Algorithm Updates: The Nightmare for SEO Professionals

If you’re an SEO professional, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about. You don’t need me to tell you how much impact Google’s algorithm updates can have on your organic traffic—good or bad.

Now, if you’re new to SEO or just starting your journey, don’t worry! This article is here to help you understand what exactly a Google Algorithm Update is. Let’s dive right in!

What Are Google Algorithm Updates?

When you search on Google (e.g., “Harry Potter”), you’ll notice a variety of pages popping up on the search engine results page (SERP) in just a few seconds.

Behind the scenes, Google uses complex systems known as algorithms to determine which pages to show. These algorithms sift through Google’s massive search index and pull up the most relevant pages for your search query.

But that’s not all—Google, along with other search engines like Bing, uses a whole range of ranking factors to prioritize which pages should rank higher out of the billions of pages on the web.

To keep things fresh and ensure the most useful content appears at the top, Google updates its algorithms multiple times a day.

While most of these updates happen without official announcements, the big ones that have a significant impact on organic rankings are typically shared by Google.

The following are the popular algorithm updates:

Google Algorithm Updates 2025:

• Algorithm Name: March 2025 Core Update
  • Release Date: March 13, 2025
  • Brief: This core update caused significant volatility in search rankings, marking the most substantial changes in over a year. The rollout concluded on March 27, 2025.

Google Algorithm Updates 2024:

• Algorithm Name: December 2024 Core Update
  • Release Date: December 12, 2024
  • Brief: Aimed at refining search results, this update completed its rollout on December 18, 2024, impacting various websites’ visibility.
• Algorithm Name: November 2024 Core Update
  • Release Date: November 2024
  • Brief: This update spanned three weeks, concluding on December 5, 2024, and brought moderate changes to global search results.
• Algorithm Name: August 2024 Core Update
  • Release Date: August 2024
  • Brief: Focused on promoting high-quality content, this update targeted low-value SEO content, with a rollout expected within a month.
• Algorithm Name: June 2024 Spam Update
  • Release Date: June 20, 2024
  • Brief: A week-long update aimed at enhancing search result quality by targeting websites violating Google’s spam policies.
• Algorithm Name: March 2024 Core Update
  • Release Date: March 5, 2024
  • Brief: This extensive update aimed to reduce low-quality, unoriginal content by 40% and introduced new spam policies targeting manipulative practices.

Google Algorithm Updates 2023:

• Algorithm Name: November 2023 Reviews Update
  • Release Date: November 2023
  • Brief: The final standalone reviews update, after which Google began continuously evaluating review content quality without separate announcements.
• Algorithm Name: October 2023 Core Update
  • Release Date: October 5, 2023
  • Brief: Aimed at promoting quality content, this core update concluded on October 19, 2023, affecting search rankings.
• Algorithm Name: September 2023 Helpful Content Update
  • Release Date: September 14, 2023
  • Brief: Introduced changes to how sites are ranked, including adjustments to AI-generated content guidelines and crackdowns on third-party content hosted on subdomains.
• Algorithm Name: August 2023 Core Update
  • Release Date: August 2023
  • Brief: This core update aimed to improve search results, with the rollout completing on September 7, 2023.

Google Algorithm Updates 2022:

• Algorithm Name: October 2022 Spam Update
  • Release Date: October 19, 2022
  • Brief: A spam update that rolled out over two days, targeting spammy content to improve search result quality.
• Algorithm Name: September 2022 Product Review Update
  • Release Date: September 20, 2022
  • Brief: Focused on enhancing the quality of product reviews in search results, this update concluded on September 26, 2022.
• Algorithm Name: September 2022 Core Update
  • Release Date: September 12, 2022
  • Brief: A core algorithm update that brought noticeable changes to search results, completing its rollout on September 26, 2022. ​
• Algorithm Name: August 2022 Helpful Content Update
  • Release Date: August 25, 2022
  • Brief: Targeted content primarily created for search engine rankings rather than to help or inform users, promoting more helpful content in search results.
• Algorithm Name: July 2022 Product Reviews Update
  • Release Date: July 27, 2022
  • Brief: Aimed at improving the quality of product reviews, this update concluded on August 2, 2022.
• Algorithm Name: May 2022 Core Update
  • Release Date: May 25, 2022
  • Brief: A broad core algorithm update that began on May 25 and completed on June 9, 2022, affecting various websites’ rankings.

Google Algorithm Updates 2021:

• Algorithm Name: December 2021 Product Review Update
  • Release Date: December 1, 2021
  • Brief: This update aimed to enhance the quality of product reviews in search results, focusing on in-depth and insightful content.
• Algorithm Name: November 2021 Local Search Update
  • Release Date: November 30, 2021
  • Brief: Targeted improvements to local search rankings, refining how proximity and relevance influence local results.
• Algorithm Name: November 2021 Core Update
  • Release Date: November 17, 2021
  • Brief: A broad core algorithm update aimed at improving the overall quality and relevance of search results.
• Algorithm Name: November 2021 Spam Update
  • Release Date: November 3, 2021
  • Brief: Focused on combating spam in search results, enhancing Google’s ability to detect and nullify spammy content.
• Algorithm Name: July 2021 Core Update
  • Release Date: July 1, 2021
  • Brief: Part two of a planned core update series, following the June update, to improve search result quality.
• Algorithm Name: June 2021 Core Update
  • Release Date: June 2, 2021
  • Brief: A broad core update introducing changes across Google’s indexing and ranking processes.
• Algorithm Name: June 2021 Spam Update
  • Release Date: June 23, 2021
  • Brief: Aimed at identifying and nullifying spam in search results, enhancing overall search quality.
• Algorithm Name: Page Experience Update
  • Release Date: June 15, 2021
  • Brief: Introduced new ranking signals based on user experience metrics, including Core Web Vitals.