Core Update (Google)
A core update is a periodic broad change to Google's ranking algorithms — typically rolled out 3–4 times per year and named for the month (e.g., March 2024 Core Update, August 2024 Core Update).
In context
Core updates rebalance how Google weighs many ranking signals at once and can produce 20–60% traffic swings (positive or negative) on individual sites. There is no single fix for a core-update loss — Google's official guidance is to focus on overall site quality, helpful content, and E-E-A-T signals. Document core update dates against your traffic data; investigate any persistent loss for content quality, technical issues, or thin/AI-spammy content that may have been demoted. Recoveries typically happen at the next core update, not in between.
A Canadian publisher lost 35% organic traffic in the March 2024 core update; a 9-month editorial overhaul focused on E-E-A-T (named bylines, source citations, author Person schema) recovered traffic by the November 2024 update.
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