Google December 2024 core update: surprise!
Yes, you read that right! Google has just announced the release of its December 2024 core update, an event that is surprising in its unusual speed. In fact, this new update comes just seven days after the completion of the November 2024 core update, an unprecedented timing in Google’s update history. An exception had only occurred in 2021, with the release of the 2021 June update being rolled out in two phases, continuing even into July: but in that case, Google had clearly communicated that it was a single, planned process, whereas this time there was no such indication.
Google December 2024 Core: a flash release that surprises
The new update, Google pointed out, will take about two weeks to be fully implemented. This is the fourth core update of the year, confirming the company’s continued intense activity in refining its algorithms and search systems. The cycle of Google’s core updates includes significant changes, so much so that the company is wont to announce them so that content creators and practitioners can understand their impact.
The previous core update, which began on November 11, 2024, ended only on December 5, 2024, just a week ago, as we recounted with our analysis of winner and loser sites. This makes the immediate release of a further update all the more extraordinary, a fact that has generated curiosity and discussion among SEO experts and practitioners.
Google explained the decision in an official statement, “The December 2024 core update is being deployed and we expect it to be completed in two weeks. If you are wondering why there is a core update this month after last month’s, we have several core systems that we are always improving.”
An exception that is causing discussion. Although Google had anticipated in recent weeks that a core update was coming, there has never been such close proximity between two releases of this magnitude. This update also follows an already change-filled year, which included the massive March 2024 core update, described by Google as “the biggest core update ever”. That release, which began on March 5, had run for a full 45 days, concluding on April 19.
Directions for those affected by the update
As always, Google provided guidance on what to do if a website is negatively affected by the update:
- No specific action required: a drop in rankings does not necessarily imply that there are problems with the site’s pages.
- Focus on content: Google recommends focusing on creating useful, reliable and user-centered content, not search engine-centered content.
- Recovery possible between updates: Although a slight recovery may occur between updates, the most significant changes are usually observed after an additional core update.
Google reiterated that there is nothing new to do with the guidelines already provided: “There is nothing new or special that creators need to do for this update, as long as they have created satisfying content designed for people. For those who may not rank as well, we strongly encourage them to read our help page for creating useful, reliable, people-centered content.”
Chronology of 2024 core updates: let’s review
2024 was a particularly busy year for SEO practitioners, with three major core updates: March, August, and, indeed, November. Each of these updates introduced significant changes in ranking dynamics, reaffirming the central role of Google’s algorithm in defining SERPs.
- March 2024 Core Update : Considered by Google to be the largest core update of all time, this update had a profound impact on a large scale. By focusing on the reliability and authority of sources, it caused a significant realignment for sites that had disproportionately benefited from optimized content but lacked real expertise. It lasted 45 days, marking an extended rollout record.
- August 2024 Core Update : Characterized by a more targeted approach, the August core update focused primarily on sites that had suffered previous declines, attempting to offer a “second chance” to smaller publishers who had proven capable of improving the quality of their content. Lasting 19 days, it had a smaller but no less important impact.
- November 2024 Core Update: released on November 11, ended on December 5, 24 days later. This update comes amid consolidation: it appears to combine the breadth of the March 2024 with the selective approach of August, further refining the process begun with the criticized Helpful Content Update (HCU) of September 2023. The November update, while not bringing revolutionary innovations, continues in the direction of enhancing content with a strong focus on usefulness and relevance to the user.
For more details on core updates and guidelines, Google invites you to consult the official documentation, a valuable reference for those in the world of SEO and content creation.
A 2024 of revolutionary updates
Google’s core updates, while sowing panic among webmasters and content creators, also represent interesting opportunities (at least for those who survive the storm). Hopefully, the December 2024 release will not spoil the holiday mood, but instead become an opportunity to finally see improved organic traffic and increased conversions. As always, the goal remains the same: to create valuable, authentic content designed for users, trying to decipher, once and for all, the tastes of the mysterious “spirit of the algorithm.”
