 aimed to improve search result relevance and quality.
Google explained that it addressed feedback from website owners (especially small and independent sites) regarding the September 2023 “Helpful Content Update.” The goal was to boost rankings for genuinely useful content, ensuring search results better meet user needs while highlighting high-quality, original material. Google also pledged to keep improving rankings for small and independent sites.
November 2024 Core Update
This was a standard core update, continuing Google’s efforts to enhance search quality by promoting truly useful content and demoting content designed solely to rank well.
December 2024 Core Update
Released on December 12, 2024, this was the year’s final core update, arriving just a week after the November update concluded.
Google clarified that frequent updates were necessary due to ongoing improvements across multiple core systems.
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