Fundamentals
Google Algorithm Update
A Google algorithm update is a change to the systems Google uses to rank pages, ranging from minor daily tweaks to major named "core updates." Large updates can noticeably shift rankings and traffic across many sites at once.
For example, a core update may reward sites with stronger first-hand expertise and demote thin, unhelpful content. The durable response is to focus on genuine quality rather than chasing each update.
Not every traffic drop is an update, and treating one as the other wastes weeks. Before assuming an algorithmic cause, rule out the boring explanations: a deploy that changed rendering, a robots or canonical change, an expired redirect, a tag manager edit, or seasonality in your category. Search Console date comparison plus your own deploy log answers this in under an hour. If the drop starts on a confirmed update date and hits page types unevenly, it is algorithmic. If it starts on a Tuesday afternoon and hits everything at once, someone shipped something.
Example
A recipe site drops 40% overnight on 12 March. Checking the date against Google's status dashboard shows a core update began rolling out that day. Page-level analysis shows listicle roundups fell hard while original tested recipes held. That pattern, not the traffic number, is the diagnosis: the update reassessed thin aggregation, and the fix is consolidation.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I know if an algorithm update hit my site?
- Compare the date your traffic changed against confirmed update dates, then check whether the drop is sitewide or limited to certain page types or queries. A sitewide drop that lines up with a core update usually points to a quality or authority reassessment, not a technical fault.
- What should I do after a core update drop?
- Resist quick fixes. Core updates reassess overall quality instead of penalising specific tactics, so there is rarely one thing to undo. Audit whether your content genuinely deserves to outrank what now ranks above you, improve the weakest pages, and expect recovery to take until the next update.
Related terms
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