General SEO
Algorithm Update
Quick Definition
An algorithm update is a change to how Google ranks search results. Major updates (Core Updates, Helpful Content) can cause significant traffic swings, sometimes overnight.
In context
Google announces major updates publicly and often takes 1–2 weeks to fully roll out. Recovery from a negative algorithm update requires diagnosing what changed about Google's quality assessment and rebuilding the affected content to meet the new bar — usually months of work.
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