Google Core Updates: The Algorithm Shifts

Google Core Updates: The Algorithm Shifts That Could Skyrocket—or Sink—Your Rankings Overnight

If you’ve ever woken up to find your website traffic has surged — or collapsed — overnight, chances are you’ve been touched by a Google Core Update. These sweeping algorithm changes can rewrite the rules of SEO in a single day, reshaping which sites dominate search results and which disappear from page one.

For small businesses, this isn’t just technical background noise. With 93% of online experiences beginning with a search engine {1}, whether Google rewards or punishes your site can directly impact your leads, sales, and visibility.

There are countless updates every year, but Core Updates are the big ones — the ones that every business owner should be watching.

What Do Google Updates Do?

Google updates are adjustments to the search engine’s ranking algorithm — the system that decides which web pages appear (and in what order) when someone searches. A Core Update is a broad, sweeping change that affects how Google evaluates all content across the internet {2}.

Instead of tweaking a single factor, like page speed or mobile usability, these updates reassess a combination of signals — from content quality and relevance to authority and user experience. The end goal is simple: make search results more useful and trustworthy for users.

But for business owners, the result is often less predictable. Rankings can rise, fall, or remain stable depending on how closely your site already aligns with Google’s evolving standards.

Do Google Updates Help with SEO?

Yes — but only if your website is already delivering value. Google’s updates are designed to reward sites that provide exceptional, relevant content {3} and penalise those relying on outdated tricks like keyword stuffing, thin articles, or irrelevant backlinks.

For a small business that focuses on high-quality, original, and user-focused content, Core Updates can actually improve search rankings. But those treating SEO as a one-time setup are more likely to see a drop.

The key is to think long-term: invest in fresh, authoritative content, strong branding, fast site speed, and mobile usability. That way, when the next update hits, your site is positioned to benefit instead of suffer.

Sundar Pichai CEO of Google

What is Google’s Helpful Content Update?

Rolled out in August 2022, Google’s Helpful Content Update was a clear message to site owners: stop writing for algorithms, start writing for people {4}.

The update targeted “search-engine-first” content — articles churned out purely to rank, without providing real value to readers. Pages with thin, repetitive, or irrelevant content were downgraded, while businesses producing in-depth, useful, and well-researched material often saw rankings rise.

For small businesses, this update was an opportunity. If you can demonstrate expertise, answer real customer questions, and publish content that genuinely helps, Google will reward you with better visibility.

What is the Google Update Regarding AI Content?

With the explosion of AI writing tools like ChatGPT, Google updated its guidelines in 2023 to address AI-generated content. The verdict: AI content is fine — as long as it meets the same quality standards as human-written work {5}.

That means no filler text, no factually incorrect claims, and no keyword-stuffed nonsense. If you use AI to produce blogs, product descriptions, or support materials, you still need human oversight for accuracy, tone, and branding.

For small businesses, this is a huge opportunity to scale content production — but it only works if you treat AI as a helper, not a replacement for quality control.

How to Stay Ahead of Google Core Updates

Surviving — and even thriving — after a Core Update comes down to consistency. Focus on:

• E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).

• Updating or removing low-value content.

• Maintaining strong technical SEO — fast, mobile-friendly, well-structured sites.

• Monitoring traffic and keyword rankings closely after updates.

Google updates aren’t going away. If anything, they’re becoming more frequent and more complex. The small businesses that win will be the ones that adapt quickly, prioritise users over algorithms, and never stop improving their online presence.

Related: Meta’s Content Moderation Overhaul: A Bold Move with Broad Implications