Hot off the back of its November update, Google announced its December 2024 core update just a few days later. Here’s what you need to know.
Why Was There an Update So Soon?
You might find it strange that Google has released two updates in such quick succession, given their usual schedule. We’ve seen a Google core update in March 2024 and August, but to release one just days after another is outside the norm. Was the November update flawed and needed fixing in a further overhaul?
It’s not as sinister as that. Core updates cover a whole host of processes, and it’s simply the case that more features within the Google search algorithm needed a few tweaks.
Google even addressed this in a post on X:
The rollout was complete as of December 18, 2024.
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) December 18, 2024
What’s in This Core Update?
At this moment, we’re not entirely sure what has been overhauled in the search experience with the December 2024 core update.
However, we do know that a spam update has taken place, upgrading Google’s SpamBrain AI to better detect irrelevant, AI-generated, or non-human-geared content.
One thing is for sure, though—this core update has caused waves across the internet, including dramatic changes in traffic for even well-known sites. Some companies have won big with significant traffic upticks, while others have seen a sharp decline due to this new Google algorithm volatility.
Here are some of the big winners and losers we have found from the Google December 2024 core update:
| Domain | Business Type | Change |
| bbc.co.uk | Media & Broadcasting | Positive |
| nhs.co.uk | Healthcare | Positive |
| pinterest.com | Social Media | Positive |
| marksandspencer.com | e-Commerce | Positive |
| deichmann.com | e-Commerce | Negative |
| zopa.com | Finance | Negative |
| mirror.co.uk | Media & Broadcasting | Negative |
Data Sourced from SISTRIX
Despite this, it will be interesting to see how some of these sites hold up in the coming weeks. Although we expect many (including Zopa, who had a 41% decrease in traffic) to make the necessary changes, some increases could also correlate to the holiday season.
One example we can use in this case is nhs.co.uk. Traffic for the UK’s public health service website has increased, not just domestically but also among US users. With Winter bringing coughs, colds, and other unsavory symptoms, could it simply be that the site had the most relevant resources and information?
We’ll have to wait and see how this Google algorithm update plays out.
What Should I Do if My Site Has Been Affected?
It’s not just the big sites that have seen an impact from this Google core update. Many businesses and domain holders have also seen impactful changes to their traffic. Here are our top tips on what to do if your numbers are in decline:
- Check for notifications: If a webpage has been deindexed, it was likely caught within the spam update. If that’s the case, then you should have received a heads-up from Google.
- Look at historic traffic patterns: Is the drop in visits to your site normal? Check previous years’ data just in case it’s seasonally affected, especially for businesses that naturally see less custom in the wintertime.
- Assess how big the drop is: It’s important to know whether you need to take action based on the drop in traffic and search ranking. For example, from Google’s own guidance, a drop from #2 to #4 will likely need no action; however, a drop from #4 to #29 should be looked into and addressed.
- Perform an objective review of your content: Take a look at your website. Is the content there informative, up-to-date, and relevant to users’ search queries? If it isn’t, this is likely the issue. You can even use Google’s self-assessment tool to help you.
- Make meaningful SEO changes: Don’t just look to place a quick band-aid on content, despite how desperate things may seem. Focus on SEO practices and strategies that will create an impact over time to ensure the longevity and eventual search performance of your pages.
Related: SEO Trends of 2024
How Long Will It Take to See Changes?
In terms of the impact of the Google December 2024 core update, expect traffic shifts to occur for a few weeks post-update. Remember to continually monitor page and website performance moving into the new year.
If you were affected and made changes to your content, the time it takes for these to make an impact varies. Some amendments you make may take effect within a few days, while others may take weeks or months to show as the Google algorithm changes start to recognize your web pages as providing relevant and meaningful content to users again.
